Everton's Pursuit of Tavernier to Strengthen Midfield
Everton’s recruitment drive shows no sign of slowing, and Marcus Tavernier is the latest name being pushed firmly into the spotlight.
Former Everton senior scout King believes the Bournemouth midfielder is right on the cusp of his peak and exactly the type of flexible, hard-running player the club have been crying out for.
“He’s a gainer in the 25, 26, 27 age, isn’t he? So, you know, you’re looking at him, again, good age. He’s done well,” King told Football Insider, underlining why the Merseyside side are tracking him so closely.
King’s praise didn’t stop at Tavernier’s numbers. It was about what he offers a squad that has been rebuilt almost from the ground up.
“He can play midfield, he can play wide. You know, he could be an interesting player to bring in with Johnson. He could certainly lift the midfield, couldn’t he?
“He’s done well at Bournemouth. You know, when you look at Bournemouth’s recruitment, it’s been very good, hasn’t it? I mean, Christ, they’ve made a lot of money on sale of players. Bringing them in cheapish and selling them for big money.”
That last point matters. Bournemouth’s track record in the market means prising Tavernier away will not be simple or cheap. They buy smart, sell smarter, and rarely blink first.
Everton, though, have already made their move in the background.
On 9 August, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on his personal X account that the Toffees had stepped up their interest. “Understand Everton have made an enquiry on Marcus Tavernier. Initial talks on the player side. No approach to Bournemouth,” he reported, drawing a clear line between sounding out the player and actually testing Bournemouth’s resolve.
So the groundwork has started, but the real negotiations are still to come.
If Everton do push a deal over the line, Tavernier would join a long list of new faces in a sweeping overhaul. Brennan Johnson, Merlin Rohl, Tyrique George, Hayden Hackney, and Christian Norgaard have already come through the door, reshaping the spine and the depth of the squad.
Tavernier’s appeal cuts across that rebuild. He can tuck inside as a midfielder, stretch play from wide areas, and plug gaps across the attacking third. For a manager trying to knit together a new-look side, that kind of versatility is gold.
Everton have started to change who they are with this window. The question now is whether they are prepared to pay Bournemouth’s price to make Tavernier part of that new identity.
