Everton are chasing a £20k-p/w defender who played in the Copa America

Everton could sign a La Liga defender this summer, it has emerged, as Sean Dyche looks to bolster his ratings ahead of the new Premier League season.

Question marks on the back

Having secured Premier League survival despite two points being deducted last season, Everton are looking to kick things off this season. They have already brought in reinforcements, signing Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille after failing in Ligue 1, while Jack Harrison has returned from another loan spell and Tim Iroegbunam has arrived from Aston Villa to strengthen the midfield.

But there is still plenty of speculation about what Everton's squad could look like at the start of the season, with promising full-back Jarrad Branthwaite at the heart of it.

The England international has already been the subject of two failed bids from Manchester United, the second of which was valued at around £50m and quickly rejected.

The Toffees are thought to be holding out for around £70m to let their treasure go, with the 22-year-old making 42 appearances for Sean Dyche's side last season and becoming one of the best left-backs in the Premier League in the process.

The Times say United will return with a third bid for the Everton man, although they are “unwilling to meet” the £70m price tag, forcing Everton to consider lowering their demands or keeping the centre-back. Now, they have been linked with a potential replacement for Branthwaite.

The Toffees are chasing the Copa America man

This comes as Paraguayan media revealed that Everton are in the market for 27-year-old defender Omar Alderrete, who made three appearances at the recent Copa America and famously found the net against Brazil.

The defender joined Getafe permanently last summer, in a deal worth €4 million, but has continued to establish himself as a key figure in defence. He played 31 times in La Liga as he helped his team out of relegation trouble, and is thought to have attracted the attention of several clubs in the process.

One of those is Spanish property Sevilla, but Everton are also named among the sides chasing his signature and have contacted him to sign the defender.

Alderrete penned his £20k-a-week deal over the past 12 months, and it will run until 2028, meaning Getafe will want a reasonable sum for his departure, although no fees have been specified.

With Branthwaite the only left-back in the squad at the moment, Alderrete's arrival could be a boost for the 22-year-old. Currently, Dyche's only options for centre-backs are first-team picks Branthwaite and James Tarkowski as well as Michael Keane and Mason Holgate, who recently returned from a loan spell with Sheffield United and could be on the move again.