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Everton could fill problem position with transfer swoop for Liverpool-linked star Everton have been linked with a move for Barcelona right-back Hector Fort who spent last season on loan at Elche With even Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging Everton to sign a right-back and Jake O’Brien having been forced to revert to the role in the 3-1 defeat to Stuttgart on Saturday, Hector Fort is the latest name to be linked to the Blues. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sam Cohen for GiveMeSport published on Thursday, the PM, who of course is an Everton season ticket holder, said: “The signs are good but there is one thing that I would just ask: ‘Sign a right-back.’ “We need a right-back. Poor old Jake [O’Brien] can’t do another season at right-back. “He’s a good player, he’s a great centre-back. Buy a right-back.” O’Brien subsequently started the game in Stuttgart in his natural position of centre-back, alongside captain on the day, Jarrad Branthwaite, but an early injury to Tim Iroegbunam forced Merlin Rohl – another square peg in a round hole deputising at right-back – to move into midfield with the Republic of Ireland international shunted over to a wide defensive position. TEAMtalk report that Fort has been told he can leave Barcelona this summer with Everton and Fulham among the clubs keen to take advantage of the situation. The article states that they understand the Blues and Cottagers are both keen on Fort and would prefer to sign him permanently, despite Liverpool also having shown an interest and being long-term admirers and Internazionale also interested. Fort was born in Barcelona on August 2, 2006, just as David Moyes was mulling over signing Borussia Dortmund’s Delron Buckley after the winger had an extended trial period with Everton during their pre-season tour of the USA. The Blues boss said: “We are quite interested in what we have seen, we just need to consider if it is something we want at this time.” Ultimately, the South Africa international would spend the season on loan at Swiss club Basel but after returning to the Bundesliga side the following year, he fell out of favour under new boss Jurgen Klopp. Fort, who made his senior debut in a 3-2 loss at Royal Antwerp in the Champions League on December 13, 2023, has made 30 appearances for the Catalan giants but spent last season on loan at fellow La Liga outfit Elche, playing 17 matches in total and scoring three goals. In terms of current Premier League players, Comparisonator calculates Chelsea’s Axel Disasi, who spent last season on loan at West Ham United, as being the closest match but even then there is only a 46% similarity. Fort’s lack of minutes make it difficult to identify a playing style but he scores highest as a wing-back at 3.1 out of 10, followed by scores of 2.4 for two-ways full-back; 1.4 for playmaker back and 1.2 for defensive full-back. We can also use Comparisonator’s Virtual Transfer tool to correlate Fort’s statistics in La Liga against players in his position in the Premier League and here is a breakdown of how he fares in various areas. Physical While only one player Timothy Castagne of Fulham (116m) can top Fort’s distance covered per minute (111m), his average total distance per 90 minutes of 6.36km is lower than anyone other than Joel Veltman of Brighton & Hove Albion (6.187km) and Adam Smith of Bournemouth in a category topped by Daniel Munoz of Crystal Palace (10.642km). When it comes to maximum speed, Fort (31.62km) hit a slower mark than any of his peers in the English top flight with Jackson Tchatchoua of Wolverhampton Wanderers (35.98km) the most rapid. Offensive With 0.22 per 90 minutes, Fort averages more assists per 90 minutes than any other Premier League player in his position with Jurrien Timber of Arsenal and Matheus Nunes of Liverpool leading the way on 0.15 each. He’d come in second for opportunities converted (0.22) with only Dominik Szoboszlai (0.25) able to top him and third for playing in scoring attacks (0.67) behind Nunes (0.82) and Szoboszlai (0.81). Defensive Although Fort recorded fewer interceptions per 90 minutes (1.33) than any of his Premier League peers in a category topped by Aaron Wan-Bissaka of West Ham United (5.88) and ball recoveries (2), a section led by Ola Aina of Nottingham Forest (10.83), as you might imagine from a graduate of La Masia, he excels at retaining possession. His ball losses per 90 minutes (4) is fewer than Premier League leader Smith on 4.33. Passing Fort can pick out team-mates from distance as his 63% score for successful long passes can only be bettered by Diogo Dalot of Manchester United (65%). However, he attempted fewer passes per 90 minutes (12.33) than any Premier League peer in a section topped by Szoboszlai (64.31) and had fewer successful passes (9.67) than all of them too in a category where Curtis Jones of Liverpool leads on 56.83. Overall, Fort looks like a player of some promise but given Everton’s chequered past of recruiting from Barcelona, they might be more prudent and try before they buy. The likes of Gerard Deulofeu, Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes had contrasting fortunes after swapping the Camp Nou for Merseyside. *Comparisonator is a football data comparison tool from 271 professional leagues around the world which compares players and clubs by utilising an industry leading 378 different parameters. Click here for more details.