Everton rethink silences transfer concern as Carlo Ancelotti uncovers answer but new dilemma emerges

Carlo Ancelotti’s first signing of the summer wasn’t even meant to be for his squad quite yet.

However, just two matches into this fledgling campaign, he could have become the answer to one potential Everton transfer question.

Not many Blues fans will have heard of Niels Nkounkou when he was confirmed as the first arrival of the current window, with the defender making the move to Finch Farm following the end of his contract with Marseille.

The plan for the 19-year-old initially was clear – he would work with David Unsworth and his U23s squad for the time-being until his opportunity with the first team would eventually come.

However, the subsequent retirement of Leighton Baines changed matters somewhat.

Now the Frenchman had an early chance to step up and impress Ancelotti, one that he is currently grasping with both hands.

He was handed his first start for his new club in the League Cup match against Salford at Goodison Park on Wednesday, with Lucas Digne afforded a rest after his tireless efforts on Sunday in north London.

Of course the France international would later come on as a centre-back to negate that, but he would surely have been proud of the performance from the youngster who deputised for him.

Nkounkou has seemingly slotted into the Everton set up very well since his introduction to the squad and he showed that off from the early stages in this cup tie.

What instantly stood out was his ability and desire to make a difference in the final third, bursting forwards at every opportunity he could.

In fact, for much of the first half in particular, the 19-year-old played almost as a wing-back to join the attack with Bernard sometimes covering back to make sure the Blues weren’t defensively short.

And he was making a real impact when he did get himself up towards the Salford City goal.

Nkounkou never looked afraid to take on his man to try and fashion a crossing opportunity for himself and, on another day, a few of his dangerous balls into the box could so easily have led to assists.

One low ball in particular in the second half was curled beautifully around the back of the visiting defence but just couldn’t find either Moise Kean or Theo Walcott inside the area.

Not just that, the defender found himself a goal threat of his own at one stage, aiming a powerful volley at goal early in the first period which the goalkeeper did well to deal with.

Of course there were some raw moments throughout the game, as you would expect with any youngster making his debut for a new club, but they became much more few and far between as the 90 minutes continued.

He settled into the physicality of the match instantly, took control of that left flank and – across the first half particularly – really caused a lot of problems for Salford defensively in tandem with Anthony Gordon.

Suddenly, you have to consider Nkounkou as an option to be the backup for Digne across the course of the season.

With Everton still needing to add to other areas of the pitch, with centre-back perhaps taking more precedence considering the injury to Jarrad Branthwaite, do they really need to bring in another left back?

If the brilliant France international Everton has in that position was unavailable for any reason over the course of the campaign, would the Blues have issue with calling on his fellow countryman?

Based on this performance, the answer is no.

After initially being considered for the U23s, a few minds might be changing after this great debut from Nkounkou.