The eye-catching Everton swap transfer deal which could stun the January transfer window

Everton have hopes of pushing for Europe under David Moyes this season but have seen injury issues and limited squad numbers become an obstacle in recent weeks.

The Toffees are 10th in the Premier League table and grabbed a second-half equaliser through Thierno Barry last time out to earn a 1-1 draw with a battling Leeds United side. Barry has become a man in form with four goals in his last five league matches, having failed to find the net until early December after his summer move from Villarreal.

Making further signings in January will be the goal for Moyes as his side push to reach their goals. The Toffees have yet to make an addition in this window despite a host of transfer links to the likes of Patrick Wimmer, Ben White and Wilson Isidor amongst others. The Merseyside outfit have seen speculation of a Serie A swoop emerge, too, but may have a challenge on their hands to seal a deal...

Everton linked with Emil Holm amid swap deal claims

According to Sport Witness relaying reports in Italy, Everton are interested in Bologna full-back Emil Holm and are pushing for a deal for the Swedish international this month.

The player has seen his stock rise this season with one goal and four assists in Serie A, drawing the attention of Everton, for whom the right-back position has been one of concern for some time. Natural centre-back Jake O’Brien often starts in the position, while Nathan Patterson had largely fallen out of favour at Hill Dickinson Stadium before starting the last three matches.

Reports state that Bologna had previously indicated a desire for Patterson to be included in a transfer as a direct replacement for Holm, but it appears negotiations for that particular deal did not materialise. But Everton could yet seal another swap deal with Vincenzo Italiano’s side in order to secure the signature of Holm this month.

Could Everton include Beto as part of a swap deal for Holm?

The report from Sport Witness states that multiple Italian publications cite an interest from Bologna in Everton striker Beto this month, with BolognaSportNews going as far as to suggest that the Toffees have asked for Holm as part of a stunning swap deal for the striker.

Beto has only started eight Premier League matches so far this season and has found first-team minutes increasingly hard to come by in recent weeks, playing less than ten minutes in four of his last five substitute appearances. The 27-year-old has been linked with an exit before and had been touted for a move to Turkey earlier this month, before his transfer to Fenerbahçe fell through due to a “hold up” caused by the Toffees’ demands.

A permanent transfer for Beto is believed to be the desired outcome and securing a swap deal involving Holm and the Guinea-Bissau international could be in the best interests of all parties. It would allow the Toffees to get Beto off the wage bill while solving their right-back issue with a reliable Serie A performer who Moyes will feel he can get the best out of. There looks to be a genuine shot at this happening if reports are to be believed, meaning this transfer story is certainly one to watch out for in the final days of the window.