Everton defender Ramiro Funes Mori has emerged as a surprise target for Lazio.
Funes Mori continued his return to competitive action as part of the Blues’ under-23 side which defeated Swansea City on Monday night.
But reports in Italy suggest that the Argentina international is now under consideration by Lazio as a potential replacement for Stefan De Vrij.
The Serie A giants are resigned to losing De Vrij on a free transfer this summer and had identified Stuttgart’s Holger Badstuber as his immediate successor.
However Il Tempo claim that Lazio are assessing Funes Mori, who has two years remaining on his current contract at Goodison Park, as a back-up option.
The centre-back, 27, last featured for Everton’s senior squad in March last year when he suffered a knee injury while representing his country.
He underwent corrective surgery on the problem last summer which left him with a forecast lay-off of nine months.