​Everton have stepped up their pursuit of Genoa right-back Brooke Norton-Cuffy. Representatives and intermediaries connected to the Italian side are already locked in fresh talks. Genoa look ready to sell the 22-year-old this summer if someone meets their valuation. They want around €20 million, which pans out at roughly £17 million.It is a price tag that sits comfortably within the current budget at Goodison Park, and club chiefs view it as a highly realistic target. The player is keen too. A return to the Premier League holds massive appeal, especially with the guarantee of regular top-flight minutes on the table. Settling into the dressing room should be a breeze. He already knows several faces in David Moyes’s squad, having shared pitches with Tyrique George, Tyler Dibling, and Hayden Hackney during his time with the England Under-21s.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBorn in Pimlico and polished in the Arsenal academy system, Norton-Cuffy built his reputation the hard way. He ground out dirty minutes in the Championship during loan spells at Lincoln, Rotherham, Coventry, and Millwall. Then Genoa called. Moving to Serie A is usually a daunting leap for a young British defender. He handled it. Last season, Brooke Norton-Cuffy racked up 2,216 minutes across 27 appearances, starting 25 times after making a debut against Atalanta. Two goals and an assist across the campaign showed his attacking intent, even if a couple of red cards and discipline issues showed he still has a bit of rawness.BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA – JUNE 28: Brooke Norton-Cuffy of U21 England celebrates with the UEFA European Under-21 Championship trophy after his team’s victory in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2025 Final match between England and Germany at National Football stadium on June 28, 2025 in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Photo by Christian Hofer/Getty Images)That brings us to the real question. Does Moyes actually need him? The right-back spot is already looking incredibly crowded, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka is still the primary target for that role. Rico Lewis and Djed Spence are hovering on the radar, too. Bringing Norton-Cuffy into that mix feels less like strategic squad building and more like a club struggling to make a definitive choice.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe money makes sense, of course. Nobody is disputing that £17 million for a full international youth prospect who won the Under-21 Euros is a fair price. But Everton have glaring holes elsewhere. The club broke the bank for Hackney and shelled out over £20 million for Tyrique George, while Jack Grealish’s situation drags on without a resolution. A new striker to support the frontline looks far more urgent, with Liam Delap the name currently doing the rounds.You also have to wonder if a player coming from a Genoa defence that shipped goals for fun near the foot of the table is ready for a team chasing a top-half finish in England. The raw talent is obvious. The potential is a comp