Everton want Ola Aina: Why this deal could happen before transfer deadline

English Premier League club Everton have been linked to Super Eagles defeder Ola Aina, and it is definitely an interesting one to watch before the transfer market closes, Afrik-Foot reports.

David Moyes’ side had been discussing a deal for the Nottingham Forest right-back before the proposed transfer of Everton midfielder Harrison Armstrong to Forest collapsed following a backlash from supporters.

Reports subsequently suggested that Everton had pulled the plug on their pursuit of Aina. But with the Premier League transfer window closing at 11pm on Tuesday, September 1, there is still time for the situation to change.

Here are three reasons an Aina-to-Everton deal could still become a late Deadline Day story.

🚨 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥: The transfer window closes this evening for clubs around Europe, but not all leagues have the same timings.

For incoming deals, the window closes at these times:

🇩🇪 7pm — Bundesliga
🇫🇷 7pm — Ligue 1
🇮🇹 7pm — Serie A
🇪🇸 10:59pm — La Liga
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 11pm — Premier… pic.twitter.com/Rp9xx5unav

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) September 1, 2026

1. Everton Still Need a Right-Back

The biggest reason Everton could return for Aina is simple, and that is due to their need for a talented and experienced right-back.

The club have been looking for a new right-back since Seamus Coleman retired at the end of the 2025/26 season.

Everton have also had concerns surrounding their existing options, making defensive reinforcement one of Moyes’ priorities. Moyes does not trust Nathan Patterson and Jake O’Brien enough, hence his decision to use midfielder Merlin Rohl there.

Aina would offer something particularly useful because he is already established in the Premier League and can operate on either side of the defence.

That makes him a relatively low-risk option compared with signing a player who would need time to adjust to English football.

The interest is also not new. Everton were linked with Aina earlier in 2026, with Moyes reportedly identifying the Nigerian as a potential solution to his right-back problem.

2. Ola Aina Is An Attainable Target

Aina’s situation at Nottingham Forest makes the deal complicated but not impossible.

The 29-year-old is valued at €18 million by Transfermarkt and remains under contract with Nottingham Forest until June 2028. That means Forest are under no immediate pressure to sell.

However, Aina could be willing to leave the City Ground following the arrival of Daniel Muñoz from Crystal Palace. The Colombian right-back joined Forest in a deal initially worth £22 million, and make no mistake, given his history with coach Oliver Glasner, Aina will be bencjed for Munoz.

Obviously, for a player who has been a key part of Forest for the last three years, he will not be happy to lose his place. So he he will definitely have his eyes outside. That does not automatically make Aina available, but it will make the Super Eagles star and Forest more receptive to the right offer.

3. Deadline Day Could Force Everton Back To Aina

The biggest factor is time. Everton have already spent much of the summer looking for defensive reinforcements, and the collapse of the Armstrong deal has complicated their plans.

If they fail to secure their alternative right-back targets, Aina could quickly become attractive again because Everton already know what he offers.

The Nigerian has Premier League experience which is a big thing in England these days.

He has played for Chelsea, Hull City, Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest, giving him a level of familiarity that could be particularly valuable to Everton at this stage of the window. With Aina, you know what youre getting – defensive solidity, experience and consistency.