Everton are on the verge of signing former England international Andros Townsend, according to The Mirror.

What's the latest transfer news involving Townsend?

Townsend has spent the last five years at Crystal Palace but was released by the Eagles at the end of June when his contract expired.

This means that he is now available on a free transfer, and Everton appear to be ready to swoop in as manager Rafael Benitez wants to add more wide players to his squad ahead of the new season who can help support Dominic Calvert-Lewin up front.

The deal for Townsend is expected to be finalised at some point this week.

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What were Townsend's stats in 2020/21?

Townsend was a regular in Palace's side in 2020/21, featuring in 34 league matches. The 30-year-old ended the campaign with one goal and five assists in the top-flight, as Roy Hodgson's men secured a 14th-place finish.

As per WhoScored, Townsend was Palace's second-best player based on match ratings as he earned an average mark of 6.88 across the course of the season. He ranked inside the top three at the club when it came to successful dribbles (44) and key passes (40).

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How did Townsend fare under Benitez before?

Townsend previously played under Benitez at Newcastle back in 2016. Although the pair only worked together for 10 league games, this was still enough time for Townsend to hit top form.

In those matches, Townsend registered five goal contributions, which included scoring in home wins over Swansea and Palace. Despite his best efforts, Townsend was unable to keep Newcastle in the Premier League that year, and he subsequently moved on to Selhurst Park.

However, he could shortly be reunited with the manager who seemed to get the best out of him five years ago.

Would this be a good signing for Everton?

Considering that Townsend won't cost Everton a penny in terms of a transfer fee, this could turn out be an excellent signing for the Toffees.

The 13-cap international would bring a wealth of experience with him to Merseyside, having racked up 243 Premier League appearances in his career to date. In that time, he has recorded 55 goal involvements, showing that he is capable of performing at this level.

He has also worked well with Benitez before, suggesting that the duo have a strong understanding between one another, which should allow Townsend to hit the ground running if he does complete his move to Everton in the coming days.

Everton will know what they're getting from Townsend, who is proven in the Premier League, so this looks to be a low-risk signing that ought to work out well for the club.