Latest Everton transfer news – Prolific star eyed; worrying rumour re-surfaces

Football FanCast has gathered some of the latest transfer rumours concerning the potential incomings and outgoings we could see at Everton this winter whilst noting the key deals of their summer window.

Players Everton signed this summer

It was a tricky summer for the Toffees to navigate following what was a seriously underwhelming campaign for them in the league last year.

However, the higher-ups have shown some ambition in the transfer market and given Sean Dyche some funds to bolster his squad ahead of what could be yet another season in which the Merseysiders fight tooth and nail to stave off a drop to the Championship come May.

The club has seemingly focused on bringing in some more firepower to the team, with the singings of Beto, Arnaut Danjuma, Youssef Chermiti and Jack Harrison all sure to help the side with scoring more goals across the campaign.

Interestingly, Dyche also turned to the incredibly experienced – and former England international – Ashley Young to come in and help his squad push on this year. Whilst the 38 year old has come in on a free, his know-how and invaluable experience should be a real boon to the rest of the team.

While there’s still a long way to go for the Toffees, they can at least take pride in what has turned out to be a rather successful summer transfer window.

Players Everton sold this summer

After just about surviving their second consecutive relegation scrap last season, it shouldn’t have come as a massive surprise that several players at the club would end up leaving over the summer months.

Moise Kean was their most expensive sale. The 23-year-old opted to re-join Serie A giants Juventus in a deal said to be worth around £25m.

One of last season’s key performers, Alex Iwobi, left in favour of a move to fellow Premier League outfit Fulham. The cottagers outlaid £22m for the Nigerian’s signature.

Ellis Simms and Niels Nkounkou also departed, with the former moving to Coventry City for £5m and the latter to Saint-Etienne for around £1.5m.

The likes of Yerry Mina, Tom Davies and Asmir Begovic all left the club on frees, whereas Mason Holgate joined the recently relegated Southampton on loan for the season.

Players Everton could sign in January

Samuel Iling-Junior – Juventus: According to TeamTalk, Everton are among several Premier League sides interested in signing Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior in the new year.

The report has revealed that the Italian club believe there is ‘little’ chance of the 20-year-old signing a new deal with them, and with just a year and a half left on his current contract, they are open to the idea of selling him to protect his value.

This is fantastic news for the Toffees as it suggests that a transfer would be relatively inexpensive to complete. However, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, and Fulham’s interest will seriously threaten their chances of bringing the young Englishman to Goodison Park.

That said, TeamTalk has revealed that the player’s biggest concern at the Old Lady – and therefore, with any side he potentially joins – is playing time, and while Spurs and Villa are currently better sides than Everton, they wouldn’t be able to offer the same game time that the Merseysiders could.

The England u-21 star has made four substitute appearances in Serie A so far this season, amounting to just 113 minutes, although he has provided one assist and averaged 0.5 shots per game, per WhoScored.

Keep your eyes on this one; it could be a move that helps unlock Everton’s attack.

Winsley Boteli – Borussia Mönchengladbach: According to reports from Italy (via TeamTalk), Everton are set to battle it out with Inter Milan and Juventus for Borussia Mönchengladbach’s exciting young striker, Winsley Boteli.

The report has revealed that while it initially looked as if it would be a two-way fight between the Toffees and the Old Lady for the youngster’s signature, the Nerazzurri have now thrown their hat into the ring.

It’s not hard to see why these three clubs are fighting over Boteli, as he has already scored 12 goals in 12 games for the German team’s youth side.

There has been no mention of price yet, but the competition from the two Italian giants will likely be Everton’s most significant obstacle to completing this deal.

Sam Curtis – St Patrick’s Athletic: According to TeamTalk, Everton are among several Premier League and Championship clubs seriously interested in Irish youngster Sam Curtis.

The publication has revealed that, alongside the Toffees, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Sheffield United, Hull City, Middlesbrough, Manchester City, and Manchester United are all interested in the St Pat’s star.

The report has not revealed how much a potential deal might cost, but it is clear that the most significant barrier to the Toffees completing this deal will be the intense competition that is forming for his signature.

Curtis might only be 17 years old, but he already has the experience of someone several years his senior. In all, he has played 61 games for the St Pat’s first team and is already pushing for a full international cap with the Republic of Ireland.

He was also in the starting XI when St Pat’s won the FAI Cup on Sunday and was named the Irish under-18 player of the year at the FAI awards last year.

While he would be unlikely to make an impact this season, or maybe even next, he clearly has bags of talent and would be an intelligent acquisition for the future.

Players who could leave Everton in January

Jarrad Branthwaite & Amadou Onana: Manchester United links have resurfaced around the Everton duo following the club’s 10-point deduction.

The Daily Express are reporting that United will look to take advantage of the Toffees’ weakened financial position in January, with the club potentially needing to sell many of their prized assets, particularly if Leicester City, Burnley and Leeds United are successful in their £300m case.

Amadou Onana and Jarrad Branthwaite have both been eyed by the Red Devils in the past and Erik ten Hag is eager to bolster his ranks this winter. The Dutch manager has had to contest with an injury-ridden squad for much of the campaign and results have taken a toll as a result.

TEAMtalk claim that Everton are well-placed to keep hold of their key performers and won’t be accepting any cut-price offers, in spite of the points deduction and potential further punishment.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin: In the wake of Everton’s 10-point deduction, the Merseysiders have put contract talks on hold with their centre-forward, according to Football Insider.

The publication claims that Toffees chiefs are cautious about offering sizable wages to Calvert-Lewin whilst their Premier League status remains unclear.

Though, if they are successful with their appeal to have the deduction reduced, talks will resume with the 11-cap England international along with other key players.

The 26-year-old, who has netted four times in 11 outings this term, will have 18 months left on his deal by the time the January transfer window swings around and there is reported interest from Saudi Arabia.

However, Calvert-Lewin is thought to be happy at Goodison Park and is focused on putting a consistent run of games together.

Ben Godfrey: Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are targeting former Norwich City defender Ben Godfrey ahead of the January transfer window, as reported by 90min.

Godfrey has seen his minutes reduced this term, with Sean Dyche often preferring James Tarkowski, Michael Keane and Jarrad Branthwaite in defence.

The imposing centre-half has played just one minute of Premier League football, with his only outing coming in a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane in September.

Asked whether Godfrey remains part of his plans, Dyche said: “Yes, he’s doing terrifically well for us. He’s training very well, he’s staying sharp and ready.”

How could Everton line up in January?

How would the rumoured signings above impact Everton? Would they sit on the bench or come straight into the starting XI?

Well, if the Toffees manage to fend off interest from the likes of Barcelona and Liverpool for Corinthians midfielder Moscardo, it appears likely given his early promise that he’ll join as a key figure in Dyche’s midfield.

On the other hand, were Januzaj to sign for the Toffees, he would undoubtedly be a new face on the bench, for as good as he was in the past, he hasn’t shown any real quality in the last few years of his career.

However, Gnonto and Maguire stand a greater chance of making it into Everton’s XI. Gnonto is still young, relatively inexperienced and raw, but he has shown enough in his short Premier League career that he could be a regular starter for a top-half team, and if you are not going to start him, what’s the point in spending £25m on him?

While his game time has fluctuated in recent months, Maguire is still a solid defender. While he may not be of the quality required to take United beyond where they currently find themselves, he would surely be a great addition to Everton’s backline and help them avoid – or survive – a third successive relegation fight.

Uzun and Wesley would surely be eased into first-team action given their respective ages, but if Dyche needs to call upon added attacking creativity, he could turn to the promising duo. Indeed, The Toffees have been pretty goal-shy this term thus far and could certainly do with more attacking endeavour in the final third.

Finally, were the Toffees able to secure Samuel Iling-Junior’s signature in January, it would likely be done on the promise of regular game time in both the league and cup competitions.

This may lead to a reduction in game time for Dwight McNeil, as the Juventus youngster has played most of his games either on the left wing or in the left midfield.

That said, McNeil has been fantastic for Everton in recent months, and so while Iling-Junior would likely earn a good amount of minutes on Merseyside, we don’t think he’d take the former Burnley man’s starting spot.

Onana and Branthwaite will likely continue to be rumoured with a move away whilst the sanctions loom over Goodison Park but you’d expect the pair to remain put at least until the summer.

Potential Everton XI (4-4-1-1) – Pickford; Young, Branthwaite, Maguire, Patterson; McNeil, Onana, Gueye, Gnonto; Doucoure; Calvert-Lewin