Everton’s Premier League enforcer Idrissa Gana Gueye is reportedly in talks to join Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.
There have been countless changes on and off the pitch for a fluctuating Everton side in the last two-and-a-half years. But one of the few constants has been Idrissa Gana Gueye.
A regular starter under Ronald Koeman, David Unsworth, Sam Allardyce and Marco Silva, the hard-working Senegal international has been almost indispensable since arriving from Aston Villa for a bargain £7 million.
But it seems the 29-year-old is facing an uncertain future with a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs on the cards.
Telefoot are reporting that Gueye is keen on a move to Paris Saint-Germain as he enters the prime of his career. Everton, understandably, are reluctant to sell and are demanding a huge £40 million for the former Lille enforcer.
But, with the Toffees playing hard-ball, it seems they have also prepared for a worst-case scenario by lining up a number of deep-lying midfielders as potential Gueye replacements.
Le10 Sport reported last week that Celta Vigo’s tenacious Slovakian Stanislav Lobotka was on Everton’s radar with a £26 million price-tag on his head. AS Argentina, meanwhile, reports that they are willing to meet the £18 million release-clause to sign Colombian ankle-biter Wilmar Barrios (below) from Boca Juniors.
And Thiago Mendes of Lille is the latest midfielder linked, with Telefoot claiming that the £26 million-rated Brazilian is another target.
Everton might be desperate to keep Gueye on Merseyside but, clearly, it will not be the end of the world if he does bid farewell.
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