Report: Everton pursuit of Crystal Palace’s Patrick Van Aanholt likely to fail

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Everton’s left-back search has reportedly taken them to Crystal Palace’s Patrick Van Aanholt, who scored five Premier League goals last season.

Everton appear to be quickly running out of potential left-back targets.

Joe Bryan is set to join Premier League rivals Burnley for £6 million, Danny Rose does not fancy swapping Tottenham for Goodison Park, and Tom Pearce, who left Everton to join Leeds in 2014, looks likely to snub a return to Merseyside in order to sign a new deal at Elland Road.

So reports in Football London that any Everton approach for Crystal Palace flyer Patrick Van Aanholt is destined to fail will only result in yet more frustration among the Toffees’ support.

The Mail claimed on Wednesday that the 27-year-old Dutchman, who Sam Allardyce wanted to bring to Goodison before his dismissal, is still on Everton’s shortlist.

Fellow Dutchman Marcel Brands, who recently arrived from PSV to become Everton’s new director of football, is understood to be a big fan of his attack-minded compatriot, who scored five Premier League goals last season including three in his last three games as Crystal Palace avoided relegation

Football London, however, believe it is very unlikely that Palace would be willing to sell Van Aanholt this summer.

The 27-year-old former Chelsea youngster is a real fan favourite at Selhurst Park and a popular figure on and off the pitch. Manager Roy Hodgson even described Van Aanholt, who initially looked suspect defensively after joining from Sunderland for £14 million, as the club’s most improved player.

Van Aanholt also has three years left on his contract, meaning Palace have no reason to sell. Once again, then, Everton may be forced to look elsewhere.