Everton centre-back Michael Keane is set to leave the club in the January transfer window following a lack of playing time under Frank Lampard this season, with Nottingham Forest and West Ham interested in the defender.
According to the Daily Mail, the 29-year-old England international will leave Goodison Park in the winter market after Keane lost his place in the Everton XI to summer signings James Tarkowski and Conor Coady, with the duo forming an impressive centre-back pairing for the Toffees’ that has been one of the best in the Premier League.
As per the report, Forest and West Ham were both interested in signing Keane in the summer. However, their attempts were shot down by the Merseyside giants as the former Burnley star has since spent the majority of the campaign sat on the bench.
With just 22 Premier League minutes played all season, Keane’s Everton future has never looked bleaker, and a move in January could be what’s needed to revive the centre-back’s career, with Forest and West Ham likely to revive their interest in signing the defender who once cost the Toffees a reported £30m.
Indeed, with clubs already interested, there’s a good chance that Keane can win a move away from Everton in January quite easily. And with the defender able to move abroad with ease based on his Irish passport and England career, the Toffees could fetch quite a good deal for the 29-year-old.
Whilst the Merseyside club only want a loan deal, as per the report, Keane leaving Everton for good might be for the best given how short his odds are of making a full return to Lampard’s plans, and January could provide just that opportunity.
Keane must leave Everton for good in January
Keane’s Everton career has been something on a rollercoaster, with the defender going from potential England regular to not even coming off the bench for Lampard. And in January, the centre-back simply has to leave Goodison Park for good.
A loan spell will only prove to be a short-term fix for Keane, whereas leaving Everton for good for a club like Forest or West Ham would be a much more sensible option given that it will provide the defender with the clean slate needed to get his once exciting career back off the ground.
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