Ronald Koeman is clearly unconvinced by Luke Garbutt but Everton missing out on Schalke’s Sead Kolasinac means he cannot be written off yet.
Oumar Niasse may have been the most high profile casualty of Roberto Martinez’ Everton exit at the end of last season but, like the Senegalese striker, Luke Garbutt was also exiled from first-team plans once Ronald Koeman arrived at Goodison Park, the Liverpool Echo reports.
In fact, the highly-rated left-back was even stripped of his squad number. Yet, while Niasse has restored his reputation with an impressive loan spell at Hull City, Garbutt’s short-term stint at Wigan Athletic was far less eye-catching.
Garbutt started just seven games for the Championship strugglers before returning to Goodison Park in January. He has not featured since, with a niggling back injury hardly helping matters.
Yet, while it was expected that the 23-year-old would be leaving Merseyside after falling on the wrong side of the infamously stubborn Koeman, the Liverpool Echo claims that he is hoping to win over the Dutchman.
Garbutt is understood to have regained full fitness and is targeting a strong pre-season. With Leighton Baines ageing, Everton are in need of a long-term replacement at left-back but the former England youth international has a lot to do if he is to prove to Koeman that he can step up.
Yet, the fact that Everton appear to have missed out to Arsenal in the race for Schalke’s lung-busting full-back Sead Kolasinac, as reported by The Guardian, may give him hope.
The newspaper claims Everton were in advanced negotiations with the Bosnia international after his finest Bundesliga season, capped by three goals and five assists, but The Gunners have stepped in and offered a far higher salary for a player with the dynamism and attacking ability to replace Nacho Monreal in the starting XI.
And there is one man at Goodison Park who will be rejoicing another near miss in the transfer market.
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