Everton are reportedly interested in signing Riyad Mahrez. Should they consider a swap deal involving Ross Barkley?
Everton are looking to sign a quality attacking midfielder this summer.
The Toffees have been linked with the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Riyad Mahrez, as Ronald Koeman wants to bolster his attacking department.
Any new arrival could see the departure of Ross Barkley, who has refused to commit his future at the Merseyside club.
Everton are demanding a fee in the region of £50 million for the England international, who has progressed through the youth ranks at the club.
Everton’s Ross Barkley
Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing him, but Spurs are unwilling to meet Everton’s asking price. The Independent claims that a compromise can be reached.
In that case, should Everton consider a swap deal with Leicester for Riyad Mahrez?
Mahrez, the 2015/16 PFA player of the year, is keen to leave the club this summer. Leicester value the Algerian winger at over £40 million, as reported by The Daily Mail.
Both these players are highly talented and bring different qualities to the side – they are not direct replacements of each other.
From the financial point of view, it suits both the parties, with neither of the clubs having to pay huge sums to get their targets.
Furthermore, Everton should consider selling Barkley to a club like Leicester than Spurs.
With the amount of investment they have made on new players this summer, they should be looking for a top four finish. And selling a key player to Spurs certainly would not represent a smart idea.
The only concern here, and the big one, is will Barkley or Mahrez agree to swap clubs? Mahrez reportedly fancies a move to Arsenal, while Barkley is considering a move to Tottenham.
The move certainly would be an ideal scenario for both the clubs, but high-profile swap deals seldom happen. Nevertheless, Everton should consider the option.
Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez shoots at goal
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