As per the Daily Mail, Everton risk losing star midfielder Idrissa Gueye to Chelsea with the Premier League champions very much keen on the Senegalese international.
Having been frustrated by Leicester City’s £40million asking price for the services of Danny Drinkwater, the Blues boss Antonio Conte is considering going for Gueye instead.
Conte wants a replacement for Nemanja Matic, and has had eyes on the Everton blocking midfielder as early as the opening weeks of the summer window when a move for Romelu Lukaku was being discussed.
It’s very unlikely that the Toffees would listen to offers for the 27-year-old, but a big and irresistible bid could tempt them into doing business.
The lure of Champions League football and playing in a bigger side than Everton could prove to be huge temptations for Gueye too.
He most likely wouldn’t mind playing for such powerhouses having gradually worked his way up the ladder.
From Lille, to Aston Villa, to Everton and …Chelsea? Not many ambitious defensive midfielders in their prime would turn down such a move that’s obviously the biggest of a career.
Everton also could do with more money as boss Ronald Koeman looks to add 2 or 3 players to his side, and with the possibility of making as much as times 5 of the £7.1million he was signed for in 2016, a profiting sale shouldn’t be ruled out.
Losing the top tackler in the last Premier League season would be hard on Everton, but the midfield isn’t a place Koeman lacks quality options.
Ideally, the Toffees should frown upon an exit as Gueye is key to their plans, but a lot of factors are at play here, and nothing can be ruled out.
