Everton to axe several senior players in summer for ‘hungrier’ alternatives
Liverpool Echo journalist Chris Beesley has insisted that Everton could axe several senior players at the club to make room for “younger and hungrier” replacements.
Toffees forgotten man Gylfi Sigurdsson, Fabian Delph and Cenk Tosun could all see their time at the club come to an end as Frank Lampard plans a major reshuffle.
However, Beesley did name a few non-starting Blues players soon out of contract that could extend their stay on Merseyside to fulfil “big-part roles”.
He said, as per Liverpool Echo: “Along with the likes of Jonjoe Kenny, Asmir Begovic and Andy Lonergan who might all be retained for potential bit-part roles.
“There are a clutch of high-earning but lesser-spotted players out of contract this summer in the shape of Fabian Delph, Cenk Tosun and Gylfi Sigurdsson offering significant scope for removing a large chunk of the wage bill and squad rebuilding alongside new director of football Kevin Thelwell.
“Some new recruits, hopefully, younger and hungrier than those they have replaced and possessing the kind of mental and physical attributes that the club requires.”
Get rid.
Of course, Lonergan hasn’t done anything wrong during his short and so far sweet spell at the club but that is because he hasn’t played. The veteran is very happy to pick up a respectable wage whilst being a backup to the backup at Everton and that is fine.
Similarly, with Begovic, he is very unlikely to usurp Jordan Pickford in between the sticks but he is a decent replacement for the England international and should stay in the fold. He is reliable and there mightn’t be many better options out there.
Kenny, Sigurdsson and Tosun should all be shown the back door at Finch Farm though. These are players that are no longer fit to wear the famous blue shirt and if the club want to progress they must go.
There is some argument for Delph who holds great quality but has suffered a torrid time with injuries during his tenure. If he can stay fit, he should stay but that doesn’t look likely given his history.
Maybe the Toffees could consider a special pay per play contract for the former Manchester City ace because his performance against Manchester United shows he has so much to give.
In other Everton news, Arsenal have been tipped to “move fast” for Richarlison in the summer by Dean Jones.
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