Everton financial struggles make Kyle Walker-Peters deal unrealistic – David Ornstein
Everton are currently an unrealistic destination for Southampton defender Kyle Walker-Peters this summer, according to David Ornstein.
The Toffees want to sign the England international, who is also being closely watched by Manchester United and Arsenal, with Spurs also holding a buy-back clause of £30million.
Ornstein has reported that the financial problems at Goodison Park make this potential move unrealistic “for now”, meaning it could still happen in the future if no-one else makes their move.
Writing in The Athletic’s live transfer blog [10 July], Ornstein shared the latest with a whole host of clubs taking a good look at the defender this summer.
“Walker-Peters — who joined on a permanent basis from Tottenham Hotspur two years ago and has since broken into the England set-up — was linked with Everton last week but despite firm admiration, their financial problems would make Goodison Park an unrealistic destination for now,” he wrote.
“Spurs are thought to have put a £30 million buy-back clause in the agreement that saw Walker-Peters switch to Southampton, while the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal are understood to have the defender on their list of possible targets if they look to bolster in the right-back position.”
Problems.
Frank Lampard is in trouble at this moment in time.
The Mirror has reported that there is cash to spend, but the Toffees are waiting on Premier League approval to spend it with two big transfers said to be wanted.
Chelsea’s Armando Broja, as well as Walker-Peters, were the two names mentioned, but Ornstein’s update makes it look as though there would be little chance of the latter happening.
Everton need new arrivals all over the park, but the priority is still likely more in the final third than at the back given the big-money sale of Richarlison.
Seamus Coleman looks set to start the season as first-choice yet again next month, with Nathan Patterson nearing his return from serious surgery.
Will that be enough? Given the interest in Walker-Peters, we doubt Lampard believes that.
Everton are currently in a position where they cannot complain though, with the mismanagement of finances simply dreadful at best, and now we are paying the price, literally.