Everton signing Dwight McNeil could mean Goodison Park exit for Andros Townsend
Everton are closing in on a deal for Burnley winger Dwight McNeil and that could mean that some potential exits are round the corner.
The Telegraph revealed that Everton are close to signing the former England under-21 international.
With the 22-year-old arriving at Goodison Park, there is a chance that Frank Lampard may be forced to sell some of his attacking midfielders in order to stay within the wage structure.
The most obvious candidate to potentially leave is Andros Townsend, whose current deal runs until next summer.
Everton are unlikely to muster a big fee for Townsend considering his age and the fact that he is recovering from a knee injury.
However, it may be wise for Lampard to move the former Crystal Palace man off the wage bill in order to free up room for further arrivals.
McNeil will likely be one of Lampard’s first choices for the attacking midfield positions with Anthony Gordon also a shoe-in to start.
Demarai Gray, Dele Alli and Townsend will likely compete for the other available attacking spot, and at present it is difficult to see how Townsend has a long-term future at the club.
Gray enjoyed a good season in the 2021/22 campaign, showing some real quality at times so he is unlikely to make way this summer.
Lampard will need to consider where his priorities lie, and another striker to compete with Dominic Calvert-Lewin should probably be at the top of his list.
Moving a decent earner such as Townsend out of the club could give him a lot more wriggle room to do so.