By Sam Stone

30th Mar, 2023 | 6:10pm

Everton: £25m Demarai Gray transfer estimation made by Forbes journalist, will fund Sean Dyche signings

Forbes journalist James Nalton has suggested Everton could sell Demarai Gray for £25million in order to fund their summer business.

The 26-year-old signed for the Toffees for £1.7million in July 2021 (Sky Sports) but has endured an inconsistent time at Goodison Park.

Nalton has claimed Everton could recoup a maximum of £25million for the winger and believes that money could be used to help Sean Dyche’s summer recruitment.

“It’s understandable that Benitez and Brands aren’t the most popular among Everton fans, but if the club sell Gray for his estimated value of £15m-25m, and that goes towards funding some Dychian signings, it could turn out to have been a vital piece of business for the club,” he wrote (via Twitter, 30 March).

Wishful thinking

There is absolutely no way Everton will be able to recoup £20 million-plus for Gray. He’s a £10million player at most, so this is wishful thinking from Nalton. However, the premise of what he is saying is correct. The Toffees do need to wheel and deal in the off-season.

Looking to recoup value and find value elsewhere is an absolute must. With Dyche at the helm, they stand a good chance of finding changing their recruitment path. Too often, the board have targeted players who are well past their best and declining.

Come the summer, the Toffees have to be looking to land younger players on an upward trajectory, like Amadou Onana, who can be sold for profit in the future.

However, first of all, the club’s priority will be to secure their Premier League status as soon as possible. The extra time to plan could be absolutely vital heading into the 2023/24 season.