£4.5m Conor Coady twist emerges at Everton despite transfer agreement
Everton are unlikely to activate the permanent £4.5m agreement for Conor Coady given his current situation at Goodison Park, according to iNews.
Coady joined the club on a season-long loan last summer from Wolves and was one of the first names on the team sheet alongside James Tarkowski under Frank Lampard, but swiftly lost his place to Michael Keane since Sean Dyche’s arrival.
With the Toffees having the option to make his move permanent for £4.5m this summer there has been speculation about whether they will trigger it now that he isn’t first-choice starter, and iNews [2 May] have confirmed Coady’s permanent move seems unlikely.
“iNews understands Dyche is in favour of wholesale changes at the club in the summer, working within whatever budget is provided to change the culture and identity of a team that has been far too easily beaten over successive seasons.
“A deal to convert Coady’s loan into a permanent move worth £4.5m has already been agreed but as it stands it looks unlikely to be activated given that he finds himself relegated to understudy”, as revealed by the report
Won’t lose sleep
Having previously looked odds on to secure a long-term Goodison Park stay, that slide down the pecking order of late has ensured that it is no guarantee that Coady will be with the club next season, despite Everton having the chance to sign the experienced defender for just under £5m.
And Dyche certainly won’t be worried about losing Coday one bit if the worst to happen as Everton have arguably and potentially a better permanent successor who is set to return from his successful loan spell elsewhere in Jarrad Branthwaite.
Coady’s experience and Premier League know-how have proven valuable for a period at Goodison Park but it certainly seems as though Dyche doesn’t consider him as part of his long-term plans, even despite Keane’s poor form in recent games.
Whether the former Burnley boss decides to hand Coady a first start in a while against Brighton at the weekend is another matter entirely, but what is looking guaranteed is that the former Liverpool defender will be returning to Wolves this summer which is a real shame.
Though, Everton certainly have a superb long-term replacement lined up already in one of their promising academy products.