Sean Dyche set for ‘Serious Decision’ over Ellis Simms Everton future amid multi-million exit option
Sean Dyche is set to make a “serious decision” on the Everton future of Ellis Simms this summer, with a multi-million pound exit possible according to Joe Thomas.
Simms spent the first half of last season on loan at Sunderland before being recalled in January as the club needed to add goals to the squad, but he only managed one between his return and the end of the season.
And while speaking to the Sunderland Echo (6 June), Liverpool Echo journalist Thomas admitted the club could allow him to leave the club permanently for “a couple million” as he enters the final 12 months of his deal to try and fund other deals.
“Everton may have seen enough, and finances may be tight enough, to keep him as a third or fourth choice striker,” he said.
“But if they have not seen enough then any money they can get for him could fund deals elsewhere and, with his contract set to expire next summer, this window is the last chance to get any real money for him.”
“For Simms he didn’t really cost them anything so if they could get a couple of million for him. His stock is probably at its highest now because he’s scored goals at Hearts, scored goals at Sunderland, had that big moment against Chelsea.
“I think Dyche is going to have to look at every player and make a serious decision. If they could get a couple of million for him he might fund something somewhere else.
“He will definitely have a price and think he’s attainable for Sunderland if they could put together the right deal.”
Option
There are plenty of positions that Everton need to look at strengthening this summer to ensure they aren’t in the same position in the 2023/24 season as they were in the last two years.
While Simms wasn’t given the best environment to really shine last year, when he was given an opportunity to shine he failed to really impress and it seemed quite clear that he isn’t at Premier League level right now.
At 22-years-old he has plenty of space to grow, and as Thomas has mentioned he could be kept around as a third-choice option potentially.
But the issue with that is he won’t be given the opportunity to truly develop and if that’s the case, we may as well sell him this summer and use that money to bolster the squad elsewhere.
We need a lot of new additions this summer to make this a true Dyche squad, and this could be a way to help fund it.