George Overhill

Sun 2 July 2023 20:10, UK

Everton “have to take it” if “serious money” is available this summer but it is unlikely that anyone will offer that much for Demarai Gray, according to Paul Brown.

The new Jamaica international has emerged as a “likely” Toffees departure this summer [Alan Myers, 25 June] after Saudi side Al Hilal made a “good offer”, amid interest from the likes of Fulham in the Premier League [Sky Sports, 10 June].

But Brown doesn’t believe that the winger will constitute a sizeable financial boost because he has only a year left on his contract and only four Premier League goals last term.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT the former Daily Star journalist said of the move: “If there’s serious money available there, I think Everton would basically have to take it.

“But I struggle to see why anyone would put big money down for a player with his kind of return, statistically, last season. He only has a year on his contract, so we’ll have to see.

“I think Everton need a big sale if they want to fund the kind of transfers they need to stay up and do something next year. I don’t think Demarai Gray is going to be a big sale.”

Cash boost?

The Saudi wildcard looks to be the key factor in the Everton man’s possible exit, as Al Hilal have already proven they will pay big money for a player with 12 months left on their deal with the £47million signing of Ruben Neves [Telegraph, 18 June].

Gray, 27, might not be at the same level as the Portuguese midfielder but even a quarter of that figure would be invaluable to Sean Dyche during this window if he doesn’t have big plans for the former Leicester winger.

Whether Gray would be interested in a move to Saudi Arabia is a different matter, and if he prefers to remain in England then the money on offer as a transfer fee is likely to be lower.

Four goals is hardly a spectacular return for an attacking player who made 33 Premier League appearances last season, but it is a mark of the struggles going forward at Everton that he was arguably the primary for parts of the season.

Dyche relegated him largely to a substitute role once he came in, and the likes of Abdoulaye Doucouré and Dwight McNeil stepped up in his place, but there is no use letting Gray walk for next to nothing this summer without replacements on the way in.

A minor financial return isn’t likely to outweigh another year of having him available unless new signings are lined up.

So unless the Saudi move proves to be a viable option or top flight clubs are ready to stump up some decent cash it might be worth keeping hold of him.

In other Everton news, an update on potential “bad blood” has emerged as the Toffees push for a surprise signing this summer.