George Overhill

Mon 24 July 2023 20:10, UK

Alan Myers claims it is a strong possibility that Everton sign a midfielder before the end of the transfer window, but has poured cold water on links to Chelsea man Conor Gallagher.

The Toffees have so far brought in free agent full-back Ashley Young and completed a loan move for Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma, with the push for a new striker currently taking centre stage with the battle for El Bilal Toure, but a midfielder appears to be on the list in the view of the Sky Sports journalist.

Everton pushed to sign Gallagher, 23, at the end of the January transfer window [Sky Sports, 30 January], with £45million on hand for the deal, and former Eurosport journalist Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT on Sunday (23 July) that they hadn’t let that interest go.

But Myers is very doubtful that the England international, who is now reportedly set to leave Stamford Bridge [Guardian, 24 July], is on the Everton list of targets.

Responding to questions via Twitter on Monday (24 July) he replied to potential Gallagher interest to say “doubt it” but did suggest a midfielder is “very possibly” on the cards this summer.

Moved on

It would be somewhat of a shock if Everton were ready to offer close to £45m for anyone currently, and with Chelsea having already raised over £200m from their clear out they aren’t likely to be interested in any sort of discount.

Whether Gallagher would be a Sean Dyche target is open to debate as well, since he was largely a favourite of Frank Lampard the first time around.

Although Tom Davies has left at the end of his contract there is still a fairly extensive set of midfield options already at Goodison Park currently, especially compared to forward areas, so where a new signing would fit isn’t obvious.

Adding another one may well depend on Amadou Onana being sold for big money, which remains the big potential wildcard of the window.

The Belgian star, 21, has been linked to various clubs and would fund more extensive transfer business if he went.

He has been linked to Chelsea and should they continue to be frustrated in their attempts to sign Brighton’s Moises Caicedo it is certainly not impossible that they might turn their attentions to Goodison.

If Gallagher is off the table it looks like it is probably more likely a midfield transaction goes the other way, and who Everton might sign as a replacement would have very big shoes to fill.

But for now the youngster remains a Toffees player and the transfer interest seems to be focused further forward at this stage.

In other Everton news, a new English club now wants to sign a Toffees ace who “could also leave”.