Dominic Calvert-Lewin linked to Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle exits amid Everton transfer warning
Everton “can’t afford to lose” Dominic Calvert-Lewin but interest from Roma should not be seen as a real threat at this stage, according to Dean Jones.
Corriere dello Sport reported on 26 July that the Toffees striker had been “proposed” to Jose Mourinho’s side as an alternative to West Ham’s Gianluca Scamacca, with 26-year-old supposedly “happy” to play for the Portuguese in Rome.
However, Jones has played down the possibility of the Europa League finalists actually signing the English number nine, but has linked Premier League giants Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle as much more threatening suitors going forward and warned that Everton can’t let it happen right now.
The former Eurosport journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “The Calvert-Lewin links to Roma were pretty loose and at the moment with them focusing on Gianluca Scamacca and also trying to bring in Renato Sanches in a different position as a priority, there is not really any need for Everton to worry about losing him.
“The time when I could see him leaving is if a club like Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, or Chelsea come knocking on the door.
“These are all clubs with availability or future potential need for a striker and Calvert-Lewin is right on the verge of being a player that all those clubs would look at.
“But as we look at it right now and with Everton in such need of a good start to the new season I see it as pretty much impossible they lose him soon, they just can’t afford for it to happen.”
Theoretical
It was a surprise that Roma were reportedly interested because if they are looking to fill the gap left by the injury to Tammy Abraham at the end of last season then Calvert-Lewin’s own fitness issues make it far from certain he could regularly do that.
For the same reason it seems pretty unlikely that any of the four English clubs would make a serious effort to sign the Everton star unless he can prove his fitness for a sustained period.
Had he been playing regularly over the past two seasons there would almost certainly have been a concerted transfer push from within the Premier League, given the Toffees’ struggles, and it likely would have been tricky to keep hold of him.
But at the same time, had he been available and firing regularly there is everyone reason to believe those struggles wouldn’t have been anywhere near as bad.
Whether there is a genuine threat to Calvert-Lewin’s Everton future right now or not doesn’t really change Sean Dyche’s position, since the manager is more or less forced to plan for a point when he will be missing through injury anyway.
Clearly, it would be a huge boost to the club’s fortunes if he is fit to start the season and can keep going from there, but his absences through the preseason are a signifier that it is still a delicate situation.
Either way Everton need to sign proper back up, and after missing out on El Bilal Touré time is starting to get tight to finally do so.
In other Everton news, another target from the January transfer window is back on the cards amid reported developments in the pursuit of a relegated ace.