Everton face dilemma with wantaway Demarai Gray as £10m transfer news emerges
Everton certainly have a dilemma on their hands ahead of the new season when it comes to the future of winger Demarai Gray.
The attacker joined the Toffees from German side Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, and has gone on to make 75 appearances for the Merseyside outfit.
In that time, the winger has registered tallies of 12 goals and six assists, with those figures undoubtedly well below what he would have targeted upon his arrival.
Still, he has been a reliable player for the club over the last couple of seasons, particularly given how he arrived for just £1.7million (Sky Sports, July 2021).
But his time at the club could now be coming to an end, with newspaper journalist Alan Nixon reporting on his Patreon on Monday (31 July) that the winger wants to leave Everton this summer.
Nixon added that Premier League rivals Fulham are haggling over a deal for the 27-year-old, with the West London club falling short of Everton’s £10million asking price.
If that is indeed the figure that the Merseyside club can receive for the player, then by all means he should be allowed to go, particularly given how Gray’s contract will expire next summer.
It definitely makes sense for the powers that be at Goodison Park to cash-in while they can in order to avoid losing him for free this time next year.
But the club certainly face a dilemma, with manager Sean Dyche needing every available player next season as the Toffees aim to avoid a third successive Premier League relegation battle.
Goals will undoubtedly be hard to come by next time out, and even if Gray hasn’t exactly been firing on all cylinders, he would still be a welcome asset for the huge season ahead.
In other Everton news, the Toffees have “mild interest” in one Championship striker, according to BBC Sport.