Everton told relegation a real possibility unless Dominic Calvert-Lewin sold ASAP
Alan Pardew has called on Everton to sell Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the next two weeks to avoid a potential relegation battle in the Premier League this season.
The Blues lost 3-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening day of the 2024/25 season at Goodison Park thanks to goals from Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck and Simon Adingra.
Calvert-Lewin - a regular under Sean Dyche - was denied a controversial penalty in the second half with the score 1-0 but offered little else in the match.
Former Premier League manager Pardew believes the club should sell the striker to fund further signings and avoid a potential relegation battle.
He said on talkSPORT [18 August, 8:56pm]: "Everton in my opinion are in big trouble. I hope Sean can do some business. I don't know what they're going to do.
"They need to manoeuvre something, sell the big man - he might have to sell [Calvert-Lewin]. I don't know where he's going to go but he's a good player."
Will Everton sell Dominic Calvert-Lewin this summer?
Calvert-Lewin looked destined to leave Goodison Park earlier this summer as a move to Newcastle collapsed ahead of the Profit and Sustainability deadline on 30 June [The Telegraph], in which Yankuba Minteh would have moved the other way.
Since then, word has been quiet on potential suitors for the 27-year-old while his striker partner, Beto, has been the subject of speculation for a return to Italy [Tutto Atalanta] after just one season in England following his move from Udinese last year.
Dyche faces a difficult decision in the final weeks of the transfer window as the Blues cannot sign more players under their current financial position [Stefan Borson] and will need to sanction the sale of one of their prized assets - Calvert-Lewin being one of them.
Neither enjoyed a productive campaign last term with a combined 10 Premier League goals between the pair. Calvert-Lewin bagged seven of those and has been an important cog in the side during his time with the club.
But it seems Dyche is willing to take a new direction. The Toffees saw a bid worth £23.8million rejected by Barcelona for striker Vitor Roque [Florian Plettenberg] and are under late pressure to get a deal over the line with FC Porto, Sporting CP and Real Sociedad eyeing a move for the forward.
Whether or not the deal can materialise will depend on sales. Calvert-Lewin looks the more likely to leave with his higher wages and it may be time to bring his eight-year stay on Merseyside to a close and for both parties to begin a new chapter.
In other Everton news, Jeff Stelling is adamant over Sean Dyche sack decision at Everton.
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