Chelsea offered Axel Disasi in major Everton swap deal for Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Everton were offered both Axel Disasi and David Datro Fofana as part of a swap deal with Chelsea before the transfer deadline, GiveMeSport reports.
According to a report on the outlet’s website on 2 September the French defender was included in the London side’s late attempt to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but the package was rejected at Goodison Park.
Chelsea wanted to get the combined £110,000-a-week salaries of Disasi and Fofana off their wage bill but after signing Jake O’Brien the defender wasn’t a priority for the Toffees and there was doubt over the striker’s ability to replace the output of Calvert-Lewin.
Everton did secure an 11th-hour loan deal for Armando Broja from Stamford Bridge, which will cost the club nothing until he is fit and included in a match-day squad [Liverpool Echo, 31 August].
Everton reject David Datro Fofana before Armando Broja loan
The fact that Disasi, 26, only arrived at Stamford Bridge for £38.5million last summer on a six-year deal [BBC Sport] and is already available to leave as half of swap package shows Chelsea are operating in a different stratosphere from Everton in the market currently.
The Londoners reportedly also made an offer of Fofana and Broja on loan to take Calvert-Lewin to the capital permanently and were also turned down there [HITC, 30 August].
Since the Toffees ultimately ended up getting a loan striker on “financially favourable” terms [David Ornstein, 30 August] while keeping hold of their number nine it could be argued they came out of the Deadline Day negotiations with Chelsea on top, especially since Calvert-Lewin then scored his first of the season against Bournemouth.
But that game was somehow lost and the striker’s contract is still running down so there might have been an argument to take the offer of Disasi and Fofana.
O’Brien has arrived but Sen Dyche’s decision to stick with Michael Keane is proving unpopular, while Jarrad Branthwaite’s injury has added to the issue in central defence.
Everton were also interested in Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier amid a selection crisis at right-back [TBR Football, 25 August] and Disasi can all fill in there.
It is a moot point now the window has closed so the ensuing months will prove whether it was the right decision.
In other Everton news, the Toffees could still be set to make another signing past the close of the window.
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