Everton risk Iroegbunam mistake as Sheffield United interest grows
Tim Iroegbunam had a difficult first season at Everton.
The 22-year-old moved to Goodison Park from Aston Villa for a fee of around £9million, but he has not been able to establish himself as a regular starter under Sean Dyche or David Moyes.
He made just 18 appearances in the Premier League as injuries hampered his campaign and restricted the impact that he could have.
He will hope to turn around his Merseyside fortunes and impress Moyes when the new season starts, but he may not be given that chance.
Iroegbunam could exit Everton in loan switch, Sheffield United interested
Iroegbunam has been linked with a loan to Championship side Sheffield United, and it would be a solid move for him.
Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie is a huge fan of a potential loan move to the Blades for the out-of-favour Blues star, believing that he could prove himself to Moyes.
However, the Toffees do not have enough midfielders on their books to sanction the switch, and Moyes should pull the plug.
Everton do not have enough to let Iroegbunam depart – on loan or permanently
The Hill Dickinson Stadium outfit currently have five senior midfielders on their books ahead of the new season.
Idrissa Gueye has signed a one-year contract extension, with the potential for another year but he is 35 years old and may not be able to contribute as much in the future.
James Garner is another option for the engine room, but he suffered from injuries last time out and was restricted to 21 league matches.
Harrison Armstrong is a promising talent in the middle of the park, but he has minimal top-flight experience and is just 18 years old.
Iroegbunam and Carlos Alcaraz are the others at Moyes’ disposal, but the latter is more of an attacking midfielder than a pure midfielder.
- Iroegbunam was signed from Aston Villa in a £9million deal
- Iroegbunam made 21 appearances in total for the Blues last season
- Iroegbunam started just six games in his maiden campaign with the Toffees
They are trying to bolster their ranks and have been linked with Douglas Luiz, Florentino Luis and Hayden Hackney, but whether they can get a signing over the line remains to be seen.
One thing is for sure, letting the ex-Villa man leave would be a mistake, given the lack of depth that they have right now.
Sign up for the Goodison News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Everton news sent straight to your phone.