Christian Norgaard omitted from Arsenal squad amid Everton transfer latest
Everton have just received a massive hint on the progress of their Christian Norgaard deal.
The 32-year-old midfielder is widely reported to be Everton-bound, as David Moyes prepares to bolster his engine room further.
Having joined Arsenal last summer from Brentford, the 41-cap Denmark international is set to bring plenty of experience to Hill Dickinson Stadium.
With Idrissa Gana Gueye leaving as a free agent, bringing back in a veteran presence to the heart of midfield is a shrewd move by the Toffees.
And now, Evertonians will be delighted to hear of this latest update on Norgaard's situation coming out of North London.
Why Christian Norgaard is one step closer to Everton deal
It was reported in the print edition of the Daily Mail that Norgaard is undergoing his Everton medical on Tuesday.
And if that wasn't clear enough information that the Dane is about to become Everton's latest signing, a fresh Arsenal update does.
Posting to his X account on Tuesday, Arsenal reporter for the Daily Mail Isaan Khan has revealed that Norgaard isn't part of the Gunners' squad that play Real Betis in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.
Khan reaffirms that Norgaard is closing in on a move to Merseyside, and offers further hope that Everton could announce his transfer in the coming hours.
So, just how good was Norgaard for Arsenal in the Premier League last season, and do his numbers suggest Everton are getting a bargain?
How Norgaard was amongst Premier League's best in 2025-26
Norgaard played seven times for Arsenal in the Premier League last term, culminating in just over 100 minutes of football.
He was always brought in at the Emirates to be a backup player under Mikel Arteta, but even so, he surely would've expected to play more than that.
Regardless, his underlying numbers for when he was on the pitch are very impressive, and certainly suggest that in a larger role with Everton, he's still got what it takes to be a quality player in the English top flight.
As per FotMob, no defensive midfielder in the 2025-26 Premier League season averaged more clearances per 90 minutes than Norgaard's 7.13.
Meanwhile, he also ranked in the top 2.5 percentile of his positional rivals for his 0.89 shots on target and 0.89 blocked shots per 90 too.
Norgaard also placed amongst the very top-performing players in his position on a per 90 minutes basis for his 14.3 defensive contributions, 80.2 touches and 1.78 shots.
Moyes knows a good central midfielder when he sees one, and although it may not be a headline-grabbing signing, Norgaard is the type of addition that could be far more impactful than many realise.