According to Sky Sports, PSG have agreed on a deal of around £28million to sign Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye. The French club saw a bid for the Senegalese international rejected in the January transfer window.
However, Gueye was keen on the move and it looks like the move could finally now happen in the near future. The 29-year-old will be a loss for the Toffees, as he was a crucial player for Marco Silva’s side. The Merseysider’s will make a big profit on the midfielder, who is nearly 30. They need to replace Gueye player for player, though.
A very good defensive shield
Over the last seasons, Gueye has developed a reputation as a very good defensive midfielder. He has shown to be a top shield in front of the Everton backline, which looked vulnerable without him last season.
His energy and ability to get around the pitch played a key role in Silva’s team pressing high up the pitch. Pressing is key to the way that the Portuguese likes his team to play the game. A replacement in a similar mould is vital to the Toffees chances of progression next season.
Linked with Mainz star
There have been a number of central midfielders who have already been linked with a switch to Everton this summer. The latest name linked with a move to Merseyside is versatile Mainz star Jean-Philippe Gbamin. The Ivory Coast international is reported rated in the £30million bracket.
Gbamin’s agent Bernard Collignon has added to the speculation by telling Le Parisien: ‘He is excited about the possibility of joining Everton. ‘Discovering the Premier League at a team at the top of the table would be a great opportunity for him and represent a great next step.’
Gbamin seems like a perfect signing for Everton, as he has many of the same attributes as Gueye, but also offers extra physicality that Gueye lacks. The Ivorian can also play a centre-back, which would be useful to the Toffees who are short of centre-back options.
Another player linked with a switch to Merseyside is Toulouse star Ibrahim Sangare, who is an international teammate of Gbamin with the Ivory Coast. The 21-year-old impressed in Ligue One last season in a relatively poor campaign Sangare does not offer the same versatility as Gbamin and is slightly less experienced at first-team level. Either player would be promising signings for the Toffees.
Everton need additions for the top-six
At the beginning of the summer, Everton looked like a very dangerous outsider for a place in the top-six of the Premier League. However, the Toffees have yet to really strengthen their squad, with Andre Gomes and Fabian Delph the only outfield signings.
The next few weeks will determine whether Silva’s team can mount a challenge for the top-six or not. The team from Merseyside still needs to bring in a right-back, a striker and now a central midfielder. If they can sign the players to strengthen in the weak areas of their team, then they have a good chance of breaking into that top-six next season.
Will Everton sign a replacement for Idrissa Gueye this summer?
