“They are all surplus to requirements”- Journalist says Neal Maupay and Andre Gomes are part of Five players put up for sale at Everton this summer as Sean Dyche insists players are not part of future plans at Goodison Park
Neal Maupay and Demarai Gray are among five players Everton are ready to offload before the end of the transfer window, according to David Maddock.
Everton have announced Jack Harrison as their fourth summer signing, having so far signed Ashley Young, Arnaut Danjuma and Youssef Chermiti, while fellow Leeds Unppited player Wilfried Gnonto and Udinese striker Beto are also targets for the Toffees [BBC Sport].
Daily Mirror reporter Maddock stated in his Football Spy column on Monday [14 August, pg 43] that Everton have identified a handful of players who could be moved on prior to the 11pm deadline on 1 September, including some first-team regulars.
“Dyche is still looking for a striker as back-up to Dominic Calvert-Lewin,” Maddock said.
“While Demarai Gray, Andre Gomes, Mason Holgate, Jeanne-Philippe Gbamin and Neal Maupay are all surplus to requirements.”
It has long been clear that Everton need to strengthen in the final third, and that was only further highlighted by their profligacy in front of goal in the 1-0 loss to Fulham on Saturday [12 August] in their Premier League opener.
Maupay took the brunt of the criticism, some of which went too far on social media, after seeing three of his shots saved by Bernd Leno in a continuation of his frustrating first campaign at Goodison Park last time out.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion ace had an unfair task filling in for Calvert-Lewin, but Dyche cannot afford to persist with a player who has scored one league goal in 28 games since arriving at the start of last season.
Gray, likewise, has too often flattered to deceive, though he did at least directly contribute to five goals in 33 outings in last season’s Premier League campaign.
Holgate was restricted to just five starts last time out in the league, while Gbamin and Gomes both spent time out on loan, so it is little wonder they have been deemed unneeded by the club.
Everton are not currently in a position to allow so many players to depart over the next two-and-a-half weeks, but that will change as they start to bring in more new faces.
If that proves the case, it would be a squad overhaul that supporters will feel is long overdue.
