Michael Keane
Aheed Abrar
Tue 3 December 2024 7:10, UK
Michael Keane expects to sign a pre-contract agreement in January, with his Everton exit now lined up, according to The Times.
The news outlet reported on 2 December that the centre-back is set to enter talks with foreign clubs as his contract expires in the summer, with teams in the MLS and Serie A eyeing the 31-year-old.
Premier League clubs are also interested in the England international, but they’ll have to wait until the summer to start negotiations with him.
Keane moved to the Toffees in 2017 from Burnley and has made eight appearances in all competitions in his eighth season at Goodison.
Michael Keane transfer inevitable at Everton
The Englishman’s move away from the Merseyside outfit has felt inevitable for some time now due to his status in the starting lineup diminishing over the years.
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Under Sean Dyche, the defender has mostly been a bench warmer, making just 21 appearances in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns combined.
The Englishman has surprisingly been a prominent figure for the Blues this season, starting most of the fixtures with Jarrad Branthwaite out injured.
But with the 22-year-old returning to the fold, Keane has found himself back on the fringes at Everton, not featuring in their last three league matches.
Michael Keane Everton
Everton defender Michael Keane. [Credit: Imago]
James Tarkowski and Branthwaite are Dyche’s preferred pairing at the back, although the two didn’t convince many with their display in the 4-0 loss to Manchester United on 1 December.
The Toffees also have Jake O’Brien at their disposal, but the Ireland international has played just 34 minutes in the Premier League this term since joining from Olympique Lyon in the summer.
As things stand, the Blues sit 15th in the table and are just two points above the relegation zone, with some tough fixtures upcoming in December.
If this indeed is Keane’s final season at Goodison, fans will want to see the defender give his all and help them maintain their status in the English top flight before receiving a farewell.
In other Everton news, Chris Beesley was baffled after what Dyche said about the loss to Man United.
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