Tete is set to stay at Fulham (Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Everton may need to rethink their right-back strategy this summer. Kenny Tete has now agreed a new deal with Fulham.
The 29-year-old was due to leave the London club at the expiry of his contract this summer and would have been a solid option for David Moyes in defence. However, he has turned down Everton in favour of staying at Craven Cottage.
do have right-back options already, but the position would appear to be a priority for David Moyes and the club's new-look recruitment team.
So where do they turn after missing out on Tete? Our Everton writers have their say.
The right back dilemma is pretty symbolic of the difficulty in predicting where Everton's transfer window may go. Moyes did not start the summer with Vladimir Coufal high on his agenda and, despite reports to the contrary, had no immediate interest in Kyle Walker.
That all made sense with Kenny Tete lined up. He was the best free agent in this position in the market and a move for the 29-year-old felt like a really good piece of business, a sensible approach that raised the quality of the team without an upfront cost.
That option still exists in Kyle Walker-Peters and his versatility is an added bonus given he could also provide cover at left back for Vitalii Mykolenko. Should he be open to a move for Merseyside I would jump at that chance.
If he is not, then I think Everton may need to get creative. Right back is a position that has long been a problem and needs to be resolved this summer. It is a position where quality is available without breaking the bank and I would be happy for Everton to try and find a young option who can be an investment in the future, maybe someone like a Trai Hume - though Sunderland's promotion has made him far tougher to target. Given how problematic this position has been, the threshold to improve on the current options is pretty low and so, as long as the outlay is not substantial, any gamble is relatively low-risk - particularly with Jake O'Brien and James Garner there as cover even if Nathan Patterson and Seamus Coleman suffer more injury issues.
But you can see just how quickly the favoured options can disappear and all of a sudden players Everton were not initially looking at become more appealing.
Paul Wheelock
Having seemingly been gazumped for Kenny Tete - can a club gazump another if they technically own the player in the first place? - then Everton need to repeat the trick.
Reports would suggest Besiktas are leading the race for Kyle Walker-Peters but, with Tete having signed a new contract to stay at Fulham, the Blues should make their move for the player who is now a free agent after leaving Southampton.
A vastly experienced Premier League performer, Walker-Peters, like Tete, could slot straight into the team should David Moyes decide to move Jake O'Brien inside to his preferred centre-back position.
But the benefit of signing the 28-year-old would be that he could also cover for Vitalii Mykolenko at left-back. While the Blues are well-stocked for options at right-back, the same could not be said of the opposite flank.
And with so many signings to make this summer, bringing in players who are versatile could be invaluable.
So if Walker-Peters isn't Turkey-bound, Everton should nip in.
Matt Jones
There's no point being revisionist about this. Kenny Tete would have been an ideal signing for Everton.
Sure, there were some concerns over injuries. But the Dutchman would've plugged a gap in the squad and given David Moyes a proven full-back option for the new season. For no transfer fee, no less.
So losing him is a blow.
Everton are in a curious position at right-back as they have three players who could play there in Nathan Patterson, Jake O'Brien and Seamus Coleman. In a pinch, James Garner could fill in too. But they all have question marks surrounding them.
Therefore, it would be no surprise to see Everton make a move for another option. They need to be careful thought.
Kyle Walker-Peters would've been a smart acquisition, although he appears poised to move to Besiktas. Given his contract is up, similar terms could potentially be offered to him that were offered to Tete. If there's any hope of convincing him to stay in England, it would be worth a chat.
Vladimir Coufal is another alternative and given he was linked with Fulham, it may make sense for Moyes to link up with his former West Ham player. He may be 32, but he is a dependable option at Premier League level still, albeit not at the same level as Tete.
Of course, Tete's u-turn could trigger an entirely different approach. Everton might even decide to spend some money on a right-back instead of perusing the free agent market.
If they do, it will provide an insight into how much Moyes thinks that position is a priority, especially if it's at the expense of filling other major gaps in the squad.