Everton are giving strong consideration to signing Chelsea loanee Tyrique George on a permanent deal, though rival interest from Newcastle United could complicate things for David Moyes’ side, TEAMtalk understands.
George, 20, has always been highly regarded at Stamford Bridge but found consistent minutes with Chelsea hard to come by before being loaned to the Toffees in January.
The left-winger perhaps didn’t play as frequently as he would’ve liked for Everton this season, but showed enough promise in his 11 appearances to leave a lasting impression on Moyes.
When asked about the futures of George and Man City loanee Jack Grealish – another player TEAMtalk has confirmed Everton have interest in keeping – the Scotsman said: “At the moment, they go back to their clubs and we’ll take it from there.
“As the summer goes on, we’ll decide what path we’re going to take on both of them. We like Tyrique, obviously we like Jack a lot – but we’ve not got an answer [yet]. We’ve enjoyed having Tyrique here – he’s been an excellent boy and his work-rate and everything has been excellent, so we’re happy with him.”
TEAMtalk sources have confirmed on Monday that George remains ‘one of the options’ under consideration by Everton as they look to add depth to their winger options.
Everton have an option-to-buy clause in their loan deal with Chelsea – believed to be set at around £22million – but they are looking at ways to lower that figure, which could open the door for rival suitors.
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Newcastle keeping tabs on Tyrique George
George’s loan with Everton officially expires on June 30, so the Merseysiders have until then to negotiate a deal before other clubs will be able to swoop in.
Sources indicate that Chelsea will hold out for their option-to-buy fee in full, but Everton could try to get up to that figure through add-ons or in instalments rather than a lump sum up front.
Several Premier League clubs are keeping tabs on George’s situation and could make a move of their own should Everton delay.
Newcastle, who are looking to bring in a replacement for Anthony Gordon following his £70million switch to Barcelona, are one of the clubs interested in George, per sources.
George, for his part, is open to leaving Chelsea permanently to join a club where he feels he will get consistent playing time.
He started just one Premier League game for Everton but enjoyed his time at the club.
Everton sources are of the belief that George would be afforded more minutes next season and are confident he can develop into a top-level player.
Everton’s talks with Chelsea over George’s future are ongoing, and it will be interesting to see whether an agreement is reached before the end of this month. Otherwise, there could be more twists to come.
With additional reporting from TEAMtalk correspondent Fraser Fletcher.
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