At the height of his powers, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was linked with Real Madrid and was then on the verge of a reported £40m move to Newcastle United. That would have been music to the ears of the player’s former club Sheffield United, who were believed to have protected themselves financially in the £1.5m deal that took the striker to Everton back in 2016.
But any hopes United had of a secondary windfall from the England international now appear to be on the wane, with the 28-year-old on the verge of leaving the Toffees on a free transfer this summer when his contract expires.
Officially Everton say they will “continue to liaise” with Calvert-Lewin’s representatives ahead of his official contract expiry at the end of this month but the expectation on Merseyside is that he will seek pastures new.
As recently as last summer a £40m move to Newcastle was mooted and St. James’ Park remains a potential destination this summer, especially after the United academy graduate admitted recently that he has ambitions of playing for a Champions League club.
“I have to be careful with what I say, because I am still contracted to Everton,” he said on the latest episode of the High Performance Podcast. “I have a long history with Everton and a big respect for the club. [But] the main thing for me is that I want to win.
“I want to be in a winning environment. The last three or four seasons it has been about survival. ‘When I started my career I wanted to play in the Premier League. Play for England a go to major tournaments with England.
Sheffield United could miss out on Dominic Calvert-Lewin windfall as Everton man nears career crossroads
“Play in the Champions League. I have played in a major tournament for England, I have played in the Premier League…but I haven’t played in the Champions League. There are still things I would like to achieve before my time is done.
“To have the opportunity to decide potentially where that place will be. If it gives me the best opportunity and environment to win and score goals… Then that would be the return of me to the England team and playing in the Champions League.
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“That has been my driver to play at the highest level possible. My representation of that is the Champions League, World Cups, Euros, getting into that bracket of elite players.”
One player who will definitely depart Everton this summer and look for a new club is the former Blades loanee Mason Holgate, who spent time at Bramall Lane in the second half of the 2023/24 season after being recalled from his temporary spell at Southampton.
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His United career got off to a difficult start, the Blades shipping five goals on his debut before he was sent off in just his third appearance for a horror tackle on Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma in another 5-0 loss.
He spent last season with United’s Championship rivals West Bromwich Albion, with the former Barnsley wonderkid now looking for the next move of his career - still at just 28 years of age.