Vitalii Mykolenko faces an uncertain future at Everton.
The Ukraine international is one of six Everton players who see their contracts expire at the end of the season, and David Moyes was far from convincing when asked if the left-back will be staying at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
When quizzed on the matter, the Glaswegian said: “I’ve actually not put myself on to thinking about the people who are within the building. I’m actually beginning to start thinking about what we’re going to get from outside the building at the moment, what we might need to do. The truth is I’ve not got my head on it yet.”
Now, a report from Italian news outlet Forza Roma suggests Everton will be letting Vitalii Mykolenko go this summer.
Name the left-back you’d love to see Everton sign to upgrade Mykolenko, go!
Everton left-back Vitali Mykolenko.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Roma targeting the free agent market and expect Vitalii Mykolenko to be part of it
The report from Italy states that Roma – who are of course owned by The Friedkin Group as well as Everton – are targeting the free agent market for defensive reinforcements this summer, and expect the Ukrainian to be available as they add him to the shortlist.
The Friedkin Group are surely privy to who Moyes plans to keep around at Everton, considering they are the ones who pay the wages, so the fact there are plans to bring Mykolenko to Roma offers a strong hint that his time on Merseyside is set to come to an end.
Since his £17m move to Everton in January 2022, the man born in Cherkasy has made 150 appearances, scoring four goals while also providing four assists.
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There have already been signs that Moyes plans to move on from the Everton No.16 this summer, having chosen to field a natural centre-back ahead of him at left-back in Jarrad Branthwaite on several occasions recently.
Everton are also monitoring Myles Lewis-Skelly after he dropped down the pecking order at Arsenal, a potential Mykolenko replacement for Moyes in the left-back department.
Vitaliy Mykolenko’s contract expires in the summer, what should Everton do with him? 🤔
Offer him a new deal? Let him go for free? Sell him in January?
Vitalii Mykolenko of Everton arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Burnley and Everton
Credit: Getty Images/Molly Darlington
That, along with the ambiguous response in his press conference and now rumours of Roma being interested, strongly suggest that Mykolenko will be departing the Hill Dickinson Stadium this summer.
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