Everton are quite clearly planning for Michael Keane to leave at the end of the season.
Michael Keane was due to depart Everton last summer, but David Moyes offered him a one-year deal, which has turned out to be a brilliant bit of business.
Keane has been one of the Toffees’ best players this term, as he’s filled in for Jarrad Branthwaite for much of the campaign.
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Romelu Lukaku of Everton celebrates his goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Hull City and Everton
Credit: Getty Images/Alex Dodd – CameraSport/Alex Livesey/Jan Kruger.
Despite that, it seems as though Moyes and his recruitment chiefs aren’t going to offer him a new contract.
That’s because there have been several links to a central defender in recent weeks, with a fresh rumour emerging.
Blackburn Rovers centre-back Tom Atcheson.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Everton’s interest in Tom Atcheson suggests Michael Keane is leaving
Everton are showing an interest in signing Tom Atcheson, who has been a real standout for Blackburn Rovers this term.
Atcheson is also being monitored by five other Premier League clubs, so competition to land his signature is rife.
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David Moyes, manager of Everton, claps fans after a 3-0 win in the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea.
Credit: Getty Images/Jorge Horsted/News Images/NurPhoto
The 19-year-old would appear to be a more forward-thinking replacement for Keane, and certainly a recruit which aligns with the Friedkin Group’s vision.
Everton’s owners want to turn the club into a Borussia Dortmund-esque team, with some of the best talent in Europe plying their trade at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The main issue with that transfer model is Moyes, as the Scotsman clearly values experience over some of the young talent like Tyler Dibling, Tyrique George and Adam Aznou.
So, it’ll be interesting to see if there are any disagreements over some of the summer business, or whether Moyes is given full control.
The latter is probably more likely if the Toffees manage to qualify for Europe.
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