Idrissa Gana Gueye’s years may be advancing, but the Everton midfielder still has a lot to offer – and one stat suggests he’s reinvented himself somewhat this season.
As Everton sit on the cusp of Europe, Idrissa Gana Gueye remains a central figure to this David Moyes team.
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Jack Grealish in action for Everton
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The Senegal international has played 23 Premier League games so far this term, missing only a handful due to AFCON in the middle of the season.
But he has been relied upon heavily by Moyes, who clearly still loves what he brings to the table.
Of course, the first thing many people think about when it comes to Gueye is his ball-winning and his energy.
But this term, Gueye has actually been pretty handy for goal involvements.
Idrissa Gana Gueye now has his most goal involvements ever in a season for Everton
Idrissa Gana Gueye playing for Everton.
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Gueye started as usual for Everton in the club’s 2-2 draw with Brentford on Saturday.
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And while it was not a stellar performance from him or the team, he did make an impact on the game by way of an assist for striker Beto to equalise after Igor Thiago had opened the scoring.
Jake O’Brien robbed Keane Lewis-Potter of the ball, before finding Gueye who clipped a great ball into the box for Beto to head home.
That was Gueye’s third assist of the season.
Add to that the two goals he’s scored, and Gueye now has five goal involvements for the season. With six games left to play, that is a pretty decent return for a defensive-minded midfielder.
And in fact, that is his personal best for Everton in a single season.
The only time he has ever managed more than this is when he got seven (four goals, three assists) playing for Lille in the 2015/16 season.
It is somewhat surprising to see Gueye offering a threat in the final third, given how his whole game has long revolved around ball-winning and being tenacious.
He therefore deserves great credit for this kind of contribution at the grand old age of 36. Not many players would be able to reinvent themselves at this point in their career.
Gueye set to stay at Everton
One wonders if Gueye is acutely aware that he genuinely has a good chance to match or surpass his best ever tally of seven goal involvements.
Regardless though, Gueye is still an important player for Everton, and has benefited immensely of late from the schedule relenting.
Idrissa Gana Gueye playing for Everton.
Photo by Tiego Grenho/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
And seemingly, Everton and Moyes also feel this way about Gueye, with it being claimed that he is now ‘highly likely’ to stay at the club next season.
Obviously at the moment he stands to leave when his contract expires. But Everton do have the option to trigger another 12 months for him and it looks like they’ll do exactly that.
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