Everton interest in £10 million winger driving his price up as competition increases

Everton want to reinforce their frontline this summer after having limited options last season. Apart from signing a competent striker, Sean Dyche also wants to reinforce the wings and views Manchester United’s Anthony Elanga as a player who can enhance the quality in the attack.

The left winger has been a frustrated figure at Old Trafford, playing just 418 minutes of Premier League football. In fact, in the year 2023, Elanga has made just three Premier League appearances. The Sweden international was looking to leave on loan in January as he looked for regular playing time and was in talks with Everton.

EFC wanted to bring him on loan for the remainder of the season but Erik ten Hag blocked a loan move as the manager was not happy with the environment at Everton, considering they were battling relegation. Elanga has fallen down the pecking order making just a few sporadic appearances and is not an important part of the Dutch manager’s plans.

Everton interested in Manchester United’s Anthony Elanga

This summer, Everton have once again shown interest in Elanga. The 21 year old will look to leave MUFC with the Red Devils also ready to part ways with him. United have slashed his asking price by half to £10 million in a bid to attract teams to sign Elanga, who is surplus to requirements at Old Trafford.

According to Manchester Evening News, Nottingham Forest have also come forward showing their interest in Elanga. With Everton and Forest both keen on the 21 year old, the asking price could go up as more than one club is showing interest.

The Swede could be a versatile attacker for EFC but his numbers don’t catch the eye immediately. He hasn’t gotten extended playing time which has curtailed his consistency but even when on the pitch, he has been only able to show glimpse of his talent in short phases. Elanga as a squad player could come in handy but he still has a lot to prove before he starts knocking on the door for starting games.

Everton cannot afford to get into a bidding war for Elanga. The Toffees have a number of positions to strengthen and finances are tight and there’s little wriggle room. The Merseysiders have also been linked to Allan Saint-Maximin and Arnaut Danjuma as wide options but neither of them will be available for cheap.

Continuing speculation about the future of Everton star Gray

As more and more rumours come and go about possible new signings, one current Everton player whose future remains uncertain is Demarai Gray.

For a number of weeks now there have been on and off stories that the former Leicester City and Bayer Leverkusen player could be leaving Goodison Park this summer.

ray was a £1.5 million siging by Rafa Benitez in the summer of 2021 when the controversial new Everton boss was searching in the transfer bargain basement for players. Nothing changes then!

The tricky attacking player joined at the same time as another winger, free agent and former England international Andros Townsend.

Benitez’s  idea being that they would provide better service from out wide for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and so improve the Blues attacking and goal-scoring threat.

After some early promise, that strategy quickly fell apart once Calvert-Lewin (as always) got hurt and results declined rapidly, eventually leading to Benitez getting the sack in January 2022.

Fast forward to this year and the Toffees are onto their third manager since Benitez, with current boss Sean Dyche now, like the Spaniard, having to shop around for free agents and loan deals as he desperately tries to improve the first-team squad before next season.

So far though, only 38-year-old former Aston Villa stalwart Ashley Young has joined this summer.

And, whatever qualities and experience he may offer, Young isn’t going to improve Everton’s threat in the final third.

Townsend has already left the club, along with a host of other players, leaving the Blues small squad looking even more threadbare.

Now, if these reports about Gray are true, then he may also be on his way out to pastures new whether that’s to another club in the Premier League or perhaps to Saudi Arabia, where so many players are being tempted by all that oil money.

If Everton receive an offer of say around £10 million or so, then I and think most Toffees supporters would say take it, given it would represent a substantial profit.

Gray has been inconsistent in an Everton shirt ever since he signed and while he is capable of excellent attacking performances at times, he also has games when he makes no impact.

And, while Sean Dyche did rely on him a lot for a period after he took over when Calvert-Lewin was injured and he didn’t rate either Neal Maupay or Ellis Simms, Gray lost his place late on.

Recently though, he has been doing well playing for Jamaica in the Conacaf Cup, which has no doubt not gone unnoticed by potential suitors.

But, if he departed, it would mean the Blues are short of yet another player. And Gray, despite his limitations, is one who has to be replaced in kind.