Everton ready to sell three first-team players for the right price but there’s a problem

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Everton’s past horrors in the transfer market are what has made the club the mess it is today.

Ravaged by big names on long, lucrative contracts, it was these missteps which brought PSR to the Goodison Park doorstep, seeking to punish the Toffees for their financial mismanagement.

Few disputed the accusations, but what was scrutinised was the punishments that followed.

Two separate points deductions in one Premier League season. Kevin Thelwell was never going to let this happen again. 

However, in his effort to raise funds this summer, he seems to keep stumbling upon the same problem, again forged by his incompetent predecessors.

Everton struggling to sell three first-team players

It’s actually journalist Paddy Boyland, writing for The Athletic, who has sought to provide some information on a few potential outgoings at Everton this summer.

With Ben Godfrey and Lewis Dobbin having already commanded useful sums, there is more than enough deadwood remaining to amass another couple of sales.

However, they continue to run into one problem, which he details: ‘All three are fringe players and likely to be available if the right offer comes in. That’s not materialised.

‘The problem in some (perhaps most) of these cases is that the players are on much higher wages than they would get elsewhere.

‘Keane, for example, has attracted interest over the past 12 months but clubs have been put off by the package for a 31-year-old centre-back heading into the last 12 months of his deal. Holgate, meanwhile, had two disappointing loans last season with Southampton and Sheffield United.

‘Everton would be happier keeping Keane as cover, but every player has a price — certainly fringe players.’

Kevin Thelwell needs to sell at least two

Of this doomed trio, who have all endured widely fluctuating spells at Everton, there are two that simply must go this summer.

After all, Neal Maupay has offered next to nothing ever since he was signed in 2022, even spending the bulk of last campaign on loan with Brentford, whilst Mason Holgate hasn’t been a regular starter for three years now.

Michael Keane  is hardly much better, but at the very least knows Sean Dyche well and has deputised admirably when called upon.

He is far from an outstanding option, but certainly would be better than Holgate at sitting slightly deeper and defending the box.

The Frenchman has just one Premier League goal for the Toffees across a two-year spell, with Maupay having give an update on his Everton future earlier this month, whilst the former Southampton and Sheffield United loanee has developed a reputation for being reckless and rash.

Everton do not need either of these stars, and getting any kind of sum for them whilst removing them from the wage bill would represent fine business from Thelwell.