Everton transfer news, rumours, gossip and speculation including the latest on Amadou Onana, Jordan Pickford, Tom Davies and more
Welcome to our Everton liveblog for Monday, September 11.
The international break is almost over as Everton return to action against Arsenal this weekend. We'll have all the injury news ahead of that game.
Tom Davies has been speaking on his time at Everton and why he decided to leave the club, we'll have all the latest news and reaction to that here. Demarai Gray is another who has discussed his exit.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has spoken about his feelings at Goodison Park ahead of England's international friendly with Scotland.
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Keep tabs on the latest news, views and Everton FC transfer rumours below.
We have reached the end of today's Everton blog. Tune back in tomorrow morning from 7am for the latest news on the Blues.
Manchester United are said to be weighing up a move for former Everton winger Anwar El Ghazi.
The Dutchman spent the second half of the 2021/22 season on loan with the Blues, though hardly featured during his temporary stay at the club.
Now a free agent after leaving PSV Eindhoven by mutual consent last week, the Daily Mail have suggested United are considering a move for El Ghazi due to uncertainty over Antony and Jadon Sancho.
Trabzonspor are 'about to add' Andre Gomes to their squad, it has been suggested.
Gomes has been linked with a move away from Everton of late, with reports claiming the Blues are keen to get the Portuguese off their books.
Turkey was today mentioned as a possible destination, due to the transfer window still being open, and one source from Turkey has hinted Trabzonspor could be the club to take a chance on Gomes.
ÖZEL – SON DAKİKA:
Trabzonspor, Everton forması giyen merkez orta saha Andre Gomes’i kadrosuna katmak üzere. #EFC pic.twitter.com/H0DPrXHX9T
Amadou Onana’s value to the Belgian international side is becoming increasingly clear after his latest performance.
The midfielder has started this season in good form for Everton, despite the club’s struggles. He has been one of the most effective creative players in the Premier League so far, setting up four “big chances” across the opening four games – more than any player apart from Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes and Mo Salah, who also have four each.
He was dominant in the middle for Belgium against Azerbaijan, breaking up play, protecting possession and helping his side to push up the pitch. He did lose his player on the edge of the box for Azerbaijan’s best chance of the game but his performance was viewed positively and he stayed on for the whole match, which Belgium won 1-0.
His selection meant an immediate return to the starting line-up after he missed two European Championship qualifiers through injury in the summer. Onana started the earlier wins over Germany and Sweden that enabled Belgium to seize control of their group. It also shows he is central to the plans of Dominico Tedesco, who took over as manager after the departure of Roberto Martinez, who selected Onana for his World Cup squad. Onana is next in action on Tuesday as Belgium host Estonia.
Joe Thomas has more, here.
Andre Gomes was one of the few players to survive Everton's summer transfer window of change.
Football Insider have stated the Portuguese midfielder remains a player the club wish to dispose of, however, and are "actively working" on offloading the ex-Barcelona star.
The Turkish transfer window remains open and is described as his 'likely last possibility' to leave Everton.
Jack Harrison has been confirmed as the new Everton number 11 following Demarai Gray's departure.
Ahead of the new season, James Tarkowski became the number with Nathan Patterson taking over the number two and Dele reverting back to 20.
Everton 2023/24 squad numbers
1 Jordan Pickford
2 Nathan Patterson
5 Michael Keane
6 James Tarkowski
7 Dwight McNeil
8 Amadou Onana
9 Dominic Calvert-Lewin
10 Arnaut Danjuma
11 Jack Harrison
12 Joao Virginia
14 Beto
16 Abdoulaye Doucoure
18 Ashley Young
19 Vitalli Mykolenko
20 Dele
21 Andre Gomes
22 Ben Godfrey
23 Seamus Coleman
27 Idrissa Gana Gueye
28 Youssef Chermiti
31 Andy Lonergan
32 Jarrad Branthwaite
37 James Garner
43 Billy Crellin
61 Lewis Dobbin
62 Tyler Onyango
Arsenal defender Gabriel has handed Mikel Arteta a fitness boost after training with Brazil on Sunday.
He came off in the closing stages against Bolivia in Friday but has trained for Fernando Diniz's side ahead of their clash against Peru on Tuesday.
Gabriel returned to the starting line-up for Arsenal to face Manchester United on the eve of the international break, as they ran out 3-1 winners at the Emirates Stadium.
Former Belgium defender Philippe Albert has expressed his surprise at Chelsea rejecting the opportunity to sign Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.
There was no concrete interest in the Blues man, this summer, with the likes of Manchester United linked with a move.
Chelsea were free-spending in the summer, exceeding over £1bn spent during the Todd Boehly era. During the transfer window, they added Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia despite smashing the transfer record in the January for Enzo Fernandez.
"Physically Amadaou is a monster and technically he also has quality," he said via SportWitness.
"I am very surprised that no one paid his €85million (£72m) clause.
"When I see how easily Chelsea spend the money to buy anything and everything, I find it very strange that they don’t buy a player like Onana for less than €100 million."
Jordan Pickford believes Everton have turned a corner and can build on their showing against Sheffield United.
The draw with the Blades brought the Blues their first point of the season. It was a difficult opening month for Sean Dyche's side as they were beaten in their first three, as well as the poor first-half away to Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup.
However, the England number one believes that Everton can build on their first league point.
Via the Mirror, he said: “We have turned the corner. Apart from the Aston Villa game (beaten 4-0), the other three fixtures were very close and we were in control of the Sheffield United game. We have only one point on the board but we can build on it.”
Tom Davies has admitted he is searching for stability at Sheffield United after his turbulent Everton career came to an end this summer.
The 25-year-old broke into the Blues' first-team towards the end of the 2014/15 season and enjoyed his big moment with supporters during a man-of-the-match display in a 4-0 home win over Manchester City, during which he scored his first goal for the club.
Appearances had dried up for Davies in the last couple of seasons, limiting him to only four Premier League starts last season, forcing the player to re-think his long-term future. Everton put forward the offer of a new contract to the midfielder, though he decided to seek pastures new upon the expiration of his deal.
Opening up on his reasoning behind heading for the Goodison exit doors, the Blues' academy graduate admitted the upheaval at Everton of recent years had taken its toll on him. Asked if this move represented a chance to experience a sense of security he has been lacking, he responded: "Yeah, you could say that.
"It's hard for a footballer to reach their potential when they are constantly being changed around and there is people coming and going and you're trying to make connections with different team-mates, different managers, different formations. For me, I think that [stability] is a big thing I need and just knowing I fit into a team and they want me to be here for the player I am. That then gives you the confidence to express yourself on the pitch."
"It was definitely a new step and a challenge for me," he told Stadium Astro. "It was a natural step for me to take and one I was happy to take because I want to look after myself first and put my career first. I think for me to come here, it was by doing that. It is always difficult leaving your first club and your boyhood club, but it's one [decision] I am happy I've made and I'm glad to be here."
Explaining an additional factor behind his transfer, Davies added the vision of Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom utilising him in a more attacking role was a major pull.
"I've always seen myself as a box-to-box midfielder," he explained. "When I first broke into the team at Everton, it was more to do with the attacking side and I would play a lot more offensively than the last few years where I dropped into a deeper role. That's where I see myself playing [advanced] and Sheffield United have noticed that in me too.
"It was a big reason why I wanted to come here. He [Paul Heckingbottom] has seen the same things I see in myself and was really keen to develop them. The plan he showed me made sense. That development for myself and the confidence of backing my own game, that I know I have, was a massive reason I came here."
Davies remains in search of his first appearance for the Blades following his recent move. He was named on the bench for an opening day defeat at Nottingham Forest, though has not featured in a matchday squad since due to a lack of fitness. Speaking ahead of United's 2-2 draw with Everton, Heckingbottom said: "Tom had not trained with any players since the beginning of May. We are trying to put him through a pre-season to get him ready to attack the games. We don't want to risk his body at that point."
The Liverpool ECHO has launched its own WhatsApp community to bring you the very latest Everton transfer news and top stories direct to your phone. By joining our WhatsApp community, you will receive breaking Blues news and top stories straight to your phone. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Community' and you're in.
If you are using your computer, tablet or an additional phone you can use your mobile phone to join the group below. Just scan your camera over the QR code and open the link. For more information, click here.
Keep tabs on the latest news, views and Everton FC transfer rumours below.
Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson were among the factors that influenced Demarai Gray's move to Saudi Arabia from Everton.
Gray completed his transfer to Al-Ettifaq on Thursday, which is worth around £8m for the Blues, after a behind-the-scenes breakdown in the relationship between himself and the club became public following the conclusion of the Premier League transfer window days earlier.
While the escalation of the row placed his Everton future in doubt, and clubs in the Middle East were among few options for a departure by last week, Gray said new team-mate Henderson and new boss Gerrard played a part in his decision to leave Europe. He had been linked to a move to the Saudi Pro League for much of August.
Speaking after playing for Jamaica against Honduras on Saturday, in quotes reported by Jamaican outlet The Gleaner, Gray pointed to the role of the two former Liverpool captains in his move: “I think it was time for me to move on, and speaking to the manager there, I felt like I wanted the new challenge, opportunity and feel of something completely different.
“There’s a hype around the Saudi league at the minute, it’s quite big and a lot of players are going out there… I think for me and where I’m at in my career right now, I believe it’s a good idea for me and I had the influence of other players, like Henderson. I had good advice, good guidance and it helped me make my decision.”
In his goodbye message from the Blues, the 27-year-old declared himself match fit and then played – and scored – for Jamaica this weekend. Gray said he was “disappointed” with his time at Everton ended and added: “Obviously, being from England, where my family lives, it was a hard decision but in football, sometimes you have to sacrifice. Yes, I’m disappointed with how I separated from Everton because they gave me some great moments as we had to fight off relegation for two years and we managed to stay up. I wished them the best, I made some good friends there, but that chapter is over now.”
Welcome to our Everton live blog for Monday, September 11.
The international break is almost over as Everton return to action against Arsenal this weekend. We'll have all the injury news ahead of that game.
Tom Davies has been speaking on his time at Everton and why he decided to leave the club. We'll have all the latest news and reaction to that here. Demarai Gray is another who has discussed his exit.