Stay or go? The 12 Everton stars who could leave assessed as Moyes mulls over fates

Everton made just one new signing in the January transfer window but they have a busy summer ahead, with the futures of at least 12 Toffees players uncertain.

The Merseyside giants were taken over by new owners, The Friedkin Group, in December, who has put the club on a firmer financial footing ahead of a move to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock next season.

And since then, Sean Dyche has been sacked as manager and replaced by former boss David Moyes, who has picked up three wins in his first four games and eased fears of relegation.

While the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules hampered Everton‘s January transfer business, a busy summer window lies ahead.

With eight players set to be out of contract at the end of the season and four Everton loan signings not including buy obligation clauses, we take a look at the players they should keep and those who could leave.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Perhaps the highest-profile player set to be a free agent in the summer, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, has had another season disrupted by injury.

The 27-year-old striker joined Everton from Sheffield United back in 2016 and is the club’s third-highest Premier League top scorer, behind only Duncan Ferguson and Romelu Lukaku.

However, since the departure of Carlo Ancelotti in 2021, Calvert-Lewin’s form has been on a downward trajectory. This season, he’s scored just three Premier League goals in 22 appearances, and is now sidelined with a hamstring injury that could keep him out until March.

Despite his patchy form and poor injury record, TEAMtalk can confirm that Everton were keen to agree a contract extension with Calvert-Lewin last summer, but the forward decided against signing at the time as he wanted to assess his options.

Newcastle, Bournemouth and clubs from Italy have shown interest in Calvert-Lewin in the months since, but whether they remain keen on a free transfer after his latest injury setback remains to be seen.

Calvert-Lewin is already one of Everton’s highest earners on £100,000 per week and he is understood to be demanding north of that figure for a renewal.

If Calvert-Lewin has his mind set on a new challenge, it could be the right time for Everton to part ways with him and bring in a new number nine in the summer, even if he has come up with some big moments in recent years.

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Abdoulaye Doucoure

Another player who has scored some huge goals for Everton – particularly his strike against Bournemouth in 2022/23 to save them from relegation – Abdoulaye Doucoure’s contract also expires in the summer.

The 32-year-old remains a key part of the Toffees’ squad and bagged his first goal under new manager Moyes last weekend in a 4-0 win over Leicester City.

However, with Doucoure now past his best and being the highest-paid Everton player on £130,000 per week, it is highly unlikely the club will offer him similar terms for a renewal.

Doucoure doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his tireless work rate but offloading him would make room in the Everton squad for a new, creative player to play in the number 10 role.

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Idrissa Gana Gueye

At the age of 35, defensive midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye arguably remains Everton’s best and most consistent midfielder. He left the club for Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, before returning three years later, and has remained an integral part of the team.

The Senegalese international has played in all but two of Everton’s Premier League games this season and is far too important to lose, if the Toffees can avoid it.

Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Everton have opened talks with Gueye over a one-year contract extension, so he looks set to be part of the club’s transition to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore.

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Michael Keane

Michael Keane has gone through periods of being a key player for Everton and is actually regarded as one of the best finishers at the club, despite being a centre-back.

However, he is behind Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski in the pecking order and barring an injury to one of the duo, will have limited minutes until the season’s end.

Keane, 32, is another relatively big earner on £80,000 per week, and perhaps now is the right time for both Everton and the defender to part ways.

Sheffield United are understood to have shown interest in signing Keane if he becomes available on a free transfer.

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Seamus Coleman

A legendary right-back who embodies everything about Everton, Seamus Coleman is undoubtedly one of the Premier League’s greatest ever bargain buys, having joined for just £60,000 from Sligo Rovers in 2009 – during Moyes’ first stint in charge.

The Republic of Ireland and Toffees captain has made 426 appearances for the Merseysiders, notching 28 goals and 28 assists in the process.

Coleman is now 36 years old and injuries have begun to take their toll, with the full-back making only three Premier League appearances this term.

While it’s arguably time for Coleman’s Everton playing career to come to an end, he will no doubt always be welcome at the club and could stay on as a coach if he chooses to retire.

Moyes values Coleman’s experience and leadership extremely highly, so if he regains his fitness it’s not impossible a one-year extension could be agreed.

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Ashley Young

Another Premier League veteran, 39-year-old Ashley Young has proved to be a solid signing for Everton, after joining on a free transfer in the summer of 2023.

Young has been used in a variety of roles since joining – at right-back, left-back and on both wings. Dyche trusted the ex-Man Utd man and he featured often in his starting XIs, but has had less minutes since Moyes’ reappointment.

Young hasn’t started Everton’s last three games and with Jake O’Brien now performing well at right-back, this season may be Young’s last in a royal blue shirt, with his contract expiring in June.

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Joao Virginia

Back-up goalkeeper Joao Virginia has only played in the FA Cup and League Cup this season and is understandably well behind Jordan Pickford in the pecking order.

With the 25-year-old’s contract up in the summer and Pickford going nowhere, he may have to leave the Toffees in order to progress his career.

However, he has shown time and again that he is capable when called upon, so it would make sense for Everton to keep him as a second-choice option.

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Asmir Begovic

Third-choice goalkeeper Asmir Begovic is in a similar position to Virginia, in that he’s never going to get consistent minutes barring an injury to Pickford.

The 37-year-old is very popular behind the scenes at Everton and is valued for his experience in the game, so if he is happy continuing as a back-up shot-stopper, he could be offered a one-year extension.

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Jesper Lindstrom

Jesper Lindstrom joined Everton on loan from Napoli last summer and the deal includes an option to buy clause set at around £18.5m, per reports.

The 24-year-old initially struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League but has been superb since Moyes has come in, playing in a hybrid wing-back, right-winger role.

Lindstrom is yet to register a goal contribution for Everton but sources have confirmed that Moyes tried to sign him when he was West Ham manager, so he’s a big admirer of his abilities.

If the Danish international keeps up his current performances and starts scoring a few goals, Everton may well decide to trigger the buy option clause in his loan deal. TEAMtalk understands that discussions over signing Lindstrom permanently have already begun.

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Orel Mangala

Midfielder Orel Mangala fit into Everton’s team very well after joining from Lyon last summer, playing in all but two of their Premier League games up to now this season.

However, he suffered an ACL injury in a 1-0 away win to Brighton two weeks ago and the Toffees have confirmed that he is set to be ruled out for the rest of the season – although there are fears he could even be unavailable into next term.

It’s a real shame for Everton and Mangala. Signing him on a permanent deal would be a big risk next summer as things stand, as it remains to be seen how well he recovers from his serious knee injury.

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Armando Broja

Chelsea loanee Armando Broja showed positive flashes in his six appearances for Everton this season but he has also picked up an injury.

The 23-year-old is expected to be available again in around five weeks and could play a big role, as fellow striker Calvert-Lewin is sidelined for a longer period.

Everton have the option to buy Broja permanently in the summer £30m, but that is a big outlay for a player who has been plagued by injuries throughout his career.

Broja has always had potential, but the feeling is that he’d have to score a lot of goals from when he returns until the end of the season to earn a permanent Toffees move.

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Jack Harrison

Jack Harrison has been on loan with Everton since 2023, after the club decided to re-sign him last summer, which was possible due to parent club Leeds United missing out on promotion to the Premier League.

The 28-year-old has put in some positive performances for Everton and is another who works hard off the ball, but he is yet to register a goal contribution in all competitions this season.

Lindstrom is now preferred by Moyes in the right-wing position and therefore, a move away from Everton once his loan ends may be the best thing for Harrison’s career.

Everton do not have an option to buy in the loan deal and it’s unlikely they would splash out a fee to sign him permanently, although reports suggest he does have interest from other Premier League sides.

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