Everton have less than 24 hours to complete the rest of the business that they want to do before the summer transfer window officially slams shut.
The deadline is at 11pm tonight and that means that Sean Dyche and his recruitment team do not have many hours left to finish their work, with incoming and outgoings.
At least one player could be arriving at Goodison Park today as Lyon central midfielder Orel Mangala is reportedly closing in on a loan move to the club.
Meanwhile, there is one dud who could find himself moving away from Merseyside before the close of play, as a team is making a move to snap him up from Everton.
Everton in talks to sell first-team dud
According to journalist Alan Myers, the Toffees are in talks with Championship side Sheffield Wednesday over a deal for central defender Mason Holgate.
The reporter claims that the two sides are speaking about a potential move for the versatile defensive player, who spent time on loan with Sheffield United last season.
When asked whether it would be a loan or a permanent exit for Holgate, Myers stated that the English enforcer only has 12 months left on his contract at Goodison Park.
This suggests that the Owls are looking to snap him up on a permanent basis, as a loan would then see him become a free agent next summer. Today could be their last chance to recoup some money on him before he leaves for nothing next year.
Why Everton must cash in on Mason Holgate
The Toffees must sell Holgate amid this interest from Sheffield Wednesday as he is on a high wage and has not performed well enough on the pitch to justify it.
As per Capology, the former Barnsley man is currently earning £70k-per-week, which is more than Jarrad Branthwaite (£35k-per-week), James Garner (£30k-per-week), and Dwight McNeil (£25k-per-week), among others.
His standing within the squad does not match up with his place on the wage bill, however, as he was not deemed good enough for the squad last term, hence his move to Bramall Lane on loan.
Appearances
10
35
Sofascore rating
6.09
7.07
Duel success rate
52%
68%
Pass success rate
72%
80%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.3
3.3
As you can see in the table above, Holgate struggled out on loan with the Blades and was significantly outperformed by Branthwaite, who was a regular with Everton at centre-back and won a far higher percentage of his duels and was more reliable in possession.
These statistics do not suggest that the Toffees should be paying the former Sheffield United loanee twice as much as the England international, which is one reason why they must cash in on him amid this interest from the Owls, as they could get his wages out of the club.
His performances on the pitch in the Premier League also do not suggest that he is likely to be an asset for Dyche on the pitch, which is why they should move him on if possible before the deadline.
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