Everton bowed out of the EFL Cup on Tuesday in agonising fashion, losing on penalties to Fulham after a 1-1 draw in normal time. While Sean Dyche and his players will be disappointed, climbing as far from the bottom three in the Premier League as possible is more important than winning any cup contests this season.
The Toffees are on an excellent run of form in the top flight, having picked up four consecutive wins, two of which came against Newcastle United and Chelsea.
Nevertheless, Dyche should now turn his attention towards the January transfer window as a means to sign reinforcements for his squad.
Everton transfer news – Kalvin Phillips
It was reported during the summer that the Merseyside club were interested in signing Manchester City’s wantaway star Kalvin Phillips. However, Football Insider recently revealed the reason why a transfer never came to fruition as the European champions were seeking a £7.5m loan fee from Everton while also expecting the club to pay his wages in full.
Phillips is currently on £165k-per-week which would have made him the highest-paid player at Goodison Park had the two sides agreed a deal as Abdoulaye Doucoure is the club’s top earner and is on £130k-per-week.
Nevertheless, a move could still be on the cards for the England international. In a press conference back in October, Man City boss Pep Guardiola admitted that the door is being left open for Phillips to walk away once a deal is agreed with another club.
“If he decides to do it [leave], then do it. If the agreement is not done, then he stays.”
Everton could re-enter the race to sign the midfielder but could be forced to spend a hefty sum of money as City have reportedly slapped a £50m price tag on Phillips ahead of the January window, hoping to make an £8m profit on the player they signed for £42m in 2022.
How Kalvin Phillips compares to Idrissa Gueye
Phillips was superb during his days at Elland Road with Leeds under the legendary coach Marcelo Bielsa. Former Everton winger Yannick Bolasie even described the midfielder as a “monster” for some of his displays while ex-England boss Fabio Capello admitted Phillips was the “best modern midfielder” he has seen.
The 28-year-old has seen just 319 minutes of action this term for the Blues, spread across ten different games in all competitions. It’s hard to believe the same player who was earning such huge praise from a former Champions League-winning manager is now nothing but a mere footnote in his club’s success on the pitch.
The Englishman could reignite his career by moving to Goodison Park, particularly since Everton’s midfield is likely to see a rejigging over the next six to 12 months. It is being reported this week that Premier League giants Manchester United will look to sign Everton’s £48m midfielder Amadou Onana, while La Liga champions Barcelona are also said to be in the running.
Everton could use the money they recoup from selling the Belgian to bring Phillips to Merseyside. Additionally, Idrissa Gueye is now in his mid-30s and will need to be replaced soon, as well as the fact that he will likely play at the AFCON in the new year.
Despite Phillips’ lack of game-time this season, he has still been outperforming Gueye in a number of key metrics.
Goals
0.29
0.08
Expected Goals
0.4
0.09
Progressive Passes
6.80
4.55
Progressive Carries
3.20
1.64
Passing Accuracy
90.4
83.2
Passes To Final 1/3
8.8
3.73
Passes To Penalty Area
0.4
0.55
Tackles
2.0
2.82
Tackles Won
1.43
1.95
Aerial Duels Win %
66.7
36.4
Indeed, not only is the City outcast a more progressive midfielder when it comes to passing and carrying the ball, but he's also a better aerial presence and more adept in the final third of the field.
Signing Phillips is a risk given he will certainly be rusty due to the lack of minutes. However, if Dyche can get him to showcase the talent from his days with Leeds, the club will be making a very astute acquisition.