Everton has had a nightmare of a season till now. Setting aside the fact that they are in a relegation battle, to make things worse, the Toffees have their hands tied in the transfer window as well.
With the window set to close in just a day’s time, Everton is still yet to bring in any new faces, despite having an extremely stretched squad at present.
Two charges for breaking the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability rules have already handed them a 10-point penalty. This is the reason the Toffees are being extremely stringent in the market this time, fearing falling foul of regulations yet again.
Manager Sean Dyche and Director Kevin Thelwell have both admitted that it is set to be a quiet month on the transfer front for Everton.
Having said that, signing a new winger has been a priority for Toffees boss Sean Dyche throughout January.
However, financial fair play issues have forced them to opt for a low-budget, effective striker, and the name of Said Benrahma has been in the discussions.
The ex-Brentford man has notched 15 goals and 16 assists in 110 total Premier League games since making the move to West Ham in 2020.
However, Benrahma has recently struggled to hold down a regular starting role during the 2023-24 campaign. Further arrivals have only push him down the pecking order under David Moyes.
That being said, the forward has been given the green light by David Moyes to leave the London club this month, despite having a contract until 2026. However, West Ham has tagged his worth at around £20 million.
And apparently that is where it draws the line for Everton. For all the Toffees could afford in this tough situation is a loan for the Algerian.
As per sources, the Hammers have completely overlooked Everton’s loan deal as they are moving forward with a permanent transfer offer worth £15 million to Olympique Lyonnais.
No club seems to be even a tad bit sympathetic for Everton when it comes to football business. After the West Ham rejection, it looks like Everton has failed to convince Benfica to budge down as well.
Everton is reportedly set to miss out on Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis this month despite holding talks with the Portuguese giants over a deal.
Having Doucoure and Gomes already sidelined for Everton with injuries, Luis could have filled in for them and also been a long-term replacement for Gueye, who is past his best at the age of 34. At 24 years of age, the former Monaco midfielder has made 25 appearances for the Portuguese giants, being a key cog for Benfica this season.
Fabrizio Romano has revealed, however, that the Toffees will not be able to sign Luis on loan this month despite their efforts.
“Understand Benfica is not open to letting Florentino Luis leave on loan to Everton despite recent links,” Romano wrote on X.
“Benfica sees a loan deal as impossible for the final days of the window.”
Everton is understood to have inquired about a loan deal with an option to buy, which Benfica rejected without a second thought. They have been adamant, making it clear that Everton will only be able to sign Luis this month on a permanent transfer, something which is highly unlikely at this stage.
Now, it is to be seen if Everton returns back in the summer with a more permanent offer. But we can only hope that Everton overcome their crisis and gets back on their feet as soon as possible.