Everton defender Mason Holgate could be one of the players likely to depart the club in the January transfer window in order to free up wages for potential targets, according to former Blues striker Kevin Campbell.
Holgate has been heavily linked with a move away from Goodison Park in recent months and has featured just 4 times in the Premier League so far this season.
Indeed, Southampton have reportedly expressed an interest in the 26-year-old, and Campbell believes that a deal could be on the cards for the versatile defender, who may have grown frustrated at the limited playing time throughout the campaign.
The ex-Everton striker states, “Yeah, I think there has to be some movement, some freeing up of wages on that side of things.
“[Mason] Holgate needs to play and I’m sure there’s a frustration there for him. Obviously, he had a knee injury.
“He’s come back and he hasn’t really featured so at the end of the day Frank Lampard’s got to shape his team.
“And nobody’s safe, because the club haven’t been in a position where they’re comfortable [while] battling relegation.
“Lampard has to shape it and if Holgate’s one of those who goes through the door, then that’s what has to happen.”
Holgate has found himself on the periphery of the squad since the summer arrivals of James Tarkowski and the on-loan Conor Coady and has been tipped for a move elsewhere along with fellow out-of-favour defenders Michael Keane and the forever injured Yerry Mina.
Whether or not money needs freeing up in order to fund the much-needed incomings is not clear, but with a bloated wage bill, it is likely that players will have to make way for any new recruits this month.
Holgate has picked up 145 first-team appearances since his £2 million move from Barnsley in 2015.