Everton are intent on selling rarely-seen fringe option Kevin Mirallas, who will ‘almost certainly’ return to Belgium this summer, according to Voetbal 24.
The Blues have been on the hunt for potential suitors all summer, but no outfit have shown a willingness to pay what Director of Football Marcel Brands has been demanding for the £70,000-a-week winger, whose services have been offered out to Jupiler Pro League sides.
Now that the English market has closed, a move into Europe is the only option for Mirallas to consider this summer, but it is only a return to Belgium that appears to be of appeal to the 31-year-old.
Mirallas has endured a troubled few years on Merseyside of late, as he fell to the fringes before being offloaded to Fiorentina on loan. He now wants to prove he can still cut it in ‘his own’ competition, having never played in his native top-flight for academy side Standard Liege.
The Stade Maurice Dufrasne natives, nor Anderlecht, Club Brugge, AA Gent, Royal Antwerp or KRC Genk are yet to nibble on the carrot dangled by Brands, though, who has been forced to lower his expectations of what 2020-free agent Mirallas is worth in a desperate bid to bid farewell to the 60-cap former international.
With Alex Iwobi brought to Goodison Park on Deadline Day, and Bernard and Richarlison displaying enough last season to convince Marco Silva that he could make do without Ademola Lookman, there is no space in the Portuguese’s plans for £4.5million-rated Mirallas.
If Mirallas fails to secure a return to Belgium before the Jupiler Pro League window slams shut on September 2, he faces the prospect of life with the reserves until January – a prospect Everton must avoid if we are to receive any reasonable price for the forward, who has played 186 times for us.