Everton News

Everton planning to lose £27m-rated ace as Toffees linked with £25k-a/w ace – opinion

|

Everton appear to be putting plans in place to cover the potential loss of Lucas Digne, as the Toffees have been linked with Celtic’s Kieran Tierney by the Times.

It is not suggested that Director of Football Marcel Brands will be making an official approach to the Scottish Premiership champions anytime soon, but it is claimed that we, and Napoli, are monitoring the left-back’s situation at the Hoops amid interest from Arsenal.

The Gunners are thought to have lodged a second approach to the 50-time Premiership winners, after their initial £15million bid was rejected. The new figure has not been disclosed yet, but Celtic are understood to have rejected Unai Emery’s side again, as Chief Executive Peter Lawwell is holding out for £25million and the latest offer fell some way shy of that.

Lawwell feels that his valuation is respectable as Manchester United are plotting a £40million move for Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with the fee rising to £55million through add-ons. Tierney has also represented Scotland’s senior side 12-times since making his international debut in 2016, whilst the Englishman has only played three-times for the Three Lions U21s.

Celtic will also play hardball over their valuation as Tierney has four-years remaining on his contract, and they set a precedent in how they handled David Turnbull’s move from Motherwell by ending negotiations when the player rejected the contract offered.

Beyond the £25million we would likely have to pay for Tierney, the Herald have suggested the 22-year-old would be looking to treble his £25,000-a-week wage, and noted that there is not much left for the Isle of Man-born defender to achieve in Scotland having won three trebles, even if he harbours a lot of love and commitment to Celtic.

A move would be somewhat puzzling, though, as he would not replace £27million-rated Digne in Marco Silva’s starting XI, and we recently signed Leighton Baines to a one-year contract to prevent the former England international leaving on a free.

So it would be highly plausible that Tierney is being looked at as a possible replacement for Digne instead, in case reported admirers Tottenham Hotspur, or anyone else, look to sign the Frenchman following his stunning first season in the Premier League.

Share this article