Everton News

Everton’s pursuit of £16m man hits early stumbling block as deal on the rocks already – report

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Everton’s rumoured pursuit of Fabian Delph has hit an early stumbling block, as the Metro understand Manchester City will only consider selling the England international if he hands in a transfer request.

Marco Silva and Marcel Brands’ alleged ‘significant interest’ in the 29-year-old may be underwhelming, after he made just eleven appearances in the recent campaign for the Sky Blues, with most of his outings under Pep Guardiola coming at left-back, but he appears to be a player on our radar nonetheless.

Gareth Southgate also kept the £90,000-a-week midfielder in his Three Lions plans, and Galatasaray are also thought to be interested in his availability, following a speculated £16million asking price was floated around for a player City signed from Aston Villa for £7million in 2015.

Delph has now entered the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium, as well, but a deal for the midfielder may be on the rocks already, as Guardiola’s club are intent they will only sell for a suitable offer, even if this means the 29-year-old will run his contract down and leave for free next summer.

The Metro understand Delph is also, for the most part, happy with life in the North West, but may feel this is the summer to move on from the Etihad, otherwise he risks seeing his England role cast into doubt.

While Southgate continued to play Delph in midfield, Guardiola recently improved his options in the centre with Atletico Madrid’s Rodri, while even minutes at left-back may be troublesome, as Benjamin Mendy is expected to be fit for the new season, and Oleksandr Zinchenko has signed a new contract in Manchester.

Delph may see this as reason enough to hand in a transfer request, but at £16million and on a £90,000-a-week contract, does he really have enough in his locker to suggest a swoop would improve our squad?

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