Everton defender Jonjoe Kenny has handed Carlo Ancelotti a transfer ultimatum, after stating that he will not settle for a back-up role at Goodison Park following his time on loan with FC Schalke 04.
Kenny moved to the Bundesliga outfit for the 2019/20 campaign and has been a mainstay of the Veltins Arena native’s first-team under head coach David Wagner.
The former Huddersfield Town boss has called on our academy product to open each of Schalke’s 17 Bundesliga fixtures to date, along with duties in the DFB Pokal.
Schalke are said to be keen on striking a permanent deal with Everton for Kenny’s services having seen the 22-year-old establish himself as the first-choice option, though it will be difficult for Die Konigsblauen to strike an agreement.
Kenny is not currently contemplating where his career will take him next season, but is adamant that wherever the future takes him, it must feature regular first-team football.
“We’re only in January now [and] there are still a lot of games to be played,” Kenny told Kicker.
“I am not concentrating on what lies in the future, I just want to do my job well here. [But] I don’t want to be a bench player, I want to play.”
Who should be our first-choice right-back next season?
Kenny
Coleman
Sidibe
Kenny’s words will come as an ultimatum for Ancelotti back at Goodison Park, as the Italian must decide whether or not he will award the former England U21 international the minutes he is after.
If not, the boss ought to inform Director of Football Marcel Brands of his uncertainty, so that the Dutchman can begin negotiations with Schalke to sound out the severity of their interest in striking a permanent deal.
Should Die Konigsblauen’s interest in a full-time transfer be severe enough to warrant accepting a bid for the £10.8million-rated right back, Brands’ attention can then turn to our €14m (£11.9m) option to buy AS Monaco loanee Djibril Sidibe in the summer.
Sidibe has played every minute of Premier League football on offer under Ancelotti, and helped to begin the Italian’s tenure on the right foot by creating Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late winner at home to Burnley on Boxing Day.
Creating Calvert-Lewin’s goal was Sidibe’s fifth assist of the season in all competitions, while Kenny has been credited with creating two for Schalke along with scoring a sole effort.
In other Everton news, the club have been linked with a £25m forward.