Marco Silva may have hailed Idrissa Gana Gueye for his importance to Everton, but the Toffees must prepare to lose the 29-year-old after Paris Saint-Germain released Lassana Diarra.
The Ligue 1 giants announced on Thursday that they have mutually agreed to terminate their French midfielder’s contract four months early, rather than keeping the former Arsenal and Chelsea man at the club while he nurses a serious knee injury.
Without the 33-year-old, and Adrien Rabiot’s impending departure, Thomas Tuchel and the Parisian outfit could now look to return to their January interest in Gueye, who may be key to Silva, but has told L’Equipe that he still wants to leave for Champions League football – and we certainly do not look like securing that anytime soon.
There were the reports in January, as well, that the Senegal international offered the Toffees a transfer request in a desperate bid to force through a move, but Everton rebuffed the accusation and PSG’s improved offers.
Even if our negotiating stance does not differ between now and the summer in terms of price, it would be foolish not to prepare for the worst and scout alternatives for the 62-cap international, even though his contract runs until 2022.