Everton blocked defender Michael Keane from joining Tottenham Hotspur this season, according to Football Insider.
The Champions League side are said to have approached the Blues at some stage of the campaign looking to sign the England international, but saw their offer knocked back and were informed that Keane was not for sale.
Spurs have been scouring the transfer market in a search for reinforcements in central defence as they were set to lose both Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld this summer, with both Belgian defenders set to be out of contract.
Alderweireld has since penned new terms that will keep him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until 2023, though Vertonghen remains expected to leave Jose Mourinho’s side at the close of the 2019/20 season.
It remains to be seen if Spurs will return to Goodison Park with a revised offer for Keane in the summer, who they scouted throughout the past year before lodging their approach.
Should Everton have sold Keane to Spurs?
Yes
No
Everton chiefs may be more inclined to sell Keane in the summer transfer market after seeing the 27-year-old cast into a supporting role under Carlo Ancelotti, with the boss only calling on the Manchester United product to start three of his nine Premier League games in charge.
Keane was an unused substitute in our 3-2 defeat at Arsenal last time out, which was the fifth time across all competitions that Ancelotti has not awarded the club’s £25million signing any minutes.
But Spurs may also be less inclined to bring Keane to the Champions League side now that he has become so rarely seen in Royal Blue, as they strive to move on to the next level under Mourinho after being the nearly-men under Mauricio Pochettino.
In other Everton news, the club are reportedly interested in a 6 ft 3 midfielder subject of a €20m bid from a Premier League club.