According to the Mirror, Everton will sell Yannick Bolasie this summer. The 31-year-old has been on the periphery since 2018 and doesn’t have a future under Carlo Ancelotti. Bolasie has one year remaining on his deal at Goodison Park, so we must sell up now while he has value otherwise we risk losing him for nothing in 2021.
Injury killed his Everton career
Bolasie has only made 32 appearances in all competitions since joining from Crystal Palace in 2016, scoring two goals with four assists. His lack of playing time over four years was down to the serious knee injury he suffered just months into his debut season.
The DR Congo international ruptured his cruciate ligament in December 2016 and spent a year on the sidelines. Upon his return to fitness, he struggled to make a telling impact and was eventually loaned out the following season (2017/18).
The 31-year-old has spent the last two years at Aston Villa (August 25, 2018 – January 21, 2019), RSC Anderlecht (January 31, 2019 – June 30, 2019) and Sporting CP (September 2, 2019 – April 22, 2020), so he won’t be missed at Everton.
Bolasie has worked hard in pre-season and shown glimpses of quality in exhibition games, but it appears the ship has sailed. Ancelotti’s mind is made up and he’s got better players on the wing.
Bottom of the pecking order
Bolasie finds himself behind Bernard, Richarlison, Alex Iwobi, James Rodriguez and Theo Walcott in the pecking order, so there’s no way back for him this season. His last appearance in an Everton shirt came in May 2018, so the writing has been on the wall for some time.
It’s sad that Bolasie’s Everton career has gone to pieces after his injury, but there’s no room for sentimentality – the DR Congo international isn’t better than what we already have in the first-team. He may not be the only winger deemed surplus to requirements following James’ arrival either.
Finding a suitor for Bolasie might be the difficult part, however, as the out-of-favour wide-man earns £3.9m-a-year/£75k-a-week and only scored two goals and made five assists in 25 games at Sporting last season.
In other news, Everton are interested in Torino’s Gleison Bremer 8am