Yannick Bolasie looks set to leave Everton in January after being frozen out by Carlo Ancelotti. The 31-year-old hasn’t made an appearance for us since May 2018 and was left out of our 25-man Premier League squad, so he’s spent the last two months on the periphery.
Bolasie is training hard to start sharp while playing for the U23s to maintain his match fitness, so here’s hoping he can finally end his Everton nightmare and get first-team football at a new club when the winter transfer window opens.
Bolasie wants out of Everton
The 31-year-old has made 32 appearances in all competitions since joining us from Crystal Palace in 2016, scoring two goals with four assists, but his career at Goodison Park died when he suffered an ACL injury in December 2016. Bolasie was never the same after his recovery and fell down the pecking order as a result.
And while experiencing contrasting fortunes while on loan at a number of clubs in the last two years, he’s still positive about turning things around. Bolasie told Sky Sports: “Whenever I’ve been backed into a corner, I’ve always thrived.
“I believe that whatever happens, I will come out stronger and will show everyone what I can still do. Even if there’s just that one percent chance of a move, I’m alive and kicking.
“I’m not counting myself out, and I believe that eventually my talent will come out – wherever it’s with and wherever I am. I believe in what I’m doing, and I feel I’m doing myself justice.”
It remains to be seen whether Bolasie will be sold permanently or loaned out, however, as his wage demands (£3.9m-a-year/£75k-a-week) might be too lofty. Bolasie will be a free agent in the summer of 2021 anyway, so we wouldn’t make a lot of money from his sale.
Where could he go?
Bolasie’s last taste of Premier League football came during his loan at Aston Villa (August 25, 2018 – January 21, 2019) and ended badly. He struggled for consistency and was saw his stint cut short in January. The 31-year-old then joined RSC Anderlecht (January 31, 2019 – June 30, 2019) for the remainder of the season and spent 2019/20 at Sporting CP.
It’s hard to see a Premier League club making a move for Bolasie now, so he might have to temper his expectations. And while a move to Middlesbrough fell through before the summer transfer window shut, there is a chance he could go to the Riverside Stadium in January. Neil Warnock is still keen to sign Bolasie, so it might be worth keeping an eye in the coming weeks.
In other news, is it time for Everton to play Anthony Gordon?