Four Everton stars heading for January exits amid points deduction and administration fears

18 Nov 2023 19:26 GMT
4 min read

Sean Dyche, Everton, 2022/23 — © ProShots

Everton could be set for even more turmoil after being handed a ten-point deduction by the Premier League for breaching financial rulings, leaving them facing a difficult battle to avoid relegation this season.

It could get worse for Everton with Burnley, Leicester City and Leeds United all believed to be considering legal challenges if the Toffees appeal their punishment.

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A drawn out legal battle would be unsustainable for Everton and could plunge them into administration, which could lead to a further nine point penalty, all but condemning them to relegation.

Consequently, Everton may look to cash in on some of their star players in order to curb their troubles, with January exits potentially likely due to the uncertainty facing the squad and FootballTransfers looks at which players are most likely to be sold.

Amadou Onana

Arguably the crown jewel at Everton currently, it seems a foregone conclusion that Amadou Onana will leave the Toffees soon regardless of the outcome of their off-the-pitch issues.

The 22-year-old has been a revelation since his €35 million transfer and while he has been vocal in his desire to remain loyal to Everton, the club have always been open with their stance that he could be sold for the right price.

In a normal situation, Onana could be justified in commanding a similar fee to the €100m-plus transfers of Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice in recent times but Everton are believed to be willing to accept a ‘Romeo Lavia’ fee of around €50m, which could relieve some of the financial pressure on them.

While they would not want to lose their talismanic star mid-season, Onana’s value is significantly higher than any other player and the Belgian will certainly be the top target if clubs do choose to raid Everton.

Jarrad Branthwaite

Another youngster who has attracted attention is Jarrad Branthwaite, with the centre-back establishing himself as a regular for Everton this season after a breakout spell at PSV last year.

Manchester United had been linked with a move for the left-footed 21-year-old, who stands at 6 foot 5 inches, while Newcastle are said to be considering a winter transfer for him, similar to the deal they conducted for Anthony Gordon in January by capitalising on Everton’s ordeals to negotiate a cut-price figure.

Branthwaite only just signed a new four year contract last month but, with his value continuing to rise, his growing profile means that he will be another coveted star for Premier League rivals.

TARGET: Branthwaite 'top target' for Premier League side in January

Jordan Pickford

It is fair to say Jordan Pickford has had a turbulent career since joining Everton in 2017, establishing himself as England’s number one but also committing a host of errors despite his overall quality.

But the 29-year-old remains an experienced shot stopper capable with the ball at his feet and he could prove to be a useful target for teams such as Chelsea, who are still considering their options to strengthen in goal.

With four years still to run on his contract, Pickford could command a high fee and he may take this opportunity to move to a bigger side in order to avoid his position as Gareth Southgate’s number one falling into jeopardy.

Vitaliy Mykolenko

© ProShots - Everton's left back has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far

A rare bright spark in Everton’s campaign has been Vitaliy Mykolenko, with the Ukrainian left-back slowly developing into one of the most reliable performers for Sean Dyche this season.

A €23.5m signing in January 2022, Mykolenko had a slow start to life in England and struggled to justify his price tag but he has since impressed and developed more of an attacking game to score twice this season.

Interested teams may see this as a prime opportunity to swoop for Mykolenko and continue his development into one of the most consistent left-backs in the Premier League, with the 24-year-old set to enter the final two years of his contract.