Leeds United have joined the ranks of clubs reportedly interested in signing Ben Godfrey this month but only want him on loan until the end of the season.
MailOnline suggest there is strong interest in the defender from Elland Road but they face a challenge persuading Everton to part with one of their only four centre-halves.
Furthermore, the report suggests, the Blues would prefer Godfrey go abroad where there are, apparently, suitors willing to buy him outright.
Atalanta are said to have made an attempt to sign the 26-year-old earlier this month but baulked at the terms and AC Milan have also been strongly linked but the Mail claim that Genoa, part of the stable of clubs owned by 777 Partners who are hoping to complete a takeover of Everton, are now interested.
Fabrizio Romano has lent credence to the report, tweeting that a deal for Genoa would “not [be] easy despite interest and direct talks [with Everton] as there are more clubs in the race. Everton believe there are better proposals incoming for Godfrey in the next days.”
Any sale would have to go through in sufficient time to allow the Toffees to sign a replacement as Michael Keane is the only senior recognised centre-back on the club’s books apart from first-choice pairing James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite.