The completion of Everton’s summer transfer business once again came down to the final day but it was outgoings that dominated the headlines with no more new signings arriving before the deadline.
Kevin Thelwell and Sean Dyche may have hoped to get another signing or two over the line, with a number of positions needing strengthening, but a renewed push for Wilfried Gnonto last night in the form of a £25.7m offer was reportedly rebuffed, ending hopes that Everton might meet the Yorkshire club’s valuation.
Kamaldeen Sulemana was another mooted option but Southampton would also have had to lower their demands from £30m if the Blues were to go for a permanent transfer and a loan option was never on the table.
The Blues were also said to have held talks regarding a loan move for Maxwel Cornet, although he is believed to have been a failsafe option in case other targets fall through.
Instead, the Blues’ first XI was weakened by the loss of Alex Iwobi who completed a move to Fulham even though Joao Paulinha’s proposed move from Craven Cottage to Bayern Munich fell through.
A deal worth between £22m was struck this morning but the Nigerian’s transfer back to London wasn’t ratified until late into the evening.
Like Iwobi, Tom Cannon had expressed his desire to find a new club to get a greater guarantee of regular first-team football and Leicester City moved into pole position to sign him last night. A £7.5m deal was agreed with Everton and he underwent a successful medical before putting pen to paper on his contract at the King Power Stadium.
The biggest surprise of the day was Neal Maupay heading back to London to rejoin Brentford on a season-long loan with an option to make the deal permanent next summer.
André Gomes was, according to Le Parisien, the subject of a very late bid from Lille to take him back on loan but it would have required Everton securing Leander Dendoncker from Aston Villa which didn’t get over the line.
And there was a late-breaking news that Jean-Philippe Gbamin managed to negotiate the termination of his contract at Everton.
Meanwhile, the talk surrounding Demarai Gray leaving has died down. The deadline for transfers to the Saudi Pro League is later than that of the Premier League and he can still leave even though the English domestic window closed tonight.
Everton are in line to collect something in the region of £2.5m from a sell-on clause in their deal with St Etienne for Niels Nkounkou, though. The Frenchman joined Eintracht Frankfurt today for a reported €10.5m.