Gana Gueye uncertainty cannot impact Everton's midfield transfer plans

Idrissa Gana Gueye is almost certainly enjoying a well-deserved, and much-needed, rest.

It was another gruelling season for the 36-year-old, who missed the end of the campaign due to injury.

Gueye’s season included a full run at the Africa Cup of Nations, with only two outfield players featuring for more minutes in that competition than he did (660 minutes).

He featured 25 times in all competitions for Everton, with all of those being starts. Gueye then went on to start all 4 of Senegal’s games at the World Cup, clocking up 364 minutes.

And for the past week or so, he has not been an Everton player. 

Gueye was out of contract as of July 1st, and though Everton confirmed back in June that they were in talks with the veteran campaigner over possibly extending his deal, there has been no confirmation either way as of yet.

Then again, that doesn’t necessarily mean he is leaving.

The prevailing wind over the past few weeks seemed to point in that direction, yet there has been some rumblings in the last couple of days that Gueye may well end up staying put after all.

Whatever Gueye decides, though, Everton cannot let this uncertainty impact their decision-making when it comes to midfield transfer activity.

Hayden Hackney is already in the building; the 24-year-old should certainly add plenty to Everton in possession, but for all his qualities, he is definitely not the holding midfielder the Toffees are in desperate need of.

Even if Gueye stays, Everton still require that profile of player to come in.

But if Gueye is to now stay, there’s now question marks over how Everton find the space in their squad and room in their budget to get that number 6 they desperately require.

Everton seem open to selling Tim Iroegbunam and Carlos Alcaraz, but even if they were to leave, then if Gueye does stay, that still leaves David Moyes with the Senegal international, James Garner, Hackney, Harrison Armstrong, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Merlin Röhl as central midfield options.

Röhl demonstrated last term that he is worthy of more minutes, preferably in a central position rather than shoehorned in out on the right wing, and if Armstrong isn’t going to play regularly then he will need to be loaned out, but that in itself raises question marks.

That is not to say Everton should not be willing to keep Gueye — he has proven time and time again how important he is, and how much quality he still has — but he does not solve the primary issue in Everton’s midfield.

Neither, though, does Hackney, and while that signing is definitely a positive step, questions again then come to the fore as to why Everton’s decision makers were seemingly prioritising a profile of player that was not necessarily a priority to slot straight into the team.

These are all unknowns, though, and it’s why Everton need to act decisively, regardless of Gueye’s future.

They should still be prioritising a defensive midfielder; get that player in as soon as possible, and then if Gueye does stay, make a quick decision on other players — primarily, Armstrong.

The club also need to be pressing Gueye for a decision, too, because they can’t let this situation drag on too long and end up not securing a suitable loan for Armstrong, should one be required, or holding onto Iroegbunam for fear of squad depth, even if a suitable offer were to come in for him.

There’s still plenty up in the air, but Everton must have laid out a plan and they should be following it. Whether that plan involves Gueye or not will ultimately be up to him.

 

 

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