Paris Saint-Germain are on the cusp of landing Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye as per reports.
According to Le Parisien, PSG have struck an agreement with the Toffees in a deal worth €32 million for the Senegalese international.
The 29-year-old will soon travel to Paris for his medical, before signing for the Ligue 1 champions, the report adds.
The former Aston Villa midfielder made 33 appearances for the Toffees in the league last season, and helped them finish eighth in the Premier League table.
Should Everton look for a like for like replacement for Idrissa Gueye?
Marco Silva’s system functions well with the two full-backs — Lucas Digne and Seamus Coleman – making the forward forays to stretch play, and the presence of a double pivot provides cover when the full-backs move forward.
Andre Gomes and Gueye usually featured in the double pivot and formed a good partnership in midfield, while Morgan Schneiderlin and Tom Davies acted as the backups.
Gomes, who was on loan at Everton last season, has signed a permanent deal at Goodison Park, and the acquisition of Fabian Delph from Manchester City means the Merseyside club are well equipped in the midfield.
Gueye will undoubtedly be missed, but there are replacements already at the club. However, the story is a lot different when it comes to the defensive sector.
Silva lacks tops options in both defence which could haunt the club’s chances of finishing in the top six next season.
Ashley Williams was let go by the Merseyside club as a free agent, while Kurt Zouma returned to his parent club Chelsea after his loan move reached its conclusion in the summer. Former club captain Phil Jagielka also left the club on a free transfer to join recently promoted Sheffield United.
All these departures have created a gaping hole in the Everton defence, with close to zero money generated to reinvest.
Yerry Mina and Michael Keane remain the only two centre-backs of real quality, so it would be wise for the Toffees to spend the money they receive from Gueye’s departure.
Although the attack also needs a little bit of freshness, the paper-thin defence is something that needs to be looked at in the remaining days of the summer transfer window.
