Everton have enjoyed a summer laden with transfer activity, but not all of it has been positive.
After all, despite welcoming in new face after new face, this has been offset with one major sacrifice, Amadou Onana’s sale to Aston Villa, and the threat of a few more given the well-documented interest in their star men.
Sean Dyche has done well to stand firm, but he will want some kind of tangible progress to show for this stubborn stance on exiting players.
Everton are still pushing to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin
The latest on Everton’s efforts to tie down one of their star men comes courtesy of TEAMtalk, who actually provide a hugely in-depth look into their summer plans with less than a month left of the window.
Naturally, attention might turn to the future of Jarrad Branthwaite, given he has been the most likely to depart throughout the summer, but instead, it is a different player who has the attention of this report.
After all, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin refusing to sign a new contract, it remains the outstanding point of contention.
Having already offered him one new deal, which was reportedly knocked back, the Toffees are undeterred in their efforts.
This latest claim states: ‘Everton are desperate to keep the England international and are working on a new deal for him behind the scenes, but negotiations are proving difficult.’
This could be Everton’s biggest signing of the summer
Whilst they may have added a new winger, centre-back and second-striker to the squad, tying Calvert-Lewin down to another long-term deal might prove their best signing of the window.
After all, as is the case with all new signings, these acquisitions come with risks.
There is every chance that Jake O’Brien might prove too immobile for the Premier League, or that Jesper Lindstrom fails to compete with the physicality of English football.
This is part and parcel of football, and the hope is that Kevin Thelwell has done enough due diligence to be confident that this will not be the case.
With the ‘outstanding’ Calvert-Lewin, as journalist Paddy Boyland once described him, his importance to this Everton team is already clear.
He is a paramount focal point up front, unparalleled in his hold-up play and ability in the air, and without him the side are almost always worse.
To keep him would solve an outstanding issue, make it so they don’t need to wade back into the market, and give them the perfect attacking foundation to allow these new faces like Lindstrom and Iliman Ndiaye to shine.
