The biggest story of the January transfer window on the Everton half of Merseyside was the ongoing saga of Idrissa Gueye.
The Senegalese tackling machine was subject to intense bidding from French juggernauts, PSG, and publicly expressed a desire to make a £21.5m move from Everton to the Parisians.
Gueye reportedly handed in a transfer request and although Everton’s insistence on holding onto the player, for now, is admirable, you get the feeling the 29-year-old may well be off in the summer regardless.
The player himself has not given up on his ‘dream move’ telling French outlet L’Equipe in February: “It is a dream that sadly did not come true. Every player works to join the best teams, to play in matches in the Champions League.
“But I was honoured that PSG were interested in me. Now, I know that I am of interest to these types of clubs, I am ready to go to the final level to join a top European club.
“I am going to work even more so that they come back to me. Maybe it is not finished with PSG.”
So, with that in mind, who should Everton be lining up to not only replace, but possibly upgrade on Gueye in the summer transfer window?
Here are three potential targets.