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Delph Everton deal looking likely

By Matt Townsend

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Fabian Delph of Manchester City sends the ball forward during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 09, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Fabian Delph of Manchester City sends the ball forward during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 09, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /
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Everton appear to be close to making their third summer signing and it’s a player very few Blues fans would have expected; Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph.

This is certainly a signing that is a little left-field so to speak. But according to reports on BBC Sport, it appears as though Everton are closing in on the England player for a reported fee of around £10 million.

The BBC are saying Delph is seen as a cut-price midfielder who can provide quality and experience to the Blues in the centre of the park.

With reports continuing to do the rounds that Idrissa Gueye might still get his move to PSG and rumours that James McCarthy might also leave, then signing Delph makes some sense.

The former Aston Villa player could take over, at least to some extent, the role Gueye plays at the moment, will provide additional attacking quality and can also fill in at left-back too.

This might also be in the thinking of Marco Silva and Marcel Brands as although Leighton Baines has signed for another year, he has had a lot of injury problems in recent seasons.

The signing of Delph, assuming it happens, reminds me a lot of when Gareth Barry joined Everton. Roberto Martinez brought him in, again from City, and it proved to be an excellent piece of business.

Barry gave sterling service for several seasons performing as a very capable and consistent holding player in midfield.

Let’s hope that if this story is true and the player joins, Delph will prove to be a similar success at Goodison Park.

Meanwhile in another recent transfer rumour the Liverpool Echo say that the Blues have made Lille forward Nicolas Pepe their prime target as Marco Silva continues his search for another right-sided attacker.

Pepe had a breakthrough season last term in Ligue 1 and according to the paper, Everton are determined to be in the running for his signature should the French club agree to sell him.

But if he is available it’s likely he would attract a lot of interest from leading European clubs so this one looks pretty unlikely to me.

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It would seem to make more sense to try to get a player like Malcom from Barcelona, maybe even on loan for a season. This was after all just what the Blues did last summer with Andre Gomes. That proved a success and now he’s an Everton player.

With the (supposed) arrival of Antoine Griezmann at Barca, the young Brazilian’s chances of regular football next season at Camp Nou seem even more remote.

And of course Marcel Brands’ excellent relationship with the Catalan club just might swing it Everton’s way…

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