Is Keane leaving Everton for Camp Nou

It is now officially silly season in the summer transfer window as there are stories doing the rounds that Everton defender Micheal Keane is a target of new Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman!

Well this really would be the most bizarre transfer of the season if indeed the former Everton boss is really considering a move for Keane.

To be honest, the fact that Koeman has been installed as coach at the Camp Nou is almost as strange as this rumour!

He had an ultimately disastrous time at Goodison Park after a decent first season – isn’t that always the way with recent Everton managers! And this was following a spell at Southampton where he hardly pulled up any trees.

He’s since been managing in international football, the same route another former Blues manager Roberto Martinez has trodden.

When the Dutchman left Everton in October 2017 with his team facing a relegation battle, I don’t think many people would have predicted he was going to end up managing Barcelona within three years, although it was clear he always wanted that job.

Anyway, regarding this proposed transfer, I think they are plenty of Blues fans who would be happy to sell Keane this summer for a decent price, if those funds could be used to bring in another better quality replacement, although there would be no certainty of that.

The England international has had a decent season, no more. After some very indifferent performances earlier in the campaign, he improved when the season resumed in June, playing alongside the Toffees young centre-backs, Mason Hogate and then Jarrad Branthwaite.

One thing Everton don’t want – whether they sell Keane or Yerry Mina – is to go into next season with only three frontline central defenders, like they did a year ago.

At this stage it’s obviously just the usual hyperbolic paper talk that in all likelihood will turn out to be totally unfounded but we will see..

In other news the Premier League fixtures have been announced for the 2020-21 season. The Blues open their campaign with a trip to London to face Tottenham Hotspur.

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This is the second consecutive season that the Toffees have been away in the capital for their opening fixture. It’s not an easy match to kick off with, as Spurs will have strengthened this summer and London hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Everton in a very long time.

After that game, the Blues have a relatively decent-looking opening few weeks of matches, at least on paper, with games against promoted West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace and Brighton after the trip to Spurs. Of course we all thought that at the start of last season!

The one game that obviously sticks out is the fact that the first derby of the season comes up very quickly on the 17th October. Well lets be optimistic and see it as an early chance to put a dent in our neighbours’ title defence.

Before the season begins though I really hope Everton have made at least one or two signings because starting the campaign well is gong to be so important.