Everton outcast Yannick Bolasie remains on Middlesbrough wish list.
Despite six summer arrivals, a large part of Everton’s summer transfer window also emphasized on offloading deadwood. There is a long list of failed signings who had no future at Goodison Park. Carlo Ancelotti’s rebuild cannot be successful until unwanted players are not offloaded.
Everton’s exodus list is long. Some players were already discharged in the summer. Sandro Ramirez finally put an end to his torrid time at Goodison Park while Theo Walcott left on loan but is not expected to return to the Toffees with the Englishman in the final year of his contract. Oumar Niasse and Cuco Martina were released by the club whereas Morgan Schneiderlin was sold to OGC Nice.
However, the work’s not done yet as Marcel Brands continues to look for solutions to shrink this oversized squad. The likes of Muhamed Besic and Yannick Bolasie failed to find a club in the summer but their search is set to continue now in this January transfer window.
In fact, Bolasie came very close to leaving Everton on transfer deadline day with Championship club Middlesbrough pushing for a deal. However, the deal fell through due to some issues and Bolasie couldn’t put an end to his miserable time at Everton.
The £25 million signing has not featured for Everton since 2018. A series of unsuccessful loan spells coupled with horrific injuries took a massive toll on Bolasie and his Everton career. He is finally getting back up on his feet, ready for a new challenge. Ancelotti had already conveyed to him respectfully that the Congolese doesn’t feature in his plans.
Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock has good relations with Bolasie as the duo worked together at Crystal Palace. As the winter transfer window began, it was expected that Boro will again make an enquiry for the deserted Everton winger. Gazette Boro reporter Craig Johns provided some update on Boro’s transfer plans and their intentions in Bolasie chase.
"As I understand it, Bolasie is down the list of targets right now. Boro are focusing their attentions on other wingers, but Bolasie is definitely not one to rule out altogether. It’s no secret both he and Warnock have great respect for one another from their time together at Crystal Palace. But it would be one at the very end of the window, with Bolasie hoping to get an unlikely Premier League move and Boro looking elsewhere for the time being. (via Gazette Boro)"
Marcel Brands pressed on more Everton exits in January. The 31 year old would love to put an end to the underwhelming time he’s had recently and get back to playing regular football. Despite not being the preferred option for Boro, he continues to remain a target and should the Championship club fail to land any of their top picks, Bolasie will remain their safe bet as the player himself is open to a move.
Will Yannick Bolasie join Middlesbrough before the end of the transfer window?