£7.7m Everton ace likely to leave this summer amid Southampton interest

The Everton defence will undergo several changes this summer as Yerry Mina and Conor Coady have left the club. The future of Mason Holgate also remains in doubt as the Englishman has been linked with a move away.

Mina left as a free agent after his contract expired at Everton, meanwhile, EFC did not sign Coady permanently by activating the £4.5 million option to buy clause in the loan deal. Everton currently have James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Ben Godfrey, Michael Keane and Holgate as central defence options.

The Toffees are looking to further trim their bloated squad and there is chance of another centre back leaving Goodison Park. Tarkowski is instrumental to Everton’s plans but there is uncertainty over Godfrey and Holgate’s future.

Everton defender Mason Holgate likely to depart this summer

According to The Athletic, Holgate is attracting interest from lower level Premier League clubs and Championship clubs. The Englishman is likely to depart this summer as interest continues to remain high in the former Barnsley man.

As per Sports Mole, three sides have made loan enquiries for the England defender. Championship sides Southampton and Leeds United along with newly promoted Sheffield United are keen to take the 26 year old out on loan for the 2023-24 season. Holgate has two years left on his current contract but has been instructed by Sean Dyche that he is free to leave the club this summer.

For clubs interested in taking him on loan, the stumbling block could be his £72,000 per week wages. Especially, the Championship clubs will find it difficult to pay such an amount of wages. In the event of a loan deal, there is a high chance that EFC will have to cover a certain part of his wages.

One report claimed that Paul Heckingbottom’s Sheffield United were in advanced talks to sign the 26 year old centre back. Holgate is not in the regular plans of Dyche and made only eight Premier League appearances last season. He started just six games throughout the season and remained down the pecking order.

His plight is not expected to improve despite the departures of Mina and Coady and a loan move would be beneficial for the English centre back at this stage of his career. Even after Holgate’s departure, EFC will have four centre back options to choose from, giving Dyche enough depth in the centre back position.

Will Mason Holgate leave EFC?