Burnley had an excellent 2024/25 campaign, finishing second in the Championship with 100 points, tied with Leeds United on points (12 back on goal difference) , and earning automatic promotion to the Premier League.
One of the key to their success in England's second level was undoubtably midfielder Josh Brownhill, who scored 18 goals in 44 matches, adding six assists in just over 3600 minutes. But the 29-year-old was allowed to leave this summer when his contract expired.
Brownhill had been with Burnley since 2019, when he joined from Bristol City, and has been part of three Premier League teams with the Clarets. His goal-scoring output from last season was an anomaly from the rest of his career, but the Englishman has shown great versatility, playing as a defensive midfielder, a winger, and in a more attacking midfielder role.
And now Everton have been linked with the player, as the Toffees continue to look for ways to improve the midfield with guys like Brownhill who can be used in so many different ways.
While he'll turn 30 in December, Brownhill could still be a useful player who would not be expected to start on a week-to-week basis for Everton. But it wouldn't be outrageous to think he could slide into various roles in the midfield or serve as a more naturally right-sided player as the situation called for it.
Everton has actually had decent success bringing in out-of-contract free agents in recent years, with players like James Tarkowski and Ashley Young standing out as key hits, particularly Tark, who has made himself a starter for the club since his arrival from, you guessed it, Burnley, after the Clarets were relegated in 2022.
He may not be a dynamic addition, but Brownhill is the type of player that Everton should have an eye on as the transfer window comes to a close in just a few short weeks. It doesn't mean the Toffees should give up on bigger swings, but those types of things aren't mutually exclusive.