There's been much speculation, both here at Prince Rupert's Tower and elsewhere, about the future of Everton midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye, and it looks as though the rumor mill is about to be put to bed.
Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato is reporting that a deal for Gana to return to Everton is nearly done and that the player is looking forward to staying on Merseyside and help open up the new stadium at Bramely Moore Dock.
Gana was recently recognized as the club's Player of the Season for the men's squad for 2024/25, an indication of the Senegalese's importance to the squad and that, even at 35 years old, he's showing no signs of slowing down.
The midfielder is in his second stint at Everton, having joined from Aston Villa in 2016 after they were relegated in the previous campaign. He spent the next three years on Merseyside, and his excellent play earned him a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, where he played for four years with the French giants, including appearances in the Champions League.
But he was an inconsistent starter during the 2021/22 campaign for PSG under Mauricio Pochettino, and was soon seen as a surplus to requirements at the club, who began to think he was no longer fit to play at that level.
The summer of 2022 saw his return to Merseyside, where he immediately stepped into the midfield under Frank Lampard and held that role when Sean Dyche came on in January of 2023 and into David Moyes tenure.
Gana has been the engine of Everton's midfield since he returned and it is good to see that Moyes and the club see his value, even as he ages. Information will come about the length of the deal once it is confirmed by the club, but with so many other holes to fill, having a trusted player in that slot for at least next season should help the retooling focus on other positions.