Everton rumoured to be ready to offer lost man Lingard short term deal

Lingard is without a club and so obviously wouldn't cost a transfer fee were he to make the move to Merseyside and join Everton.

Talksport claim the Blues are considering just such a possibilty as Director of Football Kevin Thelwell and Sean Dyche try to find creative and most of all cheap ways, to bolster one of the Premier League's smallest squads.

As we've reported Thelwell has been clear that this will not be a busy month of deals and of course no one seriously expected it to be considering all the constraints the club are under.

The 31-year-old previously had spells at Wes Ham and then Nottingham Forest in the Premier League after leaving Old Trafford but since then has been in the Middle East training, although he didn't get a contract in the Saudi league.

At one time Lingard was a regular for United under Sir Alex Ferguson and England and he has won the Premier League as well as 32 caps for his country.

However, all this is very reminiscent of another former star midfielder whom Everton signed just under eighteen months ago when Frank Lampard was manager. That player was of course Dele Alli.

Since his high-profile arrival on deadline day 2022 Dele has been a busted flush with the ex-Spurs star failing to make any postive impression at Goodison Park before being loaned out to Besiktas in Turkey.

That loan spell was just as disasterous with the 26-year-old's stay there cut short by the club before he returned to England, with an injury.

He hasn't been seen in an Everton shirt since and has just suffered a further reverse in his attempted recovery from the injury.

So, it wouldn't appear to be a very sound strategy for the Toffees to bring in another former England international who's form has declined and has seemingly lost his way in recent years, even if he comes cheap.

Furthermore, failing to secure a contract in Saudi Arabia's new league is hardly a ringing endorsement of his form either!

While obviously the Blues have to be very prudent and considered in term of any business they do this month, I think there are other better options out there.