Everton could be on the verge of a major midfield shake-up as they prepare for life without Idrissa Gana Gueye, whose contract with the Toffees has already expired, making him officially a free agent.
Everton are set to complete their first major signing of the summer, with Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney undergoing the first part of his medical on Wednesday after an initial £16.5m deal to bring him to Merseyside was agreed.
However, Gueye’s departure will likely see Everton look to bring in a second new midfielder unless they can convince him to stay.
The 36-year-old has been one of Everton’s most consistent performers during his two spells at the club, first from 2016 to 2019 before joining Paris Saint-Germain and then returning to the squad in the summer of 2022.
The irony was that Everton never replaced the holding midfielder when he first left the club seven years ago and now the club could be tasked with doing so again.
Everton had the option to extend Gueye’s contract by a further 12 months, but that clause could only be triggered if he made a certain number of Premier League starts and remained below the threshold.
The Toffees wanted to keep Gueye for another season but have so far been unable to agree on an extension.
Gueye remains a key player for Everton and still makes 25 Premier League appearances in the 2025/26 season, starting all of those matches. He missed part of the campaign due to the African Cup of Nations.
With the experienced midfielder now back in action for Senegal at the World Cup, it is possible that Everton could resume negotiations with Gueye over a new contract once his tournament ends.
Otherwise, Everton will almost certainly look to sign a new defensive midfielder.
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Everton could sign another Senegal star
TEAMtalk can confirm that Gueye’s Senegal teammate Pape Gueye is one of the options being considered by Everton.
The 27-year-old joined Villarreal from Marseille in the summer of 2024 and has established himself as a key member of the La Liga side.
Gueye, who is effective in defensive midfield and plays more often in the penalty area, made 39 appearances in all competitions for Villarreal in the 2025/26 season, scoring five goals and providing two assists.
His performances earned him a place in Senegal’s World Cup squad and he impressed for his country, particularly in a 5-0 group stage win over Iraq in which he scored two goals and provided an assist.
Gueye’s performances in North America only increased interest in his autograph.
Everton’s interest in Gueye is reported to be genuine, but they are far from the only ones. TEAMtalk sources confirm that Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, Brighton and Sunderland are also monitoring his situation.
The Toffees therefore need to act quickly if they are to win the race for the Villarreal star.
However, the fact that Everton have a good relationship with Villarreal, having signed Tierno Barry from La Liga side last summer, could give them an advantage.
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Serie A midfield head coach also on Everton’s radar
TEAMtalk sources have also confirmed that Parma defensive midfielder Mandela Keita is another player Everton are interested in.
The 24-year-old, who joined Parma from Antwerp in 2024, is one of the Italian club’s most important stars, making 40 appearances across all competitions in the 2025/26 season.
His confident performances in the center of the park put Everton on alert.
Sky Sport Italy reported on Tuesday that the Toffees had begun talks with representatives of Parma and Keita over a possible summer transfer.
Keita is said to be valued at €20m (£17.2m/$22.8m), but a summer transfer is likely to cost more.
TEAMtalk sources indicate that while Everton are interested in Keita, nothing is in sight or happening yet. Other Premier League clubs are also interested in him.
With Gueye’s future in doubt, fellow Senegalese stars Pape Gueye and Keita are two players to watch very closely.
Meanwhile, Everton look set to officially announce the signing of Hackney soon, while the final signing of Chelsea star Tyreek George on a permanent deal could also be completed this week.
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