Everton have just confirmed the contract extension of their star midfielder, Idrissa Gueye on a five-and-a-half-year deal which will see him bag £75,000 a week. This comes as a huge boost to the fans at Goodison Park after witnessing the horrific leg break of James McCarthy just a short week back.
His absence will play a huge part in Everton’s immediate future but tying down Gueye’s services will allow Sam Allardyce to rest easy for the remainder of the season at least. The Senegal international has struggled with injury concerns this season but has made a huge impact whenever he has featured for the side.
Gueye arrived at Everton in the summer of 2016 for a reported fee of £7.1m from EFL Championship side, Aston Villa. The Villans had to part ways with the 28-year-old after getting relegated from the Premier League, and this allowed the Toffees to acquire at a bargain price.
A defensive midfielder by trade, Gueye has been impressive ever since his arrival to the Liverpool-based club. He has appeared 61 times for the Blues and earlier caught the attention of Premier League giants, Manchester City and Chelsea.
Morgan Schneiderlin has struggled to find his feet in the holding midfield role and is being linked to a move away to West Ham United. The Frenchman showcased his abilities for Southampton which earned him the lucrative deal to Manchester United. But ever since the trade, Schneiderlin has failed to emulate his own high standards and this is a cause for concern amongst the Everton faithful.
The squad has been bolstered offensively through the signings of Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun over the past couple of weeks and the Everton management should not shy away from making further midfield additions. The youngster, Tom Davies has been exceptional in the limited minutes that he played both this and the previous season. He is pegged to be a future star in the English game and combines well with the defensive role of Gueye.
Sam Allardyce has instilled a structure into the team which was lacking under former manager, Ronald Koeman. The team is currently placed in the 9th spot of the points table and are looking towards a prosperous future further up the Premier League table.
They have so far spent £182.2m this season and are ready to match strides with the financial abilities of Manchester City and Manchester United. If Allardyce does opt to remain at the club, the Toffees future looks bright now that they are ready to reward their players with long-term deals.
