Having found no rhythm and consistency this season in the Premier League, Sam Allardyce’s Everton will hope for a strong finish to the season. They lost their talisman in Romelu Lukaku last summer and are yet to replace him and this summer transfer window might be yet another busy one for the Toffees.
But they are also keeping an eye on star players at the club, looking to tie them down to long-term contracts and the one player that has now put pen to paper is midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Signed from Aston Villa at the start of the previous season, the Senegalese international took no time to establish himself in the first team at Goodison Park and has now turned into one of the most effective midfielders in the country at the moment.
Playing as the deepest of the midfielders, Gueye has managed just a goal in 26 starts this season but has won more tackles than any other player in the league but Wilfried Ndidi. He averages 1.8 interceptions per game, 1.7 dribbles per game and 1.4 clearances per game and has been Everton’s most consistent player this season.
So it does not come as a surprise that the Toffees were quick to extend his deal at the club. He has already been linked with the likes of Arsenal but Everton have recently announced that he has extended his current contract till 2022.
He has already made 66 appearances for the club across all competitions and at 28, is now expected to spend his prime as a footballer at Merseyside.
Speaking to the media about this extension, Gueye revealed that he has and his family have felt welcome at Liverpool and that the fans are a major reason for him extending his stay in England.
“I am very happy to sign a new contract with Everton. It is great for me.”
“Everton is the right place for me and this is why I have signed my new deal,” said Gueye, in an interview.
He only cost £7m when he joined Everton, and if he can continue to hit the same heights for the next few years, he will easily turn into one of the best transfer dealings by the club in recent times.
Gueye has been a regular in the midfield for Everton this season but Allardyce is not totally convinced that Morgan Schneiderlin Tom Davies and James McCarthy and may be in the market for a new midfielder. So Gueye signing a new deal will mean that he can concentrate on finding the right partner for the 28-year old.
Is this been the best news for Everton since the turn of the year?
