Everton transfer news LIVE – Board members step down, Carlo Ancelotti suing, Moussa Dembele approach

Phil McNulty has had his say on the matter…

“Hard to see how the statement on Everton chairman Bill Kenwright’s future will be anything other than his departure. The board has become increasingly discredited and divorced from the fanbase.”

It’s been an eventful day for an Everton fan!!

Everton fans have taken to social media to react to the news of the three changes to the Board of Directors.

One fan said: “A good start.”

Everton FC have put out a statement from the departing Directors reads: “We have all been fully committed during our time here and are disappointed to have made the decision to leave Everton.

“We have worked tirelessly alongside our Chairman in what has been a challenging period to deliver some of the most significant projects in Everton’s history – projects that will safeguard and sustain the commercial future of the Club for generations to come.

“We are proud of the commercial growth projects progressed during our time on the Board, including the construction of the Club’s new waterfront stadium. This construction project – the largest currently on site in the UK – is progressing at pace.

“The Club’s partnership portfolio has also been increased and diversified, reflected in record commercial partnerships and the expansion of our work internationally.

“In addition to these commercial achievements, we take great pride in the continued growth of the Club’s social programmes and the plans that the Board has put in place for the community-led regeneration scheme at Goodison Park.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as Directors. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us during our time here. We wish the Club we have loved to serve every success in the future.”

A statement will be made about interim appointments and the future of the Chairman in the next 48 hours.

In the meantime, Chairman Bill Kenwright said: “This has been a great Board who have all worked tirelessly for the Club, no matter what the circumstances. My relationship with Denise has been known as one of the closest in football. I thank her for her many achievements, particularly her magnificent work in respect of our new stadium.”

Salernitana will trigger €12m buy option clause for Boulaye Dia from Villarreal. The striker had been linked with a move to Everton, but it seems the Blues have moved on to other targets in their pursuit for a goalscorer.

Everton CEO Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Graeme Sharp and Grant Ingles to step down from Everton board of Directors and have left their roles with the club with immediate effect.

A statement from the departing Directors reads: “We have all been fully committed during our time here and are disappointed to have made the decision to leave Everton.”

Chairman Bill Kenwright said: “This has been a great Board who have all worked tirelessly for the Club, no matter what the circumstances. My relationship with Denise has been known as one of the closest in football. I thank her for her many achievements.”

Journalist
has shared an update on Moussa Dembele after it was revealed he would leave Lyon as a free agent.

Sean Dyche is interested in bringing the striker to Everton on a free. Galatasaray are amongst the club’s wanting to sign the striker, but the Blues are ‘pushing’ make sure he moves to Merseyside.

Everton are wanting to sign a striker in the summer transfer window and have been linked with Coventry City’s Viktor Gyokeres for months, but it seems the Blues face strong competition coming from Portugal.

The forward impressed last term as Coventry were beaten on penalties in the Play-Off final and looks set to now leave the Championship side as he looks to step up.

Carlo Ancelotti is suing Everton in London’s High Court two years after leaving the club to become manager of Real Madrid.

The Guardian are reporting: “The move appears to be the latest blow to Everton, who have endured a series of financial struggles in recent years including an ongoing three-year effort to raise funds to complete the building of its new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Ancelotti’s lawyers filed the coach’s claim against his former employers late on Friday, according to court records. It relates to “general commercial contracts and arrangements” and is listed to be heard in the commercial court.

Speaking on the subject of Tom Cannon’s international future, the Republic of Ireland’s under-21s manager said:

“I’m not surprised. He went through a real purple patch with Preston at the end of the season.

“Tom is a very good player, what we have here with the Republic of Ireland, is a real sort of concrete pathway with players.

“Tom, I always knew that he was going to attract attention, but it’s now up to himself what he wants to do.

“For me, there are some countries that are very aggressive in recruiting players, and how many of those players are not playing with the senior team?”

One of Everton’s data analysts is leaving the club to become head of data and research for Sport Republic,.

Announcing his departure on Linkedin Ferrelly, who spent almost four years at Goodison Park, said: “I’m delighted to announce that after almost four years at Everton FC I will be starting a new role as Head of Data and Research for Sport Republic.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Everton and I have learnt so much from my experiences there and getting to work with a lot of very hard working and talented people.

“I’m really excited to starting my new role, working with an outstanding team and helping with decision making across all clubs in the group using data analytics.”

The former Fulham and Celtic frontman is a free agent after leaving Lyon

The former Liverpool winger had been linked with a move to Everton following his release from Rangers.

Speaking to Everton’s club website, Tom Cannon said: “I want to come back for pre-season, impress the manager and hopefully show him what I can do, and then get myself in the squad.

“Scoring goals with the Under-21s is different from Men’s football. Now I’ve gone out to the Championship and scored, hopefully the manager has seen that.

“It’s my aim to score in front of the crowd at Goodison. There’s nothing more that I want to do. I’ve gone out on loan and scored at Deepdale. But I know it would be a different buzz scoring at Goodison Park in front of 40,000.

“I’m looking forward to that and I will try as hard as I can do that.”

Everton CEO Denise Barrett-Baxendale and director of football Kevin Thelwell have paid tribute to Ian Lavery, who has sadly passed away after a short illness.

The academy recruitment manager spent more than 20 years with his beloved Blues. Since the sad news of his passing, there have been tributes from fans and former acquaintances plus academy products who have made their way through the system.

Lavery was a passionate Evertonian and built relationships with staff, colleagues, players and their families during his time with the club.

And Barrett-Baxendale and Thelwell have led the tributes to their former colleague. “It is difficult to come to terms with the news that our Everton Family has lost our valued colleague, Ian Lavery,” the CEO wrote.

“Ian’s warmth as a person, his passion as an Evertonian and his dedication to his role and to the Academy made him hugely popular. He was simply a truly lovely man. The fact I am writing this, following the tragic news of his passing, is very hard to comprehend.

“And I know there will be so many people across the club feeling the exact same emotions today.”

Manchester City’s Champions League triumph over Inter Milan will see Everton receive a multi-million-pound windfall due to a clause inserted in John Stones’ transfer to the Etihad seven years ago.

As reported by the ECHO on Sunday, the Blues’ coffers are set to be boosted by £2.5 due to the triumph, which will no doubt be well received by those at Goodison Park.

Another tumultuous campaign at Goodison Park has come to an end and members of the ECHO sportsdesk are offering their thoughts on proceedings with a review of Everton’s season.

A two-part special sees Chris Beesley, Matt Jones, Connor O’Neill, Joe Thomas and Paul Wheelock give their conclusions on the Blues’ offerings from 2022/23. Here’s the second instalment…

Read the full story, here.

Everton will reportedly face competition from Sporting CP for the signature of Coventry City’s talisman Viktor Gyokeres.

The Sky Blues striker scored 22 league goals for Mark Robins’ side last season as they reached the Championship play-off final. Everton, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers, had been linked with a move for the Swede but it now appears that he could be heading for Portugal.

According to Mercato’s Santi Aouna, the 25-year-old is now a “priority” for the Primera Liga giants. With the offer of European football, that would surely be a blow to Everton’s hopes.

Speaking of recent interest from England, Stephen Kenny said: “It’s better to be honest about these things.

“Tom hasn’t said anything to me about that. Now obviously he had tonsillitis and pulled out of the camp – and he had tonsillitis to be honest with you – and it sort of made it difficult selecting him (for the seniors) because he hadn’t been doing training, he hadn’t been doing the programmes that we had set.

“He has a good attitude and is a good lad but I have spoken to his agent subsequently, before the U-21 squad was selected.

“His agent is Kenny Moyes, and he just said, ‘Let’s get this camp out of the way and we’ll come and meet you and have a chat’. He said, ‘Obviously England U21 have made an approach’ and he just needed a bit of time to reflect and see what the situation was and wanted to speak to me after the camp, sit down and have a conversation.”

Everton midfielder Andre Gomes has penned an emotional message after the end of his season-long loan spell at Lille.

Gomes started 18 games in the French top flight across the campaign, with his team finishing fifth and securing a Europa Conference League play-off round spot.

Posting on social media tonight, Gomes signed off from Lille with a heartfelt message and admitted he does not yet know ‘what the future holds’ – amid recent speculation that the Ligue 1 outfit may try and strike another loan deal.

Gomes said: “It’s been a long and complicated season. We would have liked to have finished in a better place, but it just didn’t happen. Participating in the European competitions next season was our priority and we have achieved our goal! Congrats to everyone for the hard work and support this season!

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for making us enjoy every day a group of extraordinary companions and a high quality team. And to you, the supporters, thank you for being by our side and supporting us in the good times and the bad times.

“We don’t know what the future holds, but I want you to know that I am proud to have represented this club and this city! My family and I have been very blessed and no matter what happens we love you and you will forever be in our hearts!

“@losclive, thank you so much for everything!”

Jordan Pickford has been subject to speculation over his future with Tottenham Hotspur among the clubs said to be interested.

However, representatives of his agency, CAA Stellar, have expressed the England number one’s happiness at Goodison Park.

The Bobble tweeted: “Jordan is very happy at Everton and very settled with his young family. He loves the club and will remain at Everton until we are told otherwise. He is excited to get back for pre-season and help push Everton up the table.”

As the ECHO has previously reported, Pickford is happy at Everton. The keeper committed his future to the Blues back in February, penning a four-and-a-half year deal that will take him to the summer of 2027.

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Good morning, it’s a new week, let’s see what occurs surrounding the Blues.

We will be bringing you all the latest news, transfer gossip and updates from Everton players on their travels with their international teams.