Joan Gonzalez in action for Lecce
Everton are among a number of European heavyweights eyeing up a potential move for Lecce central midfielder Joan Gonzalez this summer.
The Lowdown: Players out of contract
There are as many as seven senior players out of contract at Goodison Park at the end of the season, with both Conor Coady and Ruben Vinagre also set to leave after their loan spells as it stands.
Two of those are midfielders in Abdoulaye Doucoure and Tom Davies, and if both were to leave, then the Merseyside club would need to bring a new midfielder in to fill the void left in the middle of the park.
The Latest: Gonzalez interest
As per Italian news outlet Toro, the Toffees are just one of a number of clubs to have their eyes on Gonzalez this summer, with fellow Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United also thought to be interested in his signature.
AC Milan, who are in the last eight of the UEFA Champions League after knocking out Spurs, Borussia Dortmund, who were knocked out by Chelsea, and Juventus, who are in the Europa League, are also among the interested parties.
However, Gonzalez’s contract at Lecce does not expire until 2027, and will set any buying club back €15m (£13.2m).
The Verdict: Squad depth needed
The Blues will need more squad depth for next season if they are to avoid another relegation battle, should they stay up in the top flight this term.
Gonzalez would offer competition for places off the back of an impressive campaign with Lecce, where the six-foot-three gem has scored one goal and made three assists in 24 appearances in the Serie A, and ranks highly among his team-mates for average tackles, blocks, shots, key passes, dribbles and pass success rate per game (WhoScored).
At 21 years of age, the Spaniard still has such a high ceiling, and Sean Dyche‘s team would do well to beat off the level of competition for his signature.
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