Everton plotting January swoop to finally land Lyon outcast

Everton could be set to do some significant January business, with Lyon’s Rachid Ghezzal nearing an exit from the French club.

The Toffees had agreed a £9.5m deal with the winger in the summer, only for Ghezzal to choose to stick with Les Gones to play European football.

However, the Algeria international has played just 31 minutes of Champions League football this season, and hasn’t been named in the first XI once.

It’s been a similar story in Ligue 1, with the winger featuring in a game for more than 45 minutes on just two occasions.

It will come of little surprise then, to learn that the 24-year-old has yet to sign a new contract with the French side, which expires next summer.

With eight goals and eight assists last term, Ghezzal was one of the shining lights at the Olympique Lyonnais stadium, but now the club could lose him for nothing.

Unless they sell in January.

This will be welcome news for Everton boss Ronald Koeman, who has seen his side go off the boil following one of their best ever starts to a campaign.

Without a win in four, Everton could do with a player of Ghezzal’s quality for a mid-season boost.

Given the player’s current situation, it’s unlikely the Goodison Park outfit would need to pay more than the £9.5m previously agreed, and it’s possibly Everton could get their man for less, with just six months left on the contract.

And despite the recent blip which has seen Everton go four league games without a win, there’s a high chance they could offer Ghezzal European football next term.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.