Everton are currently in the middle of a crucial summer transfer window

The Premier League transfer window opened for business on June 14.

For Everton, that represented a chance to strengthen a squad that just avoided relegation to the Sky Bet Championship last season. Only a last-day win over Bournemouth at Goodison Park secured the Blues their place in this season’s top-flight.

So far this summer, despite being linked with a host of names, only Ashley Young and Arnaut Danjuma have arrived at the club. The Blues are also currently working on a deal to bring Sporting CP forward Youssef Chermiti to Goodison.

But as director of football Kevin Thelwell and Sean Dyche aim to trim a bloated squad and bring together a group that will be fit for purpose, it is no surprise that a number of Everton’s players have been linked with moves away.

One of the first names to be linked with a move away from Goodison this summer was Mason Holgate. The ECHO first reported back in June that the defender would be allowed to depart on either a permanent deal or a loan should a suitable offer be submitted this summer.

The 26-year-old last penned a contract extension on March 3, 2020, amid speculation at the time that Manchester City were weighing up a potential £30 million bid for him that summer. However, the centre-back started just five Premier League matches last season and has also found himself further down the pecking order this pre-season.

Sheffield United have expressed an interest in signing Holgate as the defender worked alongside Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom during their time together at Barnsley. While Southampton are also interested in taking the 26-year-old and have held talks with Everton over a move.

In midfield, LOSC Lille are keen to re-sign Andre Gomes, with the Everton midfielder also reportedly attracting interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia.

The ECHO reported at the end of June that Lille boss Paulo Fonseca was keen to bring the midfielder back to the Stade Pierre Mauroy following a successful loan spell at the club last season. 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.

Lille did not have the option to make Gomes’ loan move a permanent one, but the ECHO understands that the Ligue 1 club still remains keen to bring the 30-year-old back to France, either on loan or on a permanent basis.

But while Gomes’ future remains up in the air, Jean-Philippe Gbamin’s agent recently revealed that his client wants to leave Everton and end his “nightmare” at the club.

Gbamin joined Everton from Mainz for £25m in the summer of 2019, but his spell has been wrecked by lengthy injuries. He has so far made just eight appearances in his time at Goodison, and he spent last season on loan at Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor.

French side Olympique Lyonnais are claimed to have made an enquiry for the midfielder, who still has one year left on his deal at Goodison.

“We will have to find another project for him,” his agent, Bernard Collignon, told BBC Sport. “I am the one who chose Everton for him because it would have been a stepping stone to move on elsewhere.

“There was interest from Arsenal, Tottenham and even Jurgen Klopp wanted to sign him for Liverpool six months before but now Jean-Philippe wants to go back to Germany.”

Before he added: “It is unbelievable what has happened at Everton. Jean-Philippe is so disappointed with everything that has happened and how things have not worked out for him.

“The reason he suffered his initial injury was because he was not fit. That is why he got injured. They had to give him time and not rush him back into action.

“The club should have let him play in reserve games to achieve full fitness and also to gain confidence so that he would be ready for the intensity of the Premier League.”

The most recent name to be linked with a move away is Demarai Gray. The ECHO understands that the winger is a player of interest to Fulham, while some reports claim that the 27-year-old is in talks with Marco Silva’s side.

Crystal Palace, Besiktas and clubs in Saudi Arabia have also been credited with an interest in signing Gray this summer. The Jamaica international struggled for regular game time under Dyche during the second half of last season.

Meanwhile, Preston North End are growing in confidence that they will be able to land Tom Cannon this summer. The ECHO understands that the forward is keen to return to Deepdale after a successful spell at the club during the second half of last season.

North End have made no secret of their desire to re-sign Cannon this summer after he scored eight times in 21 appearances during his time with the club last season. As previously reported by the ECHO, talks have been ongoing between Everton and the Championship outfit throughout the summer.

Cannon watched Ryan Lowe’s side take on Aberdeen at Deepdale a couple of weeks ago as a guest of Preston midfielder Ryan Ledson. The ECHO understands that while no agreement has yet been reached, talks are progressing, and should any deal be concluded, it will be a loan one.

However, it is also claimed that Stoke City have not given up hope of landing the former Maricourt pupil. Potters boss Alex Neil refused to be drawn on the speculation linking the forward with a move to the Bet365 Stadium following his side’s 1-0 defeat to Everton at the weekend.

Asked by the ECHO about Cannon, Neil replied: “I’m not going to talk about anybody else’s players; I don’t think that’s fair because he’s not our player.

“I don’t discuss other people’s players. We are looking to add more players to our squad; whether Tom is one of them or not remains to be seen, but we still have bits to add.”