Everton have endured a tough start to the season, and things could get worse with some important players’ contracts set to expire next summer.
Everton find themselves in an uphill battle to remain in the Premier League past the 2023/24 season, with only one win from their opening seven league fixtures along with five losses. Sean Dyche’s men narrowly avoided the drop last season with an Abdoulaye Doucoure winner on the final day securing a 1-0 win over Bournemouth to secure the club’s top flight status.
This was the second season in a row that the Toffees found themselves threatened with relegation, as Frank Lampard guided them to safety in their last home match of the prior season. The poor start to the current campaign suggests that fans of the club should be prepared for another long season fighting for their lives to remain in the division they have never dropped out of.
Everton Results – 2023/24 Premier League
| Date | Result |
|---|---|
| 12/08/23 | Everton 0-1 Fulham |
| 20/08/23 | Aston Villa 4-0 Everton |
| 26/08/23 | Everton 0-1 Wolves |
| 02/09/23 | Sheffield United 2-2 Everton |
| 17/09/23 | Everton 0-1 Arsenal |
| 23/09/23 | Brentford 1-3 Eveton |
| 30/09/23 | Everton 1-2 Luton Town |
With financial troubles in recent years limiting the business that can be done in terms of incoming players in the transfer market, Everton could be set to find themselves in an even more difficult situation in the summer 2024 window, with six players set to be out of contract unless new terms can be agreed before that time.
Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison are currently on loan with the Merseyside outfit, meaning they will be leaving the club following the conclusion of the current season, unless those deals are made permanent. Everything relies on the ability of Dyche and his team to stay in the Premier League to avoid further financial constraints.
We take a look at the six players Everton are set to lose on a free transfer in 2024, upon the expiry of their contracts.
Much like Lonergan, the English veteran brings some very valuable experience to the Toffees, although Young also has plenty to contribute on the pitch. The versatile Englishman has featured in all seven of the club’s Premier League fixtures this term so far, being adept at playing both full-back roles. Young only signed for Everton in the summer transfer window on a free transfer from Aston Villa in search of more regular minutes on the pitch. It is not outwith the realm of possibility that the 38-year-old would extend his stay with the club, possibly depending on what division they find themselves in.
Along with Young and Lonergan, losing Coleman would see the experience within the squad dramatically decrease. A stalwart of the side for the past 14 years, the 34-year-old may be coming towards the end of his playing days after sustaining many injuries in recent years, including a nasty knee injury against Leicester at the end of the 2022/23 campaign. Should he choose not to extend his deal at Goodison Park, it would not come as a shock for the Irish full-back to call time on his career, and move into coaching.
Andre Gomes
Some thought it was a stroke of genius by the club to bring a struggling Alli into Goodison Park on an initial free transfer from Tottenham in January 2022, feeling he just needed the right circumstances around him to recapture his incredible early form in a Spurs shirt that gained him comparisons to icons such as Lampard and Paul Gascoigne. This didn’t pan out at all in the way the club and supporters had hoped as the English midfielder was unable to find the back of the net from 13 league appearances before being shipped out to Besiktas on loan.
In a famous episode of ‘The Overlap‘, Gary Neville interviewed the 27-year-old, and in this conversation, he admitted: “I know what I can do on the pitch, and I think I have shown people what I can do on the pitch. But I’ve got that feeling back from before I went to Tottenham, when I had a lot to prove, and I wanted to fight, and I felt so much love and passion for football. I have that back.”
Alli – who takes home £100k per-week – now finds himself in a difficult position with Everton reluctant to trigger clauses that will oblige them to a £10m payout based on appearances, and other clubs unlikely to offer a fee for him in January. A departure at the end of the season seems the likeliest scenario.
Abdoulaye Doucoure
The aforementioned winning goal against Bournemouth to secure Everton’s Premier League status just underlines the midfielder’s importance to the club. Popping up with goals has become a habit for the Mali international as shown by his volley in the Toffees’ only league win of the season. He also managed to score a goal in the other game from which Dyche’s team took a point from against Sheffield United. There are likely to be teams interested in acquiring Doucoure’s services should a new contract not be agreed with his current employers.
Idrissa Gana Gueye could also leave the club
A seventh player that sees his contract run out in 2024 is the man who returned to the club in 2022 after three years at PSG in Ligue 1. The catch is that there is a clause in Gueye’s contract that gives the option for the 34-year-old’s deal to be extended for a further 12 months. Whether that clause is triggered or not remains to be seen, although it is more than likely Dyche will want to keep hold of his starting defensive midfielder.
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