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Good night, Everton fans. Here are the headlines for the night of Monday, July 27.
Everton will be a new left-back this summer after Leighton Baines’ retirement.
The 35-year-old presented a new one-year contract, but turned it down, ending his 13-year term at the club.
Baines’ departure means Lucas Digne is the only senior left-back in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
Teenager Niels Nkounkou was transferred on the loose last month, but will spend the next season betting on the U-23.
Hope that Baines will continue to provide politics to Digne and help Nkounkou’s progression.
Now, however, Everton will want to identify a new left-back for this position.
The owner of Lille has that the goal of Everton, Gabriel Magalhaes, “will choose his club this week”.
The Toffees were in talks to signal to the central defender before the interruption through Covid-19.
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Gabriel was still expected to sign up for Everton this summer, but other more sensible European clubs, such as Napoli, are also interested.
Lille owner Gerard Lopez told L’Equipe: “We have other things about other players, but we haven’t spoken to their players.
“With Gabriel, we communicated and gave him an exit pass. He’ll be at his club this week.
Seamus Coleman praised Baines’ professionalism and supported him with a coach in the future.
The sides have spent nearly a decade betting on the flanks opposed to Goodison Park and the Everton captain has admitted that Baines will be difficult to replace.
“In my time at Everton, it’s one of the best, if not the best, players I’ve played with,” Coleman told the club’s website.
“As a footballer every day he was so professional, always in the gym and always the best player in training. Even until last week. That is testament to how he’s looked after himself throughout his career.
“You hear the experts and other people talk about the ends that change the game. Leighton Baines, one of the players who helped replace the game by attacking the runners 10 years ago.
“There was an era of five years, at least, in which it was the most productive left-back in England and, perhaps, Europe.
“With David Moyes, you had your winning games from the left side, which is amazing. It was a skill, an herbal skill with skill. We’ll miss him so much.