PSG’s Idrissa Gueye edges towards Everton reunion

PSG midfielder Idrissa Gueye is nearing a return to Everton almost three years to the day since he departed Merseyside for the French capital.

French outlet RMC Sport, as quoted by Get French Football News, states that the two clubs are in regular contact with the desire to strike a deal mutual.

The form of the deal (loan or permanent) is unclear at this stage, but the player is reportedly ‘keen’ to see out his contract with his current employers. His deal expires in the summer of 2023.

Former Nice head coach Christophe Galtier’s arrival following Mauricio Pochettino’s departure has spelt the exits for a contingent of the PSG squad including Julian Draxler, Layvin Kurzawa and now Gueye.

A refresh is underway at the Parc des Princes triggered by the club’s continual tendency to fall short on the European stage. PSG crashed out in the round of 16 in the 2021/22 edition of the Champions League to eventual winners Real Madrid.

Idrissa Gueye’s PSG career

Indifferent would suffice to describe Idrissa Gueye’s short stint with PSG. He was signed to help strengthen the spine of a side that has been accused of being top-heavy in recent years due to the wealth of attacking talent at their disposal.

The centre of midfield and specifically a player that can anchor the midfield offering protection to the defence has been an area of difficulty for PSG for some time now.

To an extent, Gueye helped fill this void and there have been instances of his potential substantiating.

An example of the above was PSG’s 2-0 victory at home to Manchester City in the group stages of the Champions League. Gueye left his mark on the match scoring a goal and dominating the midfield.

However, the stand-out performance came when fielded in a more advanced box-to-box position as opposed to the deep-lying role he was signed to fill.

Danilo Pereira, who was signed the season after Gueye’s arrival, and Leandro Paredes were often favoured in the 32-year-old’s favoured position, thanks in large part to their physical capabilities.

Do Everton need a player of Gueye’s profile?

It is easier to identify areas of weakness than strength in Frank Lampard’s squad, but central midfield is one high up on his list of priorities in need of reinforcement.

Allan and Jean-Philippe Gbamin are the current options at Lampard’s disposal with both carrying asterisks by their name.

Gbamin has struggled to offer a return in an Everton shirt since his big-money signing in 2019 as a replacement for Gueye. He did, however, enjoy a positive albeit short loan spell at CSKA Moscow last season.

Former Napoli man Allan has failed to replicate the kind of form that earned his reputation in Serie A and notwithstanding his quality, at 31 years old, backup options are necessary.

Taking the above and Everton’s defensive frailties last season into account, it is a no-brainer to secure Idrissa Gueye’s signature. He offers Premier League experience and with just a year remaining on his contract, shouldn’t break the bank.

Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour is reportedly another target for Lampard and along with Idrissa Gueye could provide a good balance of youth and experience.