Everton could reignite their interest in Sevilla winger Ruben Vargas with Jack Grealish sidelined for around three months.
The England international has suffered a stress fracture in his foot following the victory over his boyhood club Aston Villa at the weekend.
It’s a cruel blow for both Everton and the player, who will now almost certainly miss the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Jack Grealish Injury And What It Means For Everton
Grealish, 30, has been an integral figure under David Moyes this season, having made 20 league appearances.
Not only does his latest setback leave Everton light of options going forward, but it casts serious doubt over Grealish’s long-term future at Goodison Park.
Grealish joined Everton on loan from Manchester City in the summer, and the deal included an option to buy him at the end of the campaign in the region of £50million.
That would be a significant outlay for Everton, who would have to consider a return on their investment given the recent history with PSR.
Everton’s final match of the season is away at Tottenham on May 24, meaning Grealish could return for the final month of the campaign if his recovery goes to plan.
However, it could convince Moyes and the Everton board to make their move in the January window to add depth to a threadbare squad.
Everton May Rekindle Ruben Vargas Interest
Just before the transfer window opened, Spanish publication ABC Deportes reported that Everton were chasing the winger in a £13million deal.
The left winger has scored three and assisted four in 13 LaLiga games this season but is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Everton’s Premier League rivals have previously been linked with Vargas, including Leeds and Bournemouth, after a potential switch to Napoli collapsed in the summer.
Vargas, 27, can play on either wing or as a number 10, fitting the system under Moyes and has plenty of experience with over 50 caps for Switzerland.
Given Vargas’ recent injury setback, Everton could wait until the end of the window before looking into his availability and determining the severity of his issue.
He missed five consecutive matches before returning against Celta Vigo, but then sat out of the following game against Elche.
The Toffees are also in the market for a new striker and have identified Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor as a potential option.
Reports suggest Everton have made contact with their Premier League rivals to assess whether they would be willing to allow Isidor to leave the club this January.
The 25-year-old has featured 19 times in the top flight this season, with 11 of those coming in the starting line-up.
