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.”