Everton are reportedly interested in signing Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn this summer.
The Toffees are gearing up for a new era at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and manager David Moyes is tasked with overseeing a major squad rebuild ahead of the new season.
A total of 12 players from last season’s squad have now departed, while midfielder Carlos Alcaraz is Everton’s only signing of the summer thus far after his loan move was made permanent.
Idrissa Gueye has committed his future to the Toffees by extending his contract, but Moyes is keen to bolster his midfield option further following the departure of Abdoulaye Doucoure upon the expiration of his deal on June 30.
According to The Athletic, Everton have shown an interest in signing Scotland international McGinn, who has two years remaining on his contract with fellow Premier League side Aston Villa.
Villa keen to keep McGinn despite Everton interest
However, Villa are said to have indicated that they would like to keep hold of the 30-year-old, who remains a key first-team player.
A separate report from BBC Sport claims that Moyes is an admirer of McGinn, but Villa boss Unai Emery is in no mood to part with the midfielder.
McGinn joined Villa from Hibernian for £2.75m in the summer of 2018 and helped the Midlands club secure promotion from the Championship via the playoffs in his debut campaign.
Since then, McGinn has played an integral role in Villa's resurgence, contributing with 30 goals and 40 assists in 285 appearances across all competitions for a side who reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season.
McGinn, who has been Villa’s captain since 2022, is believed to be settled in Birmingham and nothing has emerged to suggest that the Glasgow-born midfielder would be open to an exit this summer.
Who else could Everton sign this summer?
Everton’s primary focus is on finalising a deal to sign striker Thierno Barry from Villarreal, with a £30.3m fee already agreed between the two clubs.
The 22-year-old Frenchman, who scored 11 goals for Villarreal last season, is travelling to Merseyside to undergo a medical and is set to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin in Moyes’s squad.
According to i Paper, Everton have drawn up a list of a number of 'ambitious targets', including Manchester City’s James McAtee, with a £25m move said to be under consideration.
Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo, who is valued at around £30m, is another who has been discussed by Toffees chiefs, while they also hold an interest in Ipswich Town’s Omari Hutchinson and West Bromwich Albion’s Tom Fellows.
Meanwhile, Sky Sports News claims that Everton are interested in Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers, with Moyes said to be a ‘big fan’ of the Republic of Ireland international and is in the market for a new backup shot-stopper following the departures of Asmir Begovic and Joao Virginia.