Crystal Palace want to take Everton midfielder James McCarthy on loan, according to the Daily Mail (10.29).
The 28-year-old has recently returned to action after a lengthy absence following a double leg fracture sustained last year, but is finding first team opportunities hard to come at Goodison Park as Marco Silva continues to show faith in the midfield pairing of Idrissa Gueye and Andre Gomes.
It is understood that the Eagles want to give the 41 cap Republic of Ireland international a temporary escape route from Merseyside.
Good move for Everton?
Not really, no. McCarthy has so much to offer, and with Everton playing the way they are at the moment, surely the Irishman is worth a second chance in the heart of midfield. Gueye and Gomes have been okay this season, but the latter in particular has been patchy in his form, and sometimes when watching the Toffees you can’t help feeling that they lack a little bit of bite in the engine room. He may take a little while to get back to being the player he was before his horrendous injury, but McCarthy is worth the patience.
This is Fubol rating: 4/10
Likely to happen?
McCarthy is getting nowhere near the first team at the moment, but that could change as his fitness improves, and Marco Silva has claimed before that he does consider the Irishman to be a potential part of his future plans. The likelihood of him leaving feels slim, but that could be increased if the player himself thinks that he has to move on to regain some kind of first team credibility. If so, Crystal Palace seem like an ideal fit for the 28-year-old.
This is Futbol rating: 6/10