OPINION
Everton must not bin defender Mason Holgate permanently off their books anytime soon despite West Bromwich Albion reportedly being keen to sign him.
According to the Birmingham Mail, the Baggies want to sign the 22-year-old right-back if they are promoted to the Premier League after he has been a standout performer for the club while on loan.
Holgate, who can play as a centre-back or as a right-back, made five appearances in the Premier League for the Toffees before joining the Baggies on loan in January.
The 22-year-old has featured nine times in the Championship so far for Darren Moore’s side and not only has he looked reliable at the back but he has also contributed three assists.
While Holgate didn’t overly wow in the Premier League earlier this season, with him having a horror show against West Ham in particular, his future should still be bright at Goodison Park.
The defender seems to be improving and growing in confidence at West Brom and is starting to turn into a player that could do job on a regular basis for Marco Silva’s side.
Given Holgate’s age and versatility then it would be a regrettable blunder on the Toffees part to get him permanently off their books in the summer.
It’s very likely the promising defender will continue to blossom and the Toffees should be aiming to benefit from that not West Brom.
Holgate is contracted to the Toffees until 2022 so there’s no real reason to consider any offer for him should one emerge in the summer.
While it may be a relatively easy deal to wrap up given that the two clubs quickly agreed a loan move regarding the player previously, if the Toffees got rid of Holgate they’d regret it.