Crystal Palace

Everton tell Palace to increase McCarthy bid by £2m

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Image for Everton tell Palace to increase McCarthy bid by £2m

Everton have told their Premier League rivals Crystal Palace to up their bid for midfielder James McCarthy by £2million, according to Football Insider.

The outlet claims that the Eagles have already made an offer of £8million for the Republic of Ireland international, but that the Toffees are only willing to sell at £10million.

Marco Silva has given the player’s potential departure the green light, while Palace are confident that they will be able to agree personal terms with the 28-year-old.

The decision now rests with Roy Hodgson as to whether he is willing to meet Everton’s valuation of the Irishman.

Likely to happen?

It certainly seems as if McCarthy is destined to leave the Toffees at some point in the near future. Injury has seemingly robbed him of his career at Goodison Park, and he is now very much behind Idrissa Gana Gueye, Andre Gomes and Tom Davies in the midfield pecking order.

Palace are clearly keen on signing him, because they have already made an offer. However, it ultimately depends on how much they are willing to spend on him. £2million isn’t much in the world of Premier League football, but McCarthy’s lack of game time in the past 18 months means it still represents a hefty gamble.

What’s he done?

McCarthy’s manager gave a gushing recommendation of him mid-way through last season, telling the Liverpool Echo: “If you ask me what I want, I want James to be part of our squad.  To answer directly to you. Even if it looks strange because he is not playing often or he is not making the squad list often, but if you ask me directly I will tell you it is something I want, for him to be part of the squad until the end of the season and then let’s see in the future because he has a contract [beyond that].”

The player’s national team manager, though, has a different view to Silva, Mick McCarthy telling the Irish Examiner in May: “He’s just not been playing. I did speak to him and I think he wants to sort out his own career and future this summer. I think he wants to be fit and healthy and get his future sorted out. And he is fit at the minute because he’s been on the bench.”

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