Everton urged to cut Idrissa Gueye ties this summer
Everton are being pushed to end contract talks with Idrissa Gana Gueye after a blunt intervention from a former senior scout who worked closely with David Moyes. Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, believes the 36-year-old midfielder would be “very fortunate” to secure another deal at Goodison Park.
Gueye’s contract expired on 1 July, yet negotiations rumble on over a potential extension. He made 25 Premier League appearances last season and remains a robust presence in midfield, but the Toffees have already moved on in recruitment. Hayden Hackney arrived from Middlesbrough in June, while Merlin Rohl’s loan was made permanent.
Why King says it’s time to walk away
King’s verdict is stark. “I think he hasn’t been the player he has been,” he told Football Insider. “I could see him going to the Middle East or America. He’s a good footballer and honest, but age catches up with you.”
Gueye still covers ground like a man half his age, yet his pace and dynamism have faded since his peak. He has played nearly 250 times for Everton and earned over 100 caps for Senegal, but his final months last term showed a player no longer at his best. A 25-apparition haul in 2025-26 underlines the shift.
What the numbers say about Gueye’s Everton return
Gueye rejoined Everton in 2022 after a £28m move to PSG. He vowed then to help drag the club back into Europe and toward the Premier League summit. “The goal was to get the club back up to where we feel it belongs,” he said last year. Three seasons on, that target remains unmet.
His reliability kept Everton competitive, yet the midfield now needs fresh legs. Hackney’s arrival signals a generational handover, and King argues Gueye’s time is up. “Is he worth another year? If we’re short in midfield, then yes,” he added. “But I think it’s time to move on.”
Where next for the Senegal legend?
At 36, Gueye’s fitness remains remarkable for a man who patrols the most physically taxing zone of the pitch. Scouts in Saudi Arabia and MLS have tracked his progress, and King expects a swift exit. “He’s always a good player to bring in,” he admitted, “but the window is closing.”
Gueye’s final Everton display came against West Ham in April, and the club’s summer rebuild points one way. If talks stall, the midfielder could join clubs abroad before the transfer window slams shut on 1 September.
