Everton told to pull the plug on Idrissa Gueye deal by David Moyes ally

Idrissa Gana Gueye would be fortunate to be awarded a new contract by Everton and is likely to leave the club this summer.

That is the opinion of former senior Everton scout and David Moyes ally, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.

The 36-year-old has been out of contract since the start of the month, but negotiations continue over a potential extension.

Gueye made 25 Premier League appearances last season and is a reliable body, but Everton appear to be looking elsewhere.

The Toffees have already signed Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough this summer, and Merlin Rohl has made his loan deal permanent.

Gueye played almost every minute of Senegal's World Cup campaign and clearly remains physically capable of regular football, but it remains to be seen if that will be at Everton.

Idrissa Gueye tipped for Saudi or MLS

At the age of 36, Gueye's fitness and ability to keep playing is nothing short of remarkable.

He plays in arguably the most physically demanding area of the pitch and continues to feature without injury, nearing 250 appearances for Everton and having now been capped over 100 times for his nation.

But Gueye's display against West Ham in April may well have been his last in a Everton shirt.

"I think he hasn't been the player he has been. I think he'd be very fortunate if he got another contract, to be honest," King told Football Insider.

"I could see him going to the Middle East or America. He's a good footballer and he's an honest footballer. I mean, he puts in a good shift. But age catches up with you.

"He certainly isn't the player he was when he first came to Everton. He seemed to be everywhere when he first came, but now things have slowed down a bit. Is he worth another year? If we're short in players in midfield, then he could be worth another year."

"I think it's time to move on," he added. "But it all depends on what he's got available, because he's always a good player to bring in."

Gueye will hope to complete previous target

Gueye first arrived at Everton from Aston Villa almost 10 years ago, and it would be three years later when PSG paid £28m for him.

The midfielder found his way back in 2022 and has stayed there ever since, proving to be just as reliable as he once was.

"I said it when I came back here that the goal was to get the club back up to where we feel it belongs – playing in Europe, fighting towards the top of the league," he said last year. "We haven't reached that goal yet, so we keep going – we keep working."

It looks as if Gueye will fail to achieve that target, but he has certainly put Everton on the right path.