Sources: Mystery Premier League side joins French clubs in race to sign Everton defender Holgate

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Published on:

11 Jan 2022, 6:57 am

A Premier League club is battling French duo Monaco and Nice to sign Everton defender Mason Holgate, Football Insider understands.

This site revealed on 31 December that the Merseysiders will listen to offers for the 25-year-old in this window.

A recruitment source has now told Football Insider that a mystery Premier League outfit has joined Ligue 1 big guns Monaco and Nice in the chase for Holgate.

Everton need to raise cash after completing two defender signings this month.

Lucas Digne is expected to leave the club after an initial fee of around £22million was agreed with Aston Villa and Holgate could also go by the 31 January cut-off.

Holgate has three-and-a-half years remaining on his contract at Goodison Park after penning new terms in March 2020.

However, the versatile centre-half has been out of favour since the appointment of Rafael Benitez.

Everton's manager has been unconvinced by the centre-back in his 10 appearances this season.

Holgate was an unused substitute in Saturday's 3-2 win at Hull City in the FA Cup.

Benitez is being backed to make major changes to his squad this month in a bid to try and inspire a turnaround on Merseyside.

Nathan Patterson and Vitaly Mykolenko have arrived from Rangers and Dynamo Kyiv already in this window.

As revealed by Football Insider (7 January) the Toffees are also interested in signing Manchester United's James Garner.

The centre-midfielder is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest where he has made 22 appearances this season.

In other news, a pundit has hailed Everton after ‘yet another’ starlet in line to sign following Patterson and Mykolenko deals.

Everton FC