5 Everton replacements for Idrissa Gueye during AFCON | OneFootball

Despite suffering a 10-point deduction recently, Everton have showed signs of really turning their fortunes around after a rough couple of years. Following the appointment of Sean Dyche last season, they've made steady progress, but are now trending in the right direction and are on track to finish comfortably away from the relegation zone.

They were before their 10-point deduction anyway, but the punishment has dragged them down into the scrap at the bottom of the table and they'll have to be at their best if they're to escape the drop now. They'll need their players to turn out consistently solid performances, as they have so far this year.

The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jordan Pickford and Jarred Branthwaite have been excellent so far. So has Idrissa Gueye, acting as an enforcer in the middle of the park, but he's set to miss considerable time with the Toffees in early 2024 as he leaves to take part in the African Cup of Nations. He's been vital to the way the team has played so far this season, and will be a huge miss during his absence. With that being said, there are several different players that the Toffees could turn to in an effort to fill the hole he leaves behind.

Whether it's talent already at Goodison Park, or someone waiting to be picked up in the transfer market, we've identified the five best possible candidates and wanted to share them with you. So, here are the five best possible replacements for Idrissa Gueye at Everton during the African Cup of Nations.

Andre Gomes

While he's not necessarily a defensive midfielder like Gueye, Andre Gomes is still in the Everton squad and, with a slight tactical tweak, could replace the Senegal star in the lineup. The former Barcelona man has been out with an injury, and after spending last season on loan at Lille, he hasn't featured for the Toffees' first team since the 2021-22 season.

He's battling back from the injury, though, and recently featured for the Under-21s side, so if he makes a recovery by the time the African Cup of Nations rolls around, he would be a solid option. The Portuguese man cost the club £22m after all, so if they can put him to use, rather than spend more money bringing someone else into the fold, then they'd be wise to do so.

Again, he's not a natural defensive midfield, so replacing Gueye might force Everton to tweak things tactically, and with how well they're playing at the moment, that might not be something Sean Dyche is willing to do. With that being said, let's look at several other players who might be better options.

Kalvin Phillips

It feels as though every time the topic of a Premier League team's transfer needs is brought up, Kalvin Phillips' name is mentioned and for good reason. He might not be cutting it at the Etihad right now, but don't get it twisted, the Englishman is still a very, very good defensive midfielder and could not only replace Gueye but might even offer an upgrade on the Senegalese man for Everton.

Phillips shone at Leeds United following their promotion to the English top flight, but things haven't quite gone to plan since he made a big-money move to Manchester City and first-team football hasn't been easy to come by. With the Euros on the horizon, reports have suggested that the midfielder is on the lookout for a potential move away from City in the January transfer window and Everton could be the ideal landing spot.

Battling back from their 10-point deduction, the Toffees need players of real quality this season and there are few midfielders on the market right now who are on Phillips' level. The club's not in the best of places financially either, so any acquisitions will likely have to come cheap, so a loan move for the former Leeds man could be the perfect solution to their problem.

Abdoulaye Doucoure

Similar to Gomes, Abdoulaye Doucoure is a midfielder who is already on the books at Goodison Park and could do a very good job stepping in for Gueye while he's away with Senegal. The former Watford man has been a solid addition to the Everton squad since his arrival in 2020. It was the 30-year-old's goal on the final day of last season that kept the Toffees in the Premier League.

Having recently signed a contract extension, he isn't going anywhere anytime soon and the club clearly rates him quite highly, so it would make sense for them to rely on him to replace Gueye, by dropping him a little deeper in the midfield. At the moment, Doucoure has played in a much more offensive role, often just behind the striker, but is certainly capable of playing as a defensive midfielder.

There are numerous options for further up the field, meaning Dyche can afford to drop Doucoure deeper into defensive midfield, occupying that space just in front of the defensive back line. The former Watford man is capable of playing in a variety of positions and is quite the utility player. Everton should make the most of that.

Lesley Ugochukwu

As we've already mentioned, with Everton's recent financial woes, there won't be very much money at all to spend on a Gueye replacement in January and a loan signing is likely the way forward. With that being said, bringing in a promising young prospect to fill Gueye's role while he's away could be the sort of move that the Toffees make and if they do, Lesley Ugochuwku is a very strong candidate for the job.

The Chelsea youngster is just 19 years old, with bags of potential, and would slot seamlessly into the space that Gueye is currently occupying. Almost half the former Paris Saint-Germain man's age, the Chelsea youngster would offer more energy in the role and valuable minutes playing regularly for a club like Everton could do wonders for his development. It could help fill in the gap left by Gueye at Goodison Park while he's at the African Cup of Nations, but it could also help the player further his own career. It's a win-win.

The beauty of a loan deal for the 19-year-old as well is that if things don't particularly work out, and he isn't quite up to Everton's standards, then they have barely spent any money on him, and they can send him back once the temporary deal wraps up with no fear of any long-term commitment. Feels like a no-brainer to us.

Xeka

If a loan signing isn't the sort of move that Dyche wants to make, and he'd rather add experience for cheap, there are several good options out there currently without clubs who are worth considering for the role. Xeka might just well be the best candidate, though, with the midfielder capable of playing as a defensive midfielder and having experience playing at the highest level.

Throughout his career, the 29-year-old has played for the likes of Braga, Lille and Stade Rennais and featured in both the Champions League and Europa League at times. Having missed large portions of last season through injury, he was limited to just nine appearances for Stade Rennais and was released over the summer as a result.

So, the move would present a bit of a risk, but if he's healthy and available by January, he's certainly worth the gamble and could do a fantastic job filling in for Gueye, and then adding impressive depth to the squad when the talisman returns.

The Toffees have a tough task ahead of them, clawing back from their 10-point deficit, but if they're going to do it, this year is the best chance they have. The bottom of the Premier League is incredibly weak, and the club is clearly a level above some of their relegation competitors.

Still, they risk losing some of their momentum on the pitch when Gueye disappears for a prolonged amount of time, and they need to find someone to step into his role to ensure that doesn't happen. Any one of these five names is worth considering for the job and, in our opinion, they're the best possible options out there right now. Dyche has slowly begun to turn things around at Goodison Park after a pretty dreadful few years, and they looked like they'd steer clear of a third straight relegation battle, but the 10-point deduction dragged them straight back down into it. The former Burnley manager has had a successful record with his transfer business at the Toffees so far, which means that whatever he does in January will likely pay off, but he'd be wise to consider one of these options.