Everton Are Now Open To Offers For 23-Year-Old: Right Decision To Sell? | OneFootball

Everton are prepared to listen to offers for Tim Iroegbunam after deciding they cannot risk losing the midfielder for nothing next summer. Transfer journalist Ekrem Konur reports that the Merseyside club have placed the 23-year-old on the market with only a year remaining on his contract, while discussions around a loan containing an obligation to buy have already surfaced despite the absence of a formal offer.

Everton face key call over Tim Iroegbunam

Interest is building from several clubs. Coventry City, Hull City and Ipswich Town have all made contact, while two Serie A sides are tracking developments from Italy. Everton are believed to value the former Aston Villa midfielder at around £20 million, leaving interested clubs to decide whether they can meet that figure outright or negotiate a different structure. David Moyes now faces an awkward balancing act because every passing week reduces Everton’s leverage in negotiations.

T4O take: Everton would lose a proven ball winner

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – JANUARY 07: Tim Iroegbunam of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Hill Dickinson Stadium on January 07, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

Selling Iroegbunam may solve a contract problem, yet it creates another issue inside the squad.

Across the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, the midfielder featured in 29 league matches, registered two assists, and played 1,493 minutes. Those numbers only tell part of the story. He completed 4.07 tackles per 90 minutes, placing him in the 98th percentile, while averaging 1.32 interceptions per 90, good enough for the 86th percentile. Few midfielders matched that level of defensive disruption across the division.

His role rarely attracted headlines because he did the dirty work. Breaking attacks. Closing spaces. Recovering possession. Teams need players willing to handle those jobs every week.

Everton should protect a valuable asset

Moyes has already strengthened his midfield by bringing in Hayden Hackney and Christian Nørgaard, yet the departures of Idrissa Gana Gueye and Seamus Coleman have stripped away valuable experience and defensive intensity. Asking Nørgaard, now 32, to shoulder that responsibility for several seasons feels optimistic.

Iroegbunam offers something different. He’s 23, already comfortable at Premier League level, and his defensive output suggests there is far more to come. Selling him simply because his contract is running down feels like a financial decision rather than a football one.

T4O’s opinion: Everton should push for a contract extension before entertaining permanent bids. If regular starts aren’t available, approve a straight loan instead of accepting an obligation to buy. A midfielder producing elite defensive numbers at his age is far harder to replace than a £20 million fee might suggest.