Everton look to land £80m transfer war chest boost as Man City star wants answers on future

Another enthralling weekend of Premier League football saw the gap at the top of the table shrink once again. Liverpool’s draw to Manchester United allowed Arsenal and Manchester City to close in, with just one point between the three title-challenging juggernauts.

A frustrating draw for Aston Villa means they have been knocked out of the top four by Tottenham Hotspur, who wounded relegation candidates Nottingham Forest. The fight at the bottom of the table is also too close to call, as Forest and Luton Town are now level on points, with Brentford, Everton and even Crystal Palace not completely safe either.

This rollercoaster of a season is set to go right down to the wire and it’s almost impossible to predict who will finish where. As we gear up for another weekend, let’s take a look at some of the latest transfer rumours doing the rounds as the summer window rapidly approaches.

Man City star wants answers by summer

Man City are pushing to secure their fourth consecutive Premier League title but the competition is incredibly tough this season. Both Liverpool and Arsenal are posing huge threats to Pep Guardiola’s efforts and the battle at the top is set to go right down to the wire.

City boast an incredible squad with admirable depth in all areas but for those without regular minutes this season, the summer could present an ultimatum. That certainly seems to be the case for Stefan Ortega anyway, as according to Mail Sport, the 31-year-old has ‘reached an impasse’ with the club over a potential new contract.

Talks have been ongoing for ‘well over six months’ and Ortega is now looking for ‘a resolution’ to the situation by the time the summer transfer window opens. The German wants to become the No.1 choice at the highest possible level but with Ederson the firm first choice, there’s very little chance of that happening.

The 3AM Verdict: Ortega has seriously impressed lately and definitely deserves a place as the starting goalkeeper but that opportunity is highly unlikely to present itself at City. At 31, he cannot afford to wait around for scraps while Ederson is out or rested either. Ortega’s contract is up in 2025 so City’s best bet is to cash in now while they can, as it seems he isn’t prepared to settle for second fiddle anymore. Based on his performances lately, the Citizens could command a decent fee for him this summer, allowing him to move on and become a starter for another top club.

Everton name £80m price for key duo

Despite being dealt a points deduction during another nail-biting season at the foot of the table, Everton have managed to put some significant daylight between them and the drop zone. This is now the third consecutive year that the Toffees have been fighting for their Premier League status.

While they have done extremely well to boost their chances of survival, Sean Dyche and co are still very much at risk of slipping back into the bottom three if they drop points over the coming weeks. Everton’s continued fight with relegation, plus their need to balance the books, has resulted in doubt cast over their ability to keep hold of some of their most important players.

Jordan Pickford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are just two names who have been linked with potential exits this summer and Football Insider has reported that the club will demand in the region of £80 million for the duo. Pickford has reportedly been valued between £30-40 million, while Calvert-Lewin is at the higher end of that bracket.

The 3AM Verdict: Sadly for Everton, despite a gutsy two fingers to their points deduction this season, things aren’t looking to be any easier for them. The Blues have done well to keep highly-rated players on their books over the last three seasons but another tough run could spell the end for a number of key personnel. The Toffees are already cautious of upsetting more Profit and Sustainability rules so they will more than likely have to bit the bullet this summer and sell players they usually heavily rely on. Calvert-Lewin is out of contract in 2025 so cashing in at the end of this season is their only sensible option as they cannot afford to lose him for free next year.