Club could wait until 2025 to sign exit-linked Everton defender - report

Atalanta are willing to wait until January to sign Ben Godfrey on a pre-contract agreement if no deal is reached with Everton this summer, according to HITC.

The online source reported [27 June] that, while several teams are keeping tabs on the 27-year-old’s situation at Goodison Park, the Italian club have already offered around £10million for the defender.

Despite this, the Toffees value the player around £15million, with fellow interested club Lyon said to have made a bid much closer to their valuation.

But HITC report that Atalanta would be willing to waiting 12 months for Godfrey, who is out of contract in June 2025.

Could Everton lose Ben Godfrey to Atalanta for free next summer?

The Toffees are in an extremely difficult position with Godfrey this summer.

The centre-back is approaching the final 12 months of his contract at Goodison Park, meaning the club is at great risk of losing the player for free next summer, having signed him for £25million in 2020 [BBC Sport].

That would be a huge loss, and a disappointing one at that after his recent seasons with the club, having only made 13 Premier League starts last term.

He has been a bit-part-player for the last two campaigns, only amassing 23 league starts in that time but has not been able to go out on loan like some of his teammates.

Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski’s partnership in defence means there is little room for Godfrey or Michael Keane, and certainly not returning loanee Mason Holgate, so it is easy to understand why he would be keen on leaving.

At 26 years of age, Godfrey still has plenty of football to play, and given his potential, it is no wonder why Everton want £15million for him, though Atalanta do not seem to want to pay up.

If the club are able to strike a deal with Lyon, there will be no worries over potentially losing the centre-half for free next summer, but it is certainly a story to keep an eye on this summer.

In other Everton news, the Toffees are interested in signing a Manchester United defender as a transfer update emerges at Goodison Park.

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