Player was on verge of signing new Everton contract before quitting Goodison - report

Lewis Dobbin was close to signing a contract extension at Everton before learning of interest from Aston Villa, according to The Athletic.

The outlet reported via their website on 3 September that the young attacker was about to sign new terms at Goodison Park before he was sold to Unai Emery’s side, a move which saw Tim Ireogbunam come the opposite direction in a separate deal.

Dobbin, 21, made 12 Premier League appearances under Sean Dyche last season but was sacrificed ahead of the 30 June accounting cut off to help avoid more profit and sustainability issues.

He has already been loaned from Villa Park to West Brom in the Championship since leaving the Toffees.

Everton sold Lewis Dobbin to Aston Villa, bought Tim Iroegbunam

Dobbin’s exit wasn’t a huge blow in the grand scheme of things but did represent yet another homegrown player departing to elsewhere in the Premier League before truly making a breakthrough for Everton.

Iroegbunam’s positive start to life under Dyche has helped the Toffees come out on top of the double-deal, as he is already a key man in the first team while Dobbin has been shifted to The Hawthorns.

Ben Godfrey was also sold to Atalanta before the end of June and has reportedly struggled in Serie A so far [Tutto Atalanta, 2 September].

Deals to bring back Jack Harrison while signing Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrom fleshed out the attacking areas where Dobbin would have been slated to feature, but so far that hasn’t prevented Dyche losing three out of three in the league and facing anger and calls to be sacked [Liverpool Echo, 2 September].

Godfrey had refused a contract extension before he left [HITC, 11 June], while Dominic Calvert-Lewin was a candidate to go after turning down his own offer [Caught Offside, 27 August].

Dobbin was seemingly ready to commit his future to the club, but the financial predicament they found themselves in forced them to move him out anyway.

In other Everton news, Dyche is in line to be the first managerial sacking of the season before the Toffees next play a game.

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