According to reports from Football Insider, Everton are eyeing Manchester United winger Dan James ahead of the January transfer window.
It’s suggested the Toffees are likely to focus on the loan market in the new year and are keen to add another fast forward to Carlo Ancelotti’s attacking options, having suffered a drastic slump in results during Richarlison’s recent suspension.
The former Swansea youngster would certainly bring speed to Everton’s starting XI and he showed just how influential he can be at the beginning of last season, when an explosive start to his United career yielded three goals and six assists in his first 20 Premier League outings.
But James is still searching for his first Premier League goal involvement since then and with so many start-studded names ahead of him in the pecking order, it remains to be seen how frequent opportunities to find one will be.
There’s some obvious logic to a loan move, but are Everton the right destination and should United sanction a mid-season switch to Goodison Park?
GIVEMESPORT writers Jack Saville, Matt Dawson and Christy Malyan attempt to answer a simple question: should United let James sign for Everton on loan?
Jack Saville
“Given the strength of options Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has at his disposal, it's easy to see how James has dropped down the pecking order at Man United this season.
"Naturally, he'll be desperate for more first-team opportunities and a January loan move would be in his best interests, but Everton would be a bad fit.
“The club already have a collection of options in wide positions - Bernard, Alex Iwobi, Richarlison, James Rodriguez and a promising looking Anthony Gordon threatening to break through - so there's no guarantee he would even see a significant upturn in involvement under Ancelotti.
“In order to breathe new life into his career, James should look further down the table for a club where he can establish himself as a popular talisman.”
Matt Dawson
“Well, there's certainly more chance of James getting minutes at Everton than Man United so it's not a bad idea. Under Ancelotti, he would be able to seek guidance from a genuinely world-class manager who has been there and done it all at a number of top clubs."
"If a move to Everton fails to materialise, however, then United must seek other options. James needs to progress and he will not do that by sitting on the Old Trafford bench.
“Perhaps a move to one of the lower Premier League clubs would do the trick. He is being wasted at United.”
Christy Malyan
“Ed Woodward needs to be ruthless here. No doubt, a temporary move to Everton has a great chance of helping James’ development.
“Ancelotti doesn’t appear to be particularly enamoured with the likes of Bernard, Iwobi and Gordon - hence the interest in James - so even if he’s not an automatic starter at Goodison, the Welshman is likely to play a more significant role than he currently is at United. So far this season he’s clocked up just 180 minutes in the Premier League.
“But for all intents and purposes, the Toffees are United’s divisional rivals. In fact, it’s Everton who are currently higher in the table as United battle back from an underwhelming start to the season.
“Yes, that situation may change somewhat by January but Everton’s ultimate ambition this term is to qualify for Europe and considering how competitive the top of the table is at the moment with Southampton, Aston Villa and Leicester all exceeding expectations, there is a legitimate danger of it coming at United’s expense.
“So why should United be willing to strengthen Everton in any shape or form, especially when it’s a loan move and they aren’t even getting a transfer fee that can be reinvested in the squad? It might be a good move for James but it’s a bad one for United, and the club’s interests must take priority.”