Everton could revive interest in Crystal Palace defender Patrick Van Aanholt
Everton could revive their interest in Patrick van Aanholt despite Sam Allardyce's departure from Goodison Park.
Allardyce signed Van Aanholt for Crystal Palace after working with him at Sunderland, and had been linked with another move for the Holland left-back before he was sacked by Everton earlier this month.
However, it's understood that Van Aanholt, 27, could still figure on the list of Everton's transfer targets this summer as they seek a long-term successor to 33-year-old Leighton Baines.
Everton could still pursue a move for Crystal Palace defender Patrick Van Aanholt this summer
The club's new director of football, Dutchman Marcel Brands, is well aware of the capabilities of a defender who likes to get forward and score goals.
Van Aanholt was on target in each of Palace's final three games of the season, having previously scored against Manchester United and Chelsea.
It's understood that Manchester City considered signing him in the January transfer window to help cover for the absence of Benjamin Mendy before deciding that Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko could do the job.
Van Aanholt was on target in each of Palace's final three games of the season
CRYSTAL PALACE TOP SCORERS 2017/18 Luka Milivojevic - 10 goals Wilfried Zaha - 9 goals James McArthur - 7 goals Bakary Sako - 6 goals Patrick Van Aanholt - 5 goals
With Danny Rose unlikely to swap Tottenham for Goodison, and Luke Shaw now set to stay at Manchester United, Everton are assessing their options. Chelsea's Baba Rahman, another target, has joined Schalke on loan until the end of next season.
There are concerns about Baines's ability to continue as Everton's regular left-back considering his age and injury record, and neither Luke Garbutt nor Brendan Galloway have done enough on loan elsewhere to stake their claim for the position.