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Everton's Marco Silva Denies Rumours of Second PSG Bid for Idrissa Gueye
January 30, 2019
Everton manager Marco Silva has denied rumours Paris Saint-Germain have made a second bid for midfielder Idrissa Gueye, as speculation regarding his future continues to swirl.
Les Parisiens have been heavily linked with Gueye in January and after the midfielder was left out of the win over Huddersfield, questions were bound to arise. Silva told reporters (h/t Goal's James Westwood) Gueye missed the match because of injury before refuting reports there had been a second offer:
"He had a minor problem with his groin.
"But to be honest with you and our fans, but after the match, I found out if something new had happened because I expected your question about him.
"There is nothing new. He had a minor problem in his groin but the feedback I got after the match was there was nothing new, no new offers for him, he keeps being our player and I hope he can continue with us."
He also said he had no knowledge about a possible transfer request from the player. Sky Sports News previously reported Gueye had asked to leave the club, and Silva has confirmed the Toffees have rejected an offer from the Ligue 1 champions, per Ryan Benson of Goal.
The speculation has gone into overdrive in the past few days and Paris United have even suggested Silva could be on his way out of the club over the deal, as shared by Bleacher Report's Samuel Rooke:
The 29-year-old from Senegal has been a regular for Everton this season, making 19 Premier League starts so far. He joined from Aston Villa in 2016 after the Villans were relegated.
One of the best pure tacklers and ball-winners in the Premier League, Gueye is a vital component of Everton's midfield. There's no true stylistic replacement in the squad who can come close to his defensive output, and with Thursday being deadline day, there would be almost no time to replace him should he leave.
The reported opening bid of £21.5 million is seen as far to low by some, including sportswriter Ian Croll:
PSG are on the lookout for midfield depth to power their UEFA Champions League campaign, and the experienced Gueye would profile as an immediate-impact signing. He could also be seen as a replacement for Adrien Rabiot, who will no longer feature for the club after announcing his intention to leave as a free agent in the summer, per Yahoo Sports France (h/t Metro).
That unexpected setback has left a gaping hole in PSG's midfield, and while they added Argentinian midfielder Leandro Paredes, more is needed.
Paredes joined from Zenit Saint Petersburg and may need time to readjust to playing in a top league.