According to an emerging report from the Daily Mail this afternoon, Sunderland will only allow Lamine Kone to depart for Everton this summer if they are able to take James McCarthy as part of the deal, with cash and the midfielder likely to tempt David Moyes to cash in on the troublesome and unsettled Ivorian.
Kone’s future at Sunderland is all but sealed as he looks set for the exit door in the coming week or two, topped off by him missing Sunday’s disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Middlesbrough through a rather suspicious back problem.
Another player whose future at their club is coming under increased scrutiny, however, is Republic of Ireland international McCarthy.
It’s looking as though the 25-year-old isn’t in Ronald Koeman’s plans at The Toffees, meaning that a move away from Merseyside is on the cards this month.
David Moyes is claimed to be very keen on bringing McCarthy to Sunderland as he looks to bolster his midfield options amid an injury crisis that is ongoing within the squad and its central options.
However, although they have McCarthy in line as a sweetener for the Kone deal, other clubs are interested in the creative midfielder.
The report from the Daily Mail states that Aston Villa, Watford and Scottish giants Celtic are all looking to make respective loan moves for McCarthy this summer.
