Tottenham Hotspur could view Everton’s James Garner as a possible alternative to Conor Gallagher.
That is the view of transfer journalist Dean Jones, who believes the Everton midfielder could be considered a backup option should Spurs fail to land Gallagher.
Despite being long-time admirers of Gallagher, Spurs have yet to see the midfielder push to leave Chelsea, despite his contract running down.
The former Crystal Palace loanee has less than 18 months left on his deal and with his homegrown status representing 100 per cent profit on any future sale, there is a clear incentive for Todd Boehly to sanction a transfer. The 24-year-old is one of Mauricio Pochettino’s most important players though, so question marks over what to do with him at the end of the season remain.
Consequently, Ange Postecoglou could be forced to identify alternatives, and Jones feels Everton’s Garner is likely to be among the candidates.
“Garner is probably a Gallagher alternative that Tottenham might look at,” he told GiveMeSport.
“Obviously, it’s very early days to be analysing the summer transfer window. We know that Tottenham are still waiting to see if Conor Gallagher does become available because there is a feeling still that he might and the longer that contract situation goes on, the longer they will believe that something might be able to happen.
“But if Conor Gallagher does end up signing a contract extension, they need to have a list of names they immediately turn to. And I guess James Garner kind of fits the profile somewhat so yeah, an interesting one to look out for.”
Should Spurs’ interest in the Toffees’ highly rated number 37 prove genuine, they will be offered even more hope of striking a deal if Sean Dyche fails to keep the club in the Premier League.
Since joining Everton from Manchester United nearly two years ago, Garner, who has two-and-a-half years left on his deal, has directly contributed to four goals in 48 games in all competitions.