Several teams, notably Sheffield United, are said to be interested in loaning Everton defender Mason Holgate.
The 2023/24 Premier League season is quickly coming, and Paul Heckingbottom’s summer shopping list includes a new defense. His Sheffield United side is still heavily linked with a bid for versatile Everton defender Mason Holgate.
According to Football Insider, the Blades, Southampton, and Leeds United have all made loan bids for the 26-year-old. Nottingham Forest have also been linked with the player in the past.
Holgate, a former Barnsley youth player, has been with the Toffees since 2015. However, Holgate struggled to command regular first-team play at Goodison Park last season, appearing in only eight games as Sean Dyche’s side nearly survived relegation. Everton are believed to have agreed to loan Holgate out next season.
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Holgate, who worked closely with Heckingbottom at Oakwell, still has two years remaining on his contract with the Merseyside club. He has made nearly 150 appearances for Everton, scoring five goals.
It has been far from an ideal pre-season for United, who have recorded just one win from their four friendlies. Heckingbottom has recruited three new players in the form of Anis Slimane, Yasser Larouci and Benie Traore but has expressed his desire to bring in more reinforcements before the big kick-off.
Heckingbottom addressed the club’s media team following their behind-closed-doors friendly defeat to Girona on Wednesday: “There were some good parts of the game, we split the squad so for some of our players it was a real test.” But we persisted against a strong technical staff.
“We definitely need to improve our ball-handling discipline.” It was a great 74-minute workout for the boys who will play in the first game of the season, as well as an eye-opener for our younger players.”
United play Derby County in their next pre-season friendly tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Pride Park.
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