Everton are close to reaching an agreement with Chelsea to sign winger Tyrique George after his loan spell.
The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Goodison Park. While there was a £25m option to buy, Everton have reworked the terms to a smaller initial fee with add-ons.
George featured 11 times for Everton, starting once, but made a strong impression on manager David Moyes during his four months at the club. In May, Moyes described him as “an excellent boy” with an “excellent work-rate” when asked about a permanent move.
With George’s deal nearing completion, Everton are also finalising a £16m move for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney. Attacking midfielder Merlin Röhl is expected to make his loan from SC Freiburg permanent after a successful stint, while Idrissa Gana Gueye and Seamus Coleman have left following the expiry of their contracts.
A Chelsea academy graduate, George has been available for transfer for the past year. He held talks with RB Leipzig last summer, and a £22m move to Fulham fell through on deadline day in September 2025.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are continuing their squad rebuild under new manager Xabi Alonso. They have signed Marco Palestra from Atalanta and remain interested in Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix, Como’s Jacobo Ramon and Rayo Vallecano full-back Pep Chavarría.
Chelsea also plan to trim their squad after finishing 10th in the Premier League and missing out on European football, which means fewer fixtures and reduced broadcast and matchday income. The club remains under a Uefa settlement agreement for the next three seasons following financial breaches last summer.
Player sales are therefore likely. Real Madrid are interested in Enzo Fernández, while Como and Inter Milan are among the clubs keen on Trevoh Chalobah. The futures of Benoît Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana are also uncertain, as are those of forwards Alejandro Garnacho and Liam Delap.