Everton have stepped back from their pursuit of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with David Moyes and the recruitment team now focused elsewhere for the answer to their right-back problem.
As recently as last month, Wan-Bissaka was considered Everton’s most advanced target in that position, with Moyes’ prior working relationship with him at West Ham seen as an advantage in getting a deal done.
Since then, West Ham’s asking price climbed from an initial £10m to somewhere in the £15-20m range following their relegation to the Championship, and it appears that shift, combined with Everton settling on a different profile of full-back, has been enough to end their interest.
The retreat hasn’t gone unnoticed. Lazio are now reported to be keen, while Arsenal are also said to be viewing Wan-Bissaka as a possible defensive option.
None of this changes the underlying issue for Everton. Right-back remains unresolved regardless of which specific name they end up pursuing, with Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Rico Lewis and Zakaria El Ouahdi all still, reportedly, live options.
If Moyes believes one of those represents a better fit than Wan-Bissaka, stepping away makes sense. But with pre-season already underway and Merlin Rohl having to deputise out of position against Dundee, there isn’t too much time left to decide.
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