Everton return to Premier League action on April 11 with a trip to Brentford.
The match carries significant weight in the battle for European qualification, with the two sides separated by goal difference alone and both within three points of the likely Champions League places.
Should results go their way, they could have their Premier League status confirmed for another season. Although it is certain now that Everton will be staying in the Premier League, the Brentford game will mathematically confirm it. That would trigger the obligation to make the signing of Merlin Rohl permanent.
The Rohl transfer clause
Rohl joined Everton on loan from German club Freiburg in the final hours of the summer transfer window. David Moyes had been keen to strengthen his midfield and had monitored the Germany Under-21s international while at West Ham United.
His loan deal contained the agreement that the Blues would make the deal permanent for a fee of around £18m in the event the club avoided relegation.
Merlin Rohl has made 12 appearances in the Premier League this term, though the campaign has been blighted by a hip issue that has hampered his availability. His two starts have seen Everton secure important away wins while keeping clean sheets.
The first one was a 2-0 victory at Nottingham Forest in late December and the second was a 2-0 win at Aston Villa in January, where he excelled alongside Harrison Armstrong.
What it means for Everton
Everton will head into the next round of Premier League fixtures knowing neither of the bottom two clubs, Wolves and Burnley, can catch them. The Blues are 17 points clear of West Ham United and 16 points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur.
Should Moyes’ side win in London, then defeat for West Ham at Wolves or Spurs at Sunderland would make it mathematically impossible for them to go down with six games to go.
That would trigger the Rohl obligation immediately. The 23-year-old has been a late substitute in Everton’s two most recent games and will be hoping for more minutes as the season concludes.
For Everton, signing Rohl permanently represents another piece of squad planning falling into place. With European football a realistic possibility and the club’s financial position stabilised under The Friedkin Group, adding a young, versatile midfielder makes sense.
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