Here are your evening Everton headlines for Monday August 17.
Everton squad begin pre-season preparation
Carlo Ancelotti’s squad have returned to Finch Farm ahead of pre-season training to undergo important tests with the club’s medical team.
Today marked the first day back at the club for the majority of the Blues squad who will be looking to prepare as well as possible ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.
The players had just three weeks between the final day defeat to Bournemouth at Goodison Park and today’s return. But the club’s director of medical services, Danny Donachie, thinks the break has been important.
He told evertonfc.com : “I actually think it was very important for them to have a physical and mental break.
“They’ve been doing some work in the last week or so in the lead up to coming back and they’re at a high level of fitness. Because it was such a short time off, you were not going to see big drop-offs.
“The change now is it’s going to be a shorter pre-season and it will be fast-tracked because they don’t need to do a lot of the foundation work they’ve had to in the past.”
Ancelotti linked with move for Celtic midfielder
Everton are reportedly interested in signing Celtic midfielder Oliver Ntcham as they eye midfield reinforcements this summer.
According to Glasgow Live , fellow Premier League sides Southampton and West Ham are also in the race to sign the 24-year-old alongside Everton.
Given that the Celtic midfielder has just one year left on his current contract, Everton could boast a fairly strong position in trying to sign him this summer.
While there will be competition from other clubs, Ancelotti will be keen to get players through the door as soon as possible in this transfer window.
Real Madrid playmaker hints at Premier League move amid Everton rumours
Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez has talked up the possibility of a Premier League move with continued links of a move to Goodison Park.
The Colombia international remains on the periphery of Zinedine Zidane’s squad and looks to be set on a move away this summer.
Ancelotti had been the manager who signed James at Real Madrid and he admits that a move to the Premier League could happen.
He told Daniel Habif in a YouTube interview [via The Mirror ]: "I've already been in several good leagues and the only thing missing is Serie A and the Premier League, you have to see where I want to go or where they want me to go.
"Going to England would be a good thing, it's a top league.
"I too would like to know where I am going. It may take days or weeks until I know where I am going. I really don't know. I want to go where I can play, where I am happy and where I feel loved by the whole world."
