Tyrique George has been backed to make a permanent move from Chelsea to Everton this summer, with former England international Glen Johnson claiming the 20-year-old could be "a steal" for David Moyes' men.
Johnson's verdict on George
Johnson, a fellow Londoner who also moved from Stamford Bridge to Merseyside via Portsmouth, played 200 games for Liverpool between 2009 and 2015. He believes George could be an inspired purchase for their local rivals. "Tyrique George is a fantastic player, and I think a permanent move to Everton would be good for him," Johnson told LiveFootballTickets. "I think he suits them nicely and he is talented enough to be really productive for them. I think Everton could really unlock his talents next season if they choose to sign him, similarly to how they did with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall last season."
Johnson added: "Tyrique needs to be playing football week in, week out to improve as a player, and I think a fresh start for him at Everton would be beneficial to both parties. I think Everton would allow him to express his talent and if they did that his £20million buyout clause would look like a steal."
George's loan spell at Everton
Everton signed George on loan from Chelsea on transfer deadline day in January after Jack Grealish suffered a stress fracture in his foot that ruled him out for the season. The wide attacker made 11 appearances for the Blues, 10 of which were off the bench, totalling 210 minutes of action. He has scored six goals in 37 games for Chelsea overall.
Moyes on George's future
Speaking ahead of the final game of the season at Tottenham Hotspur, Everton boss David Moyes said: "We've got two players on loan, Tyrique and Jack. Obviously, at the moment, they go back to their clubs and we'll take it from there. As the summer goes on, we'll decide on what path we're going to take on both of them. We like Tyrique, obviously we like Jack a lot."
Moyes added: "We've not got an answer for you if you're going to throw me a Jack Grealish question in a minute or two as well. I've told you, we've enjoyed having Tyrique here, he's been an excellent boy and his work rate and everything has been excellent, so we're happy with him."
Johnson is in no doubt that Everton should take up their option to sign George permanently. The winger's £20 million buyout clause could prove to be a bargain if he fulfills his potential at Goodison Park.
