Cutting the loan at Cardiff short after a rather disappointing first half of the season, Everton sent Niels Nkounkou over to AS Saint-Etienne to see out the campaign.
Hopes might not have been overly high about it being a success, but it has turned into one, with the left-back galavanting up and down the pitch, providing assists and a continued threat for the Ligue 2 side.
That’s why there are now hopes he could stay beyond the current season, which is touched upon by Score.fr, who look at the situation.
They state the Everton man’s performances ‘don’t leave Saint-Etienne indifferent’, as he has been standing out and ‘continues to be decisive’ for the French club on a weekly basis.
In fact, there have been calls for them to buy him, with French journalist Denis Balbir stating it would be “interesting to keep him” when discussing the player with But! Football Club.
The problem for Saint-Etienne is that no pre-agreed fee was discussed in the loan deal, meaning any transfer would need to be negotiated from scratch.
Should Everton be open to a sale, it’s believed ‘a sum of between €2-3m could be required’ by the Premier League side, unless, of course, they decide a sale ‘is not an option’.
That could end up being Sean Dyche’s choice, all depending on whether or not the Toffees avoid the drop to the Championship and whether he wants to use him next season.
