Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti is confident Theo Walcott will not leave the club in the transfer window after omitting the English winger from the squad for the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Walcott, who arrived from Arsenal in 2018, has made one appearance for Everton this season, in the 3-0 League Cup win over Salford City.
The 31-year-old has not featured in the Merseyside club’s last three matches and British media have linked him with a move to Leeds United.
Asked whether Walcott could leave the club in the transfer window, Ancelotti said: “I don’t think so. The problem is the competition is really high in this moment. Sometimes it can happen that a player, like Theo, is not involved.
“Unfortunately, this is the decision I have to take and I am not absolutely happy to take this kind of decision, to leave out a player like Walcott. A player who is professional, serious in training and always ready.”
Everton, who are second in the Premier League standings with three wins from three, face West Ham United in the League Cup on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have reached an agreement to sign defender Ruben Dias from Benfica for 68 million euros plus add-ons, the Portuguese club have said.
City’s Argentinian defender Nicolas Otamendi will go the other way in a separate transfer for 15 million euros, Benfica said.
Benfica confirmed the transfers in a statement on Sunday but said the players would still need to sign their respective contracts.
Dias, 23, has made 137 appearances during a four-year spell with the Portuguese club, winning the league title in 2018-19. He has won 19 caps for Portugal and was part of the side that lifted the Uefa Nations League trophy last year.
His arrival will help shore up a leaky City defence, which shipped five goals to Leicester City on Sunday. Dias will be City’s fifth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Pablo Moreno, Ferran Torres, Nathan Ake and Scott Carson.
Otamendi, 32, won two Premier League titles and an FA Cup with City and leaves after five seasons.
