Everton are set to move for Maarten Stekelenburg as Ronald Koeman looks to remedy the club’s goalkeeping issues.
Joel Robles became the Blues’ automatic first-choice stopper in the wake of Tim Howard’s departure to the Colarado Rapids but Koeman has turned his attention to compatriot Steklenburg, currently with Fulham.
The 33-year-old worked with the new Blues manager during a loan spell at Southampton last season and could be available for as little as £1 million.
Stekelenburg served as an understudy to Fraser Forster and would offer a similar level competition at Everton with Koeman targeting another goalkeeper in the summer transfer window.
Meanwhile the Dutchman has refused to extend Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert’s respective Goodison Park careers.
Both Hibbert and Osman were set to leave Everton when their current contracts expired at the end of June but had hoped to convince the Dutchman to include them in his plans for the forthcoming campaign.
However, as previously planned, the home-grown duo will end a lifelong association with their boyhood club after Koeman informed them that they will not feature in his vision.