Chelsea's George close to permanent Everton move

Chelsea's George close to permanent Everton moveImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, George played 48 games in all competitions for Chelsea and Everton last seasonByNizaar KinsellaFootball reporterPublishedJust nowCommentsEverton are close to agreeing a deal with Chelsea to sign winger Tyrique George following his loan spell.The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan on Merseyside, with an option to buy for £25m, but Everton have renegotiated an upfront fee to one with add-ons.George made 11 appearances for Everton, starting once, but impressed manager David Moyes during his four-month spell at the club.In May Moyes described him as "an excellent boy" with an "excellent work-rate" when asked about the possibility of a permanent move before the final match of the season.With the deal for George close, Everton are finalising a £16m deal for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney.Attacking midfielder Merlin Rohl is also set to make his loan move permanent following a successful spell from SC Freiburg last season, while Idrissa Gana Gueye and Seamus Coleman have departed after their contracts expired.George, who came through Chelsea's academy, has been available for transfer for the past 12 months.He held talks with RB Leipzig last summer, while a £22m move to Fulham collapsed on transfer deadline day in September 2025.Chelsea, meanwhile, are continuing their squad rebuild under new manager Xabi Alonso.They have signed Marco Palestra from Atalanta and retain interest in Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix, Como's Jacobo Ramon and Rayo Vallecano full-back Pep Chavarria.However, the club are also looking to reduce the size of their squad after finishing 10th in the Premier League and failing to qualify for European competition. That means fewer matches and reduced revenue from broadcasting and matchdays, while Chelsea remain under a Uefa settlement agreement for the next three seasons after breaching financial re...