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It appears Belgian internationals have an inexplicable deep-rooted longing to play for Everton. Between Marouane Fellaini, Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku the Blues had the Red Devils covered for a few years. The Roberto Martinez took on the national team job and the Blues seemed in for midfielder Axel Witsel.
And now with the last Belgian on the Toffees (Mirallas) looking like he’ll be playing in some throwaway league on the continent this next season, right back Thomas Meunier has decided he wants to be the latest Belgium international on the Blues.
Under Unai Emery at Paris St. Germain, Meunier has seen his game time shrink this seasons with the manager preferring to use veteran Brazilian Dani Alves. The Belgian has been at PSG since 2016 and displaced Serge Aurier who then moved on to Tottenham Hotspur.
On one hand the 26-year-old can be criticized for losing his starting spot to the aging Alves, who has made 41 appearances to Meunier’s 27 this season, but then again Emery has shown himself incapable of even the most basic decision-making this season.
Thomas Meunier - Ligue 1 16/17 (up to February 16th) pic.twitter.com/VET9D6tOn6
— Football Radars (@FussballRadars) February 16, 2017
Speaking with Belgian media outlet RTBF, Meunier namechecked Everton as well as Valencia and Borussia Dortmund as possible clubs he would move to.
“I do not ask too much for now, what I want, I repeat, is just playing football, and if I have to go down a notch to be able to be on the pitch, I will do with pleasure.I still have two years of contract in Paris. My goal is to stay in Paris. I like it a lot. For the moment, it’s difficult to make forecasts.
“Down one notch, what does it mean to play in a sub-top club in the style of Everton, Valencia or Dortmund? Michy Batshuayi made a very good choice by going there. The pleasure is to play football and that’s what I miss for now.”
While the direct translation doesn’t necessarily make too much sense, Meunier appears to be suggesting that making the move to a club one step down from the world class level he’s at with PSG might be a better career move for him if he’s looking for more playing time.
His current deal with PSG expires at the end of the 2019-20 season, and with Seamus Coleman back and Jonjoe Kenny waiting in the wings, Everton need Meunier even less than they do Shinji Kagawa, so that’s that.