Everton could consider Lookman permanent transfer to Leipzig

After yesterday’s comments from Red Bull Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick saying that the German club could be interested in signing young winger Ademola Lookman permanently, Everton manager Sam Allardyce was asked about his thoughts on the matter.

Lookman does not have an option-to-buy on his loan deal that saw the youngster go to Leipzig in January, but Rangnick sounded quite committed after watching him score over the weekend (via ESPN) -

“If it were down to us, I’d already know the answer. But it’s not only down to us. We have no clause in the contract.

”I think that we can only answer the question once the season’s finished. It also depends on what happens at Everton.

”Mola has shown that he is more than just a desperate last-minute signing. How he played during the second half at Bremen, I really liked that. And not only because he scored that goal.”

Per Allardyce though, Everton were not against the idea of selling the player they just signed a year ago for £10m (via Liverpool Echo).

“It depends what we think as a board of directors and as a football department. Where are we going to go if we let him go? What are we going to do with the money that we’re going to accumulate from him? How much money are they going to offer?

“Everybody has a price so if the price goes to where we think we should accept it then I would recommend it but if the price doesn’t get anywhere near then we’ll have him back here and see how he goes on next season.”

Big Sam insisted Lookman hadn’t gotten any more opportunities in Germany than he would have with the Toffees. The youngster has played 268 minutes over seven games, scoring twice and picking up one assist since January, while playing 591 minutes in 16 games for the Blues and scoring twice before going out on loan.

“He hasn’t played as much as he wanted to. His gripe with me was he wasn’t getting picked but in all fairness he’s had very limited experience on their pitch as well, hasn’t he.

“So if he wants to go there he may say he’s not played enough football so may say he’s not sure about going there, but if he does we would have to listen to what the offer is and that’s to be done between the board and the director of football.

“When it comes to me and they say ‘it’s this much’ I’ll have my say, they’ll have their say, everyone has a say, we make a decision and move on.”

It will indeed be disappointing if the Blues decide to sell Lookman, a promising young winger who already has seven England U-21 caps and a bright future ahead of him.