David Moyes has described Idrissa Gueye as an inspiration to his Everton team-mates following another standout season from the veteran midfielder.
However, Moyes stopped short of confirming whether the Senegal international will be offered a new deal, with his contract set to expire this summer.
Gueye, who turns 36 on 26 September, has been a key figure for Everton throughout the campaign, making 33 Premier League appearances.
According to Opta, he has made 119 tackles – more than any other player across Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues – a stat revealed just prior to Everton’s narrow 1-0 defeat at Chelsea last Saturday.
“It’s fantastic, but it’s telling me that he’s had to make 119 tackles, which I don’t know if it’s a good thing. It depends which way you look at the stats I suppose,” said Moyes.
“Look, I think Idrissa Gueye has done fantastically well, he really has, he’s surprised me a lot. He’s not a spring chicken, and we’re mindful of that.
“We’ve tried to rest him on odd occasions, here and there, but he’s done so well, he’s kept playing.
“I think he’s very good at breaking the play up and I think his experience is good. There’s a certain group of players here who he’s very helpful to and they see him as a top player and a gentleman as well, they rely on him a lot, but for me, he’s done so well.”
The midfielder’s Everton career spans two separate three-year spells, interrupted by a stint at Paris Saint-Germain. In total, he has made 207 appearances for the Merseyside club.
Gueye is not alone in facing an uncertain future at Goodison Park. Ten other Everton players also have contracts due to expire this summer, presenting the club with key decisions to make as they prepare for a major transition.
That transition includes the club’s highly anticipated move into a new stadium, signalling the beginning of a fresh chapter for Everton. Yet, questions remain about whether stalwarts like Gueye will be part of that next phase.
