Martin O'Neill and Ronald Koeman may soon have no reason to continue their ongoing spat over James McCarthy as the Everton midfielder has emerged as a summer target for three Premier League clubs.
Reports from Simon Jones have emerged in the Daily Mail that suggest newly promoted Newcastle, Crystal Palace, and West Ham United want to add the former Wigan midfielder to their squad ahead of next season.
The fee is reported to be £20m, which would eclipse the record fee paid for an Irishman when Robbie Keane joined Liverpool for £19m in 2009.
Everton are preparing to sell James McCarthy this summer as Newcastle United, West Ham and Crystal Palace circle for the midfielder.
Manager Ronald Koeman says the 26-year-old has a future at Goodison but club sources maintain they will try and sell McCarthy for around £20million to help offset their planned summer spending spree.
Koeman had insisted that McCarthy has a future at Goodison Park after questions were asked regarding the Irishman's place in the squad, and despite being named in the Ireland panel for upcoming matches with Uruguay, Austria, and Mexico, he has withdrawn shortly after so that he can regain fitness and enjoy a full preseason.
Even still, it seems as though Newcastle are the most keen to add McCarthy to their midfield, according to Jones.
However, that pre-season may be spent elsewhere with Newcastle particularly keen to pair McCarthy with Fulham's Tom Cairney. Palace and West Ham have also expressed interest.
This is an interesting one, as the form of Idrissa Gueye and the emergence of Tom Davies will have seen McCarthy's role at Everton reduced, although there has been no suggestion that the player is looking to move.
We'll keep you posted on any developments, and whether or not McCarthy becomes the first Irish international to be sold over the £20m mark.
