James McCarthy: From £25m Tottenham target to Everton’s expendable option

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James McCarthy is being linked with a move away from Everton in January. The Daily Mail is reporting that West Ham United are keen on bringing the player in on loan until the end of the season.

The Hammers are not alone, with Fulham and West Brom also keen on his services.

McCarthy has struggled to get back into the Everton first-team since a horror leg break a year ago and has been struggling to make the matchday squad under Marco Silva.

It is quite a turnaround for the player, considering where he was four years ago.

At the start of that transfer window, he was being linked with Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

Tottenham, in particular, got close to signing the player. In January 2015, he was wanted by Spurs in a deal that would have set them back £25 million. However, Roberto Martinez was adamant his former Wigan player was going nowhere and Everton held on to him.

That interest from Tottenham was justified. There was a spell in his Everton career when every time he went out on to the pitch he put in a man-of-the-match display.

But Tottenham are probably glad they did not bring McCarthy in after all.

His career has tailed off since. Injuries have not helped. As well as the leg break he suffered from serious hamstring trouble which stunted his development into the quality midfielder Everton were hoping he would. Under Ronald Koeman, he went backwards and the leg break a year ago seems to have put an end to his Everton career.

Tottenham will feel they dodged a £25 million bullet whilst Everton will be gutted they never managed to get the best out of McCarthy since denying him a Spurs switch.