Theo Walcott hopeful that Andre Gomes and Kurt Zouma return to Everton

Everton ace Theo Walcott remains hopeful that the club can sign Andre Gomes and Kurt Zouma on permanent deals next season. The duo joined the Toffees on loan from Barcelona and Chelsea respectively last summer and played an influential part from the starting lineup over the course of the campaign.

Speaking to The Liverpool Echo, Walcott praised the impact from the pairing and said that it is up to Everton to decide whether to pursue permanent deals for both, he said: “Yeah well they're two great guys, great professionals who have been fantastic throughout the season for us. It’s up to Everton and themselves to decide. As a player I know what they're probably going through. But fingers crossed they can come back, I've enjoyed every minute with them and they've been a big boost for us. We'll see, who knows? I'm like a fan, we want the best players to sign for Everton and they're definitely two of them.”

Zouma joined the Toffees from Chelsea during the dying stages of the summer transfer window and he was thereafter integrated into the starting XI where he was regularly partnered with Michael Keane. On the contrary, Gomes did not enjoy a similar beginning after spending the opening two months out with an ankle problem.
Nonetheless, he made his bow for the Toffees during the backend of October and his performances therefore were consistent enough to keep him in the lineup for most of the campaign. Gomes is currently valued at around £25m by Barcelona and reports indicate that the Toffees may have to battle with Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan for his signature.

Zouma, on the other hand, has been valued at around £35m but Chelsea are widely expected to decline a summer sale unless they can overcome their transfer ban. The west London giants are currently restricted from making signings for the next two transfer windows but they remain hopeful of at least freezing the embargo through the Court of Arbitration for Sport.