Everton want to recall defender Mason Holgate in the January transfer window due to a lack of action at Southampton, sources have told Football Insider.
Holgate has only started four games for the Championship club since joining on a season-long loan.
Everton want the centre-back to be playing more regularly and are keen to terminate his loan and then find him a new club in January.
The Merseysiders allowed the 27-year-old to join Southampton on a season-long deal in the summer window after he fell out of favour with Sean Dyche.
But Holgate has featured sparingly for the promotion chasers, playing just 289 minutes of action in five total appearances.
Southampton have won just one of the four games the England Under-21 international has started.
The centre-back, who earns a reported £70,000-a-week wage at Goodison Park, is out of contract in June 2025.
He has made 149 total appearances for Everton since joining the club from Barnsley in 2015.
Holgate was previously named the Toffees’ Player’s Player of the Season for the 2019-20 campaign after impressing under ex-boss Carlo Ancelotti.
But he made just nine appearances across all competitions last term and must now face joining another second-tier outfit in January.
Southampton, who have regularly lined up with Jan Bednarek and Taylor Harwood-Bellis at the heart of their defence this term, sit fourth in the Championship.
Everton sit 17th in the Premier League with 13 points despite being deducted 10 points last month for Financial Fair Play rule breaches.
In other news, Everton to green light another defender exit as Tottenham swoop.
