Everton: Mason Holgate loan to be terminated by Southampton as replacement lined up at St Mary’s According to Darren Witcoop, Southampton is now prepared to sever Mason Holgate’s loan agreement and return the defender to Everton because they have arranged a substitute.

On December 14, the Sunday Mirror editor tweeted that the Saints are prepared to make a deal for West Ham’s Ben Johnson in order to replace the Toffees player on the south coast.

Although Russell Martin dropped the 27-year-old from the starting lineup to give him more playing time, he stated this week that he would prefer to keep the player in the team. However, it seems the opposite will happen.

“Southampton remains keen on West Ham defender Ben Johnson,” according to Witcoop. Johnson might be on the move next month as the Saints are prepared to end Mason Holgate’s loan. Johnson was under the Saints’ notice in the summer because of his versatility throughout the back line.

Not worked out

Holgate’s position at Goodison Park didn’t appear to be an enjoyable one with Sean Dyche clearly not convinced by him and little opportunity to feature at all, let alone at his natural position of centre-back.

The hope would have been for him to head to the relegated side and revive his career as a first-team regular in the Championship.

Even that would likely have been with a view for him to make a permanent move to Southampton or elsewhere as a result, but clearly that hasn’t panned out after just five appearances in the second tier.

He is surely going to need the Toffees to find him an alternative destination during the January window or he is going to be kicking around on Merseyside without much to do.

Since Ben Godfrey can barely get a kick under Dyche either at the moment, with three of the back four looking impossible to shift amid hugely-improved Everton form, there looks to be little hope for Holgate.

Even at right-back, where Ashley Young has to consider himself fortunate to have kept his place as long as he has this season, there is probably no chance that Holgate would get a game ahead of the 38-year-old, plus Seamus Coleman, Nathan Patterson and Godfrey.

With a year and a half remaining on his contract, it would be advantageous for both parties to figure out how to get him playing time in order to spark interest from potential suitors for a cheap transfer. If not, he might be left aimlessly towards a free transfer departure in two summers with little to show for it.

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