Everton have decided against triggering a £4.5 million option to sign Conor Coady from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Blues have confirmed that Coady will re-join the Molineux club after making 25 appearances and scoring two goals during his time at Goodison Park. The defender’s final start for the club came in Sunday’s all-important 1-0 win over Bournemouth.
Coady was surprisingly allowed to move on loan to Goodison in the summer after seven seasons at Molineux in which he barely missed a game. Then Wolves boss Bruno Lage sanctioned the deal amid reservations about whether the England international could play in a back four.
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During the negotiations, Everton’s director of football Kevin Thelwell inserted a clause in the deal that included the option for his club to purchase the centre-back for £4.5m this summer, but the Blues have now decided against making the deal a permanent one.
Everton have also confirmed that Ruben Vinagre has returned to Sporting Clube de Portugal following the conclusion of his loan. The left-back made just four appearances in all competitions during his time on Merseyside and missed the end of the campaign through injury.
Commentating on the departures, Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell said: "We want to sincerely thank Conor and Ruben for their impeccable professionalism and valuable contributions both on and off the pitch during their time with the club. We wish both players the best in their futures."
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