Everton are reportedly considering letting Michael Keane leave Goodison Park on loan when the January transfer window opens.
And that could alert some of the Blues' Premier League rivals, while a move abroad has also been touted.
The 29-year-old centre-back has found himself pushed to first-team margins after Frank Lampard brought James Tarkowski and Conor Coady to Merseyside in the summer, with the pair going on the establish themselves as a first-choice partnership.
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Keane has only started one Blues match all season, against Fleetwood Town in the EFL Cup, and his only Premier League appearance came as a substitute against Brentford on August 27. With Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate, the former Burnley player's opportunities now appear limited, paving the way for a possible January move.
According to the Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest and West Ham considered a move for Keane in the summer, but with Everton yet to complete their recruitment at the time, the Blues "turned down offers". Although a move to another Premier League club "would not come as a surprise", a switch to a different European league is also a viable option for the centre-back.
Keane has reportedly acquired an Irish passport, which will allow him to bypass Brexit regulations imposed on UK passport holders.
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