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The wisdom of how important European football is to players when they consider a transfer is contested.

Do players simply follow the money, with a lucrative offer talking above all other considerations?

Or is the prestige of playing in continental competition a major factor when players weigh up their options?

Either way, being able to offer European competition to potential recruits will unquestionably be of benefit to Everton this summer.

A look around Europe's leagues reveals some talented players who aren't likely to get be playing in the Europa League or Champions League next season if they stay where they are.

Here then are eight players Everton could attract with the promise of European nights at Goodison Park.

1 - Florentin Pogba (Saint Etienne), centre-back

Saint Etienne, currently seventh in Ligue 1, are unlikely to snatch a place in the Europa League next season.

So, though it wouldn't attract as much attention as his brother Paul going to Manchester United, Everton could tempt the older Pogba with the lure of European football.

The 26-year-old has had a solid season in defence and is a rumoured transfer target of Arsene Wenger.

With Arsenal highly unlikely to get into the Champions League, could Everton compete on level terms?

2 – Joe Hart (Torino), goalkeeper

Hart got used to Champions League nights at Manchester City but such occasions won't be forthcoming at Torino and neither will Europa League football.

With uncertainty over who is the best option to be Everton's goalkeeper in the current squad, Hart has the Premier League experience to make the position his own.

Bookmakers 888Sport recently made Everton the favourites to sign him.

3 – Ever Banega (Inter Milan), midfielder

One of the Milan clubs will not be competing in Europe next season and there's even an outside chance that both could miss out in favour of Fiorentina.

That should put scouts around the continent on high alert.

Inter's Argentinian attacking midfielder Banega would represent a real transfer coup for Everton as he is on Atletico Madrid's radar.

With six goals this season, he's close to being the answer to Ronald Koeman's desire for a midfielder who can contribute 10 or more goals a season.

4 - Jannik Vestergaard ( Borussia Mönchengladbach), centre-back

Monchengladbach could still creep into the Europa League spots in Germany but it's far from assured.

Everton's desire to sign a centre-back this summer is well-known and they were previously linked with Vestergaard in 2015 when he was at Werder Bremen.

He can read the game well, is a tough tackler and at 6ft 5ins could handle the aerial challenges of English football.

Having only arrived at Monchengladbach from Werder Bremen for around £10m last summer, it could take a hefty transfer fee to make a deal.

But his team will have gone from Champions League football this season to potentially no European football next season.

5 – Wesley Hoedt (Lazio), centre-back

Everton can compete on equal terms with Lazio in offering Europa League football next season, with the Rome club, in fourth, unable to catch Napoli in third to get into the Champions League.

It opens up another centre-back option for Ronald Koeman – Wesley Hoedt.

The Dutch 23-year-old broke into his national squad this year.

He's comfortable on the ball and strong in the air and was subject to a £9 million transfer bid by Leicester City in January.

6 - Gaston Pereiro (PSV Eindhoven), attacking midfielder/forward

PSV, in third, are on the verge of missing out on the Champions League, as they need to overhaul Ajaz in second.

Their talented 21-year-old winger may feel it's time to make the step to a bigger league as a result.

It can be a risk to take players from the Dutch league because of the step up in quality to play in the Premier League.

But Pereiro, who has scored 10 times this season and played on both flanks, was recommended as a useful squad player to Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham by former PSV coach Aad de Mos.

7 - Nikola Kalinic (Fiorentina), striker

This would be a signing which would demonstrate Everton's ambition.

Fiorentina lie in eighth in Serie A, two places off European qualification, but with the tenth highest goalscorer in the league on their books.

The Croatian 29-year-old has an admirable scoring record with 20 goals in 30 appearances this season.

Importantly, he netted five times in seven Europa League appearances.

He's rumoured to be a target for Borussia Dortmund though and is valued at around £16 to £20 million.

8 – Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), midfielder

Although his stock has fallen since his captivating role in Leicester's title-winning season, Mahrez remains an extremely gifted footballer.

He's known to be keen on a move to Barcelona but that dream may have faded with Leicester's league performance this season.

His return of four goals in nine Champions League games for the Foxes shows he can do it on Europe's biggest stage.

If the offers from the top tier of European clubs aren't forthcoming, he could make an exciting addition at Goodison