Wigan Athletic return for Leighton Baines mooted

That's the view of Darren Bent, a former team-mate of Baines at England Under-21 and senior level, who says the lure of Latics could be the only thing to cause him to leave Everton after 13 successful seasons.

“I’m sure he might want to go back, I know he started at Wigan, so there’s always that hope to go back to the club he started at," Bent told Football Insider.

"A lot of these players like to go back to the clubs that they started at.

“If he ended up back at Wigan, would it surprise me? Probably not.

"I couldn’t see him going anywhere else outlandish, I couldn’t see him going somewhere random like Bournemouth or somewhere he’s got no need to do it.

“I think if Leighton Baines does leave Everton, it will be somewhere that actually means something to him.”