Everton pushing for Leicester City star and 16-goal striker after missing out on key target
Everton are reportedly pursuing two striker targets after missing out on Almeria’s El Bilal Toure, who looks set to join Atalanta.
The Toffees agreed on a transfer fee with Almeria last weekend but the Mali international ultimately snubbed them for the Serie A side.
It’s no secret that Sean Dyche is keen to add a striker to his squad before the Premier League season gets underway. Now, Everton have identified two potential alternatives to Toure.
The Merseyside club scored just 34 goals last season. As a result, they came unbearably close to being relegated for the first time since 1951.
It’s clear they can’t rely on their current striker options. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has struggled with injuries for two seasons now, while Neal Maupay has scored just one goal since arriving from Brighton last summer.
As a result, a new striker is Dyche’s priority. Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho is one potential option. Everton have had the 26-year-old on their radar for some time, but are yet to make a bid.
After missing out on Toure, they are reportedly set to accelerate their approach. That is according to journalist Ignazio Genuardi, who claims Everton will now ‘prioritise’ a move for Iheanacho.
The Nigeria international signed for Leicester from Manchester City in 2017. He has since made 206 appearances for the Foxes, scoring 55 goals and making 33 assists in the process.
Iheanacho has been involved in Leicester’s pre-season friendlies but he has been linked with a departure after they were relegated to the Championship. Whether or not Everton can agree on a fee with Leicester, however, remains to be seen.
A second target the Toffees are reportedly pushing for is Salernitana’s Boulaye Dia. Like Iheancho, he has been linked with Everton for several weeks.
The Senegal international netted 16 goals in the Serie A last season. For context, this is almost half of Everton’s entire goal tally in 2022/23, so he could prove to be a great addition.
Tutto Salernitana now claims that Everton have ‘asked for a meeting’ with Salernitana’s Director of Football Morgan De Sanctis to discuss signing Dia this summer.
The centre-forward had a €25m release clause in his contract that expired last week, which Everton decided not to pay.
Now, they could use Neal Maupay, who Salernitana ‘admire’ in a part exchange deal for Dia. Maupay was allegedly ‘one step away’ from joining the Italian club in January, who were ‘ready’ to pay €10m for his services.
Everton will have to move quickly to get a deal done for Dia, though, as Salernitana are only willing to negotiate his sale for the next 10 days.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if the Toffees table a concrete offer for Iheanacho and Dia in the next few days.
READ MORE: Every Premier League club’s 2023 pre-season schedule and results so far…