Oumar Niasse has finally left Everton and Cenk Tosun could be joining him through the exit door, so it’s no surprise that a new striker is on our transfer wishlist.
We’ve been linked with Patrik Schick, Hee-chan Hwang, Hirving Lozano, Martin Braithwaite, Andrea Belotti, Sardar Azmoun and Victor Osimhen among others, but Odsonne Edouard’s name has recently popped up in the news.
Unfortunately, the 22-year-old might be a difficult player to sign as the Daily Mail say Leicester City, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Leeds United are also interested. His £40m asking price might prove a stumbling block too.
Edouard initially joined Celtic on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 and turned the move permanent for £9m a year later. The Frenchman has gone on to make 127 appearances in all competitions, scoring 63 goals with 31 assists, so he’d be a brilliant addition to the Everton ranks.
We have Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Moise Kean at our disposal, but a new centre-forward is essential if Carlo Ancelotti will continue playing with two up front next season. Kean hasn’t been good enough in a backup role (33 appearances, two goals, two assists).
Convincing Edouard might be tricky though. Leicester are a more attractive proposition as Brendan Rodgers managed the striker during his stint at Celtic, so he might be keen to renew acquaintances. The Foxes are actively pursuing Edouard and are willing to sell Kelechi Iheanacho to fund the move, but the Daily Mail’s report suggests Everton’s interest may be fleeting.
City can promise Europa League football to Edouard too, so it’s hard to see Everton hijacking the move unless they could blow Leicester out of the water financially. As per Liverpool Echo, the Blues’ finances aren’t looking healthy of late, so a deal might rest on what unwanted players can be sold to raise funds.
We need a right-back, centre-back, centre-midfielder and winger this summer, so spending will be tight. Edouard does fit Marcel Brands’ criteria as a young and prolific striker who would improve the squad, but it remains to be seen if we can stump up in excess of £40m to sign him.