Everton are set to miss out on the chance to sign Birmingham City’s Che Adams, as the Telegraph understand the striker is poised to join Southampton in a deal worth around £14million.
The Saints have long shown an interest in the 22-year-old, and saw an offer of £10million rejected by the St Andrew’s natives in the winter, as Garry Monk’s former outfit were operating within an EFL imposed transfer ban, and were preparing to steady the ship ahead of their points deduction.
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has continued to press Director of Football Operations Ross Wilson to complete a deal this summer, though, as he is planning a vast restructuring of the St Mary’s natives’ squad, with as many as six high-profile names expected to be sold in order to raise funds and free space on their wage bill.
Adams, himself, is said to prefer a move to the south coast if he is to leave Birmingham over the coming weeks, as well, which is a potential blow to Burnley and us, as we have both shown an interest in the Leicester-born striker’s availability.
But while we have shown an interest, it is not thought to have progressed far, with the Telegraph adding that while we have carried out regular scouting missions, our Director of Football Marcel Brands has shown no firm commitment to striking a deal with the Championship side.
His attention may have been somewhat turned away from Birmingham recently, given we have been linked with a €30million (£26.7m) bid for Juventus star Moise Kean, but a deal for Adams would have been far more likely – and cheaper.
Brands was also thought to have made an informal approach to RB Leipzig over their striker Jean-Kevin Augustin last month, but even a move for the Frenchman would set the Toffees back more than Adams, despite holding a far worse record in the Bundesliga than the Englishman does in the Championship.