RB Leipzig forward Jean-Kevin Augustin rejected a potential future at Goodison Park this summer, L’Equipe via Sport Witness have claimed.
The former France youth international was touted as our number one target in March, with our interest in the Paris Saint-Germain product remaining on the cards throughout the summer.
Director of Football Marcel Brands allegedly made contact with his Bundesliga outfit in May to sound out the potential of a deal, but his informal approach may have ended there, as L’Equipe understand Augustin had no interest in moving to the Premier League.
Leipzig were open to his departure, though, and placed a €20million (£18.2m) asking price on the 22-year-old, who lost his connection with the Bundesliga side earlier in the year when Julian Nagelsmann identified the versatile attacker as someone he could make do without ahead of his arrival at the Red Bull Arena.
Everton were not the only side rejected by Augustin, either, with Crystal Palace also believed to have seen advances in July waved away by the striker, who now appears set to join OGC Nice.
Patrick Vieira’s club are said to be closing in on a deal for the outcast striker, who netted eight goals in 30 games across all competitions last season, as the former Arsenal midfielder feels Augustin is the missing piece of his side’s attacking puzzle.
Les Aiglons had doubt in being able to convince Augustin of a move to Nice with Leipzig back in the Champions League next season, but the French forward has been completely convinced by Vieira and the project being undertaken at the Allianz Riviera.
Our loss and Nice’s gain may not be a bad thing, however, as a successful move for Augustin may have ensured Moise Kean was never considered at Goodison Park, and, in the end, we pulled off one of the transfers of the summer by acquiring the Italian rising star from Juventus.
Kean also scored just one fewer goals across all competitions last season than Augustin, despite playing less than half as many minutes, and is coveted across Europe, while the Frenchman has been on the fringes at Leipzig behind Timo Werner.