FC Schalke 04 have already taken Jonjoe Kenny away from Everton on loan, and could be about to take another Blues player to Gelsenkirchen, as NSNO understand the Bundesliga side are preparing an offer for Cenk Tosun.
The Veltins-Arena natives were linked with the Germany-born Turkish international earlier in the summer, when reports emerged in Turkey suggesting Die Konigsblauen’s and Borussia Dortmund had contacted the striker’s agent via email over a potential move.
Schalke may now be preparing to advance on that initial contact, although how well Tosun sees a move back to the country where he was born and raised remains to be seen, as does how much David Wagner’s side are willing to offer.
A return to Besiktas has often looked the most likely venture for Tosun to consider, but the Super Lig side would struggle to meet Everton’s £20million asking price, even if their former hitman were to accept a speculated 33 per cent wage cut.
Tosun reportedly earns £60,000-a-week at Goodison Park, but has struggled to show any kind of form that would dictate Marco Silva favouring his profile over Dominic Calvert-Lewin, or over a potential new name arriving on Merseyside.
The boss already has his sights on replacing Tosun with Juventus’ Mario Mandzukic, and the club has often been linked with Moise Kean, but a move for the Croatian hinges on Tosun leaving Merseyside for the club’s full £20million valuation.
SS Lazio were thought to be hoping Silva and Marcel Brands would lower their asking price as they scouted alternative strikers should Felipe Caicedo leave Rome this summer, but a move for Tosun to the Italian capital was never a sure thing.
Schalke now allegedly preparing an offer will be a great blessing for the club, Silva, and his plans on landing a new target man, depending on how much the bid amounts to.
The Bundesliga side should have no issues matching Tosun’s Blues wage, with the Gelsenkirchen’s highest earner Sebastian Rudy on £82,413-a-week, while Die Konigsblauen’s average last season was £34,132.92-a-week and have shaved £65,930-a-week off their wage bill following Breel Embolo’s move to Borussia Monchengladbach.