Everton in ‘advanced talks’ for signing – Toffees ‘really pushing’ to get deal over the line

On Thursday, French journalist Ignazio Genuardi reported Everton are interested in Paris Saint-Germain’s Hugo Ekitiké.

Later that day, RMC Sport reporter Fabrice Hawkins explained that Luis Enrique has asked the striker to leave the club this summer. The Toffees are joined by Borussia Dortmund and a few other clubs in the chase to sign the 21-year-old.

Sport1 chief reporter Patrick Berger took to Twitter to explain that Everton are ‘really pushing’ to take the striker who has been left out of the Ligue 1 side’s plans.

He adds the Merseyside club have been in ‘advanced talks’ to sign the player on a loan deal with a ‘buy clause’. Berger doesn’t make it clear if it would be an option or obligation to buy.

The France U21 international is also on the Bundesliga side’s list but the reporter suggests he doesn’t favour a move there because he would end up being a backup player at BVB.

Ekitiké obviously wasn’t the first-choice striker at PSG last season and was restricted to close to 1400 minutes of action from 32 games. He managed four goals and four assists in the process.

NEWS UPDATE: Everton door has open wide to sign classic attacker after new announcement

Everton could move for Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi after squad announcement

Everton could now make a move for Chelsea outcast Callum Hudson-Odoi, after the forward was not given a squad number in the club’s recent announcement.

Chelsea released their squad numbers for the 2023/24 season via their official website [8 August], and one notable absentee was Everton target Hudson-Odoi whose long-term number 20 has been given to new arrival Andrey Santos.

Everton were linked with a move for the winger by 90min [14 July], and reports have suggested Chelsea rejected an opening bid from Fulham [Daily Mail, 16 July] which was believed to be around £4million. Fulham are now in advanced talks to sign Toffees winger Demarai Gray.

Hudson-Odoi would be a good addition to an Everton squad that are greatly lacking in wingers, especially with the exit of Gray looking more likely with each passing day.

As things stand, Gray, Dwight McNeil and Arnaut Danjuma are the only recognised wide players at the club, while Alex Iwobi is capable of filling in although he performs better in the middle, and James Garner has been used as a makeshift wide player on occasion by Dyche.

The Chelsea winger has failed to live up to the lofty expectations placed on him as a teenager after Chelsea turned down a £70million offer from Bayern Munich just three years ago [Sky Sports].

Last season was spent on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, where he managed just 14 Bundesliga appearances and averaged just 43 minutes per appearance, scoring no goals and getting just one assist.

On paper, Hudson-Odoi probably isn’t at the level you’d want in a new signing. His poor form has gone on for too long to be a coincidence, and his confidence is likely at an all-time low.

But at the price that has been quoted for him, surely it’s a gamble worth taking on a man who was once supposed to be the next big thing at Stamford Bridge.

In other Everton news, the club could be set for another transfer blow as Leeds and Celtic lead the race.