As well as being rivals to stay in the Premier League, Everton and Southampton are going head to head on transfer deadline day to land Kamaldeen Sulemana. With just 15 points apiece from 20 matches, the two clubs are propping up the division with only a superior goal difference of minus 13 to minus 18 currently keeping Everton off the bottom.
The two clubs’ fortunes could also be shaped by which new recruits they land before 11pm tonight with it understood that they have now both had £22million offers accepted for Rennes winger Sulemana. A Ghanaian international who turns 21 next month, he joined the French side from Danish club Nordsjaelland in the summer of 2021 and has netted six goals in 45 matches for them.
While Everton had always targeted two attacking recruits this month – before the £45million sale of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United – Kevin Thelwell has so far been unable to get any incoming deals over the line after Tottenham Hotspur hijacked the move for Arnaut Danjuma, leaving the director of football facing a hectic first January deadline day at the club.
Speaking in a sit down interview with Jazz Bal, Chair of the Everton Fan Advisory Board, which the club put out last Tuesday evening, owner Farhad Moshiri, who predicted the second half of the season would be better for the Blues, insisted: “We need a striker, we’ll get one.”
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Sulemana isn’t the only player on Southampton’s wishlist though with Braga forward Vitinha, who would command a similar price tag, also wanted.
Giant Nigerian international Paul Onuachu is also attracting the Saints and given that the 6ft 7in striker has been prolific in the Belgian top flight at Genk, he could also be the type of player that might appeal to new Everton manager Sean Dyche, given that a move for Coventry’s City’s Swedish international frontman Viktor Gyokeres, who has been on the club’s radar for several months, has, at the time of publication, been ruled out. Onuachu, 28, has netted 17 goals in 22 games so far this season after hauls of 35 in 2020/21 and 23 last term.
READ MORE:
- Anthony Gordon transfer has exposed problem Everton haven't solved since Richarlison exit
- Everton transfer deadline day Q&A as Sean Dyche bids to make late signings
- The seven players tipped to sign for Everton as transfer deadline nears
- Rennes have already delivered Kamaldeen Sulemana transfer verdict amid Everton links
- The two players tipped to leave Everton on transfer deadline day
