Everton back in hunt to sign Blackburn striker Ben Brereton Diaz
Everton are back in the chase to sign Blackburn Rovers talisman Ben Brereton Diaz as they search for a new striker, according to the Daily Mail.
The 23-year-old has started the new Championship season much like he ended the previous one having scored twice in three games to fire Rovers to the top of the Championship early in the campaign.
The Toffees had looked back in March at potentially signing the Chilean international [TEAMtalk] but talk of a move had quietened down until the Daily Mail’s latest report.
Now they are ready to rival Ligue 1 side OGC Nice for Brereton Diaz’s signature but the French outfit have jumped ahead of the queue with a £10million bid submitted to Ewood Park already.
Blackburn are yet to respond to that approach with many clubs credited with an interest in the Stoke-on-Trent-born striker with Brighton’s Neal Maupay also on the radar of Frank Lampard and Everton.
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He might only be playing in the second tier of English football but you only have to look at the amount of EFL graduates that have gone on to have great careers in the Premier League to get excited about this.
He dominated defenders to a similar extent to Aleksandr Mitrovic last season with 22 goals and he could easily do so again in the top flight if he ever gets the chance to prove himself.
Everton are now in desperation mode in their search for a striker having been forced to play Anthony Gordon as a makeshift number nine with Dominic Calvert-Lewin sidelined for a substantial period of time.
Salomon Rondon could be utilised in his absence but he has been working back to fitness and showed some promise coming off the bench away at Aston Villa in defeat.
Brereton Diaz is a different kettle of fish entirely though and if the opportunity arises to sign him, especially for as little as £10million, then the Toffees have to get their chequebook out and come to an agreement.