Everton now face competition from Tottenham and Dortmund for Mohammed Kudus
Borussia Dortmund are now after Everton target Mohammed Kudus, with Tottenham also interested in the attacker, according to Bild.
The Ghanian international had agreed personal terms on a move to Goodison in the previous transfer window [Fabrizio Romano, 19 August] before Ajax backed out of a deal.
He has since told NOS (18 September) that he saw the Toffees as a great opportunity and wanted the move. Despite doing everything he could, he was kept in Amsterdam and his since thrived despite not being a regular starter, with eight goals and an assist.
But hopes of resurrecting the deal in January are under threat, with Spurs after him, and now German giants Dortmund want to return to the Johan Cruyff Arena for a player described as “lightning fast” and “an outstanding technician with game intelligence and a nose for goals”, after signing Sebastien Haller in the summer.
Kudus, 22, is reportedly being lined up as an alternative should teenage sensation Youssoufa Moukoko refuse to sign a contract extension at the Signal Iduna Park.
Working in the Yellow and Black’s favour is the fact that the Eredivisie attacker’s national team manager Otto Addo works as a scout for the club.
Ominous
Kudus scored in his third Champions League game running with the opener against Napoli on Tuesday (4 October), albeit in more fortuitous fashion than his outstanding strikes against Rangers and Liverpool, before his side were blown away 6-1.
Despite playing nearly every minute in Europe this year he is still often left on the bench in the league, raising the possibility that he would push for a move again after the World Cup.
But the more he catches the eye the more the race for him will become crowded, and that appears to be exactly what is happening.
Although things could be very different come January, both the sides competing with Everton here are also in the Champions League, which would be tough to overcome.
Frank Lampard has an advantage of his own in that his team were ahead of the crowd in the summer, and were clearly attractive enough then, as the player himself has admitted.
So if he can engineer a push up the Premier League enough to suggest this club is going places again, maybe he could convince the Black Stars player to complete the move at the second attempt, although the Addo connection does look ominously favourable for Dortmund at this stage.