Everton want to sign Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom as transfer news drops
Everton have registered an interest in signing Middlesbrough forward Chuba Akpom as Frank Lampard looks to add attacking reinforcements in January, the Daily Mail understands.
The 27-year-old has been on fire in the Championship so far this season, netting 12 times from just 19 appearances and leading Michael Carrick’s remarkable rise up the table since his appointment in October.
His tally this term includes a run of eight goals in nine games since the former Manchester United player came to the helm at the Riverside Stadium.
Fellow Premier League sides Southampton and Crystal Palace are also keeping tabs on the forward.
The Daily Mail report said: “Crystal Palace, Everton and Southampton are monitoring the Championship’s top scorer Chuba Akpom as they seek additional firepower in January.
“Everton have netted just 13 times making them the joint-third lowest scorers in the Premier League.”
Good option
However it gets done, Everton need to get some fresh attacking faces into the club during this January transfer window, with Akpom showing his class with a Boxing Day hat-trick.
Neal Maupay isn’t the answer to their goal deficiency, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin can no longer be trusted to remain fit for sustained periods of time, so the club must dip into the market.
Akpom is a player certainly in form and one who wouldn’t lack confidence if he got the transfer to the Merseyside club. After moving to Middlesbrough in 2020 and currently sitting on a contract that expires in the summer, the Toffees could yet get the attacker for a cut-price deal.
They must, however, ensure they ward off competition from Southampton and Crystal Palace without it turning into a bidding war, which the Toffees would most likely lose due to their financial restraints.
But with Middlesbrough now eyeing up a potential return to the top flight, would the striker risk abandoning a vastly improving side and head to a relegation-threatened Everton team?