Everton make £17million offer for Lorient attacker Dango Ouattara
Everton have made a bid of over £17million for Lorient winger Dango Ouattara sources close to the French club’s board have reportedly told Foot Mercato.
The Toffees are credited with interest in the Burkina Faso international’s club teammate Terem Moffi as well, who has reportedly had a big rejected for him from Southampton.
But according to the French outlet negotiations are ongoing between Everton and the Ligue 1 club over a deal for 20-year-old Ouattara, who has scored five goals and registered five assists this season.
The Toffees are reportedly exploring several avenues with regards to strengthening the side going forward and have been taken by the two “very good young players” who have the ability to produce attractive attacking football.
Southampton’s bid of over €10million [over £8.8million] hasn’t been enough to enter talks Moffi, whom it is unclear if Everton will also make an offer on.
But €20million [£17.6million] has been sufficient to interest Lorient into discussions over a January deal for Ouattara.
Much-needed
Attractive attacking football would be somewhat of a godsend for most Toffees fans at the moment with the team all too often struggling to find any bite in attack.
Demarai Gray has emerged recently as a weapon in Frank Lampard’s side, but he needs support and can lack end product at times.
Therefore, despite Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s latest return to the field, reinforcements are very much necessary to cover for when one or both of the aforementioned names aren’t on their game.
Ouattara only turns 21 next month but has already made 41 appearances in the French top flight, scoring six and assisting seven in that time.
He is at a similar level of development to current Toffees youngster Anthony Gordon, although the Merseysider’s production trails slightly after going off the boil in recent weeks.
Time is ticking by in this window and every game that passes without a new arrival is points going begging that Lampard needs to save his job.
There may be some echoes of the deal to sign Dwight McNeil in the summer to this one though, so if it goes through fans will have to hope the Ouattara can adapt quicker than the ex-Burnley man has so far.