Everton want to replace Neal Maupay with Almeria striker El Bilal Toure
Everton want to replace Neal Maupay with Almeria striker El Bilal Toure this summer in a deal that could be worth up to £35m, according to Daily Mail (29 May).
The Toffees were linked with the Mali international last summer before he opted to join the La Liga side on deadline day, signing a six-year contract in the process.
Toure managed 6 goals in 18 games in his debut season but after Maupay managed just one goal after signing from Brighton in a £15m deal, Everton are ready to cut ties with the Frenchman and move again for the 21-year-old African sensation.
“Neal Maupay is expected to rekindle a move to Salernitana and Everton want to replace him with Toure who has scored six goals for Almeria this season, including his winner in their shock 1-0 victory over Barcelona in March,” they wrote.
Maupay was on the verge of joining Salernitana in the January window, only for the deal to collapse when Everton failed to sign a replacement.
Gamble
Toure is a raw talent, but his performances this season have been described as “outstanding” by Goal and that is certainly something to take note of.
Joining a new team late in the window, in a new country and new league and still managing to average one goal every three games at 21-years-old is not something to be scoffed at, but the Premier League is a different kettle of fish.
Everton showed that they are desperate for a proven goalscorer to come into the team because Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury problems are showing no signs of going anywhere, which means we can’t rely on him to be first-choice.
If it became possible to sign that first-choice, ready-made striker and then add Toure to the club to replace Maupay then most fans would probably bite your arm off at the shoulder.
Maupay’s move has been nothing short of a disaster over the last 12 months and the best thing the club could do would be to cut ties quickly, rather than dragging it out further when we have such big changes that need to happen.