Everton transfer news: Rejected £4m Ellis Simms bid in dispute amid ‘Ipswich have money’ verdict
Reports that a £4million bid from Ipswich for Everton striker Ellis Simms has been rejected is “incorrect” according to Stuart Watson of the East Anglian Daily Times.
The young forward is available to leave this summer if “serious bids” come in for him [Liverpool Echo, 26 June] despite scoring his first senior goal for the club in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea last season (18 March).
Watson corroborates the Tractor Boys’ interest in the 22-year-old Toffees man has gone as far as an enquiry but says the Championship side “won’t pay over the odds” despite clubs knowing they’ve got the cash.
Reporting on Twitter Tuesday evening (27 June) he said: “Understand reports that ITFC have had a £4m bid for Everton striker Ellis Simms rejected to be incorrect.
“One of several strikers Ipswich are interested in and have made enquiries about. Football world knows Ipswich have money. Club won’t pay over odds though.”
Firepower
Simms might not be the man upon which all of Sean Dyche’s attacking hopes can be pinned on but Everton are going to have to start getting weapons in at some point if they are going to keep letting others go.
It is all very well selling to buy but when it proved impossible to do the second half of that equation in January it is taking a risk to let more forwards go.
Anthony Gordon’s big-money exit to Newcastle as the Toffees boss arrived in the winter didn’t translate into new attacking talent being signed, putting huge pressure on injury-hit Dominic Calvert-Lewin and indeed Simms later in the campaign.
Dwight McNeil played his part and Demarai Gray chipped in, but Neal Maupay’s struggles continued, and it is impossible to believe Everton would have survived were it not for a major role played by Abdoulaye Doucouré.
With Gray likely to leave as well this summer, along with Maupay, it continues a conveyor belt of forward-thinking options heading towards the exit without corresponding entrances.
Everton are targeting at least two attackers during this window, but if they aren’t able to fulfil those hopes the threat will be even further reduced if Simms is sold with Gray.
If Ipswich have money then £4million does seem low for a striker who has proven he can score in the second tier and in Scotland, so it should require solid money to make it worthwhile to let him go without a certain replacement to lined up.
In other Everton news, the Toffees can “fund” an “interesting” move for a proven Premier League scorer right now.