Everton transfer news as club sources dismiss £34.3m bid for Almeria forward El Bilal Toure
There has been no move for El Bilal Toure despite reports that a £34.3m bid has been by Everton launched for the Mali international, according to iNews.
The Toffees have long been linked with a move for the Mali international after a solid campaign in La Liga last season, scoring seven goals and registering two assists leading to plenty of interest from several other clubs across Europe.
Toure holds a €40m [£34.3m] release clause, which Everton are willing to trigger as reported by reliable Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri (3 July) and Almeria managing director Mohammed El Assy even tried to confirm that the Blues have indeed tabled a bid, speaking in an interview with Spanish outlet Diario De Almeria (4 July).
However, according to iNews (8 July), there has been no such move for the Malian forward with Goodison Park sources saying that Ameria director El Assy’s comments are incorrect.
Impossible
While reports of Everton’s intentions to sign the talented forward were made apparent with the club said to be willing to trigger the £34.3m release clause in Bilal Toure’s contract, it is impossible that the club could have afforded such payment considering their financial struggles.
The Toffees simply do not have such cash lying around right now with majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri desperately needing funds to keep the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium project going and through investment from MSP Sport Capital.
Certainly, Everton’s desperate need for attacking reinforcements have been evidently clear for a while considering their dreadful goalscoring record last season, hitting just 34 goals in 38 games, but how they are able to fund a move for such a striker is incredibly uncertain.
However, that desperation will indeed grow even further after academy product Ellis Simms completed his £8m move to Coventry City on Friday (7 July). While Bilal Toure would prove an attractive addition to the Goodison Park ranks this summer, that is move which now has been confirmed as a pipe dream rather than a small possibility.
It’s clear the Blues need to focus on sensible and cheaper and more attainable options in the market. Those triggering release clause reports were simply too good to be true.