Everton to accelerate bid to sign Boulaye Dia as £21.6m transfer development emerges
Everton are set to accelerate their bid to sign Salernitana forward Boulaye Dia in the next few hours as a clause in his contract is set to expire, according to Corriere dello Sport.
The Italian newspaper reported on page 21 in its print edition on 20 July that the 26-year-old’s £21.7million release clause is set to expire at midnight on 21 July.
With Fiorentina also tracking the Senegalese international, Corriere said the Toffees could now decide to “accelerate” their interest and pay the release clause or wait it out to try and negotiate with the Serie A club for a lower price.
Wait it out
Unless another club comes in and makes an offer for Dia, who is also reportedly attracting interest from Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest, then Everton might as well wait it out and try and negotiate for a lower price for the forward after they’ve taken this long to really firm up their interest.
The Corriere report said rumours are circulating that the Toffees are set to make a “serious offer” for the Salernitana man, posing a “real risk” to Fiorentina’s hopes of landing him.
It also highlights that the Merseysiders have a trump card up their sleeve in the form of Neal Maupay, who has been attracting interest from Dia’s current employers for a significant period of time.
If Everton don’t decide to pay the forward’s current release clause, they do pose the risk of Salernitana raising the price for their prize asset as they look to get as much money as possible for his services.
Whatever the Toffees do decide upon, though, they should pursue their interest in Dia as he scored an impressive 16 goals and registered six assists in 33 Serie A appearances last season.
In other Everton news, one new forward is reportedly set to sign at Goodison Park after his agent has arrived in London.