Joel Piroe transfer to ‘drag on’ into August amid Everton interest as Swansea City fee puts off suitors – Ben Jacobs
Joel Piroe’s possible Swansea City exit is “not an easy deal to pull off” this summer and could drag on into August as Everton eye the striker, according to Ben Jacobs.
The Dutch forward only has a year left on his contract but is being tipped to go for north of £15million after he scored 41 Championship goals in two seasons since arriving from the Eredivisie, and 44 overall.
Second tier sides are in the race to sign him but are being put off by the asking price, so an answer over his future is not expected until closer to the close of the transfer window.
The CBS journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “I think that the price tag that would be asked is going to put off a variety of suitors.
“I think that we’ve heard some numbers spoken at about around the £10m-£12m mark, and it’s probably going to be a minimum of £15m that Swansea City are looking for, and some even say higher.
“So, this is not going to be an easy deal to pull off. There is some Premier League interest as well from Everton too. So, I would imagine that this one might drag on a few more days or weeks into August.”
Gamble?
Based on the money that was thought to be involved in the race to sign El Bilal Touré that is a price that Everton should be able to afford this summer.
A year ago when the Toffees were equally crying out for an arrival up front they ended up blowing a similar amount on Neal Maupay from Brighton.
On paper he looked like a useful signing after three solid seasons at the Amex, but he has rarely if ever been used in a system that plays to his strengths and has delivered just as infrequently.
So, amid a certain amount of desperation to finally add a player who can either support Dominic Calvert-Lewin or fill in when the Englishman is so often injured, Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell have to decide whether a player who is unproven in the Premier League and has a year left on his contract is worth the lion’s share of this window’s budget.
If they pushed it through and Piroe were to carry on the scoring form he has shown in the second tier it would look like a master stoke, but if he struggled like Maupay the club would be slammed for more transfer incompetence.
The same risk would have been true of Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney when they stepped up to the top flight though so there are certainly gems outside of the Premier League, and after missing out on more proven options once again a Piroe deal likely will need to at least be considered.
In other Everton news, two European clubs have entered the race to take another young Toffees talent away from Goodison Park.