Everton board members block Hugo Ekitike move after transfer offer leaked
A “divide” at Everton has seen a move for Hugo Ekitike “blocked by other board members” after leaks from those in recruitment, according to FootballTransfers.
The outlet reported via their website on Tuesday 22 August that the French forward had been “offered” to clubs in the Premier League including the Toffees and West Ham by Paris Saint-Germain who want £27million for him.
But Everton reportedly won’t be following through with a move for the 21-year-old afters news of an offer was “leaked” by part of the recruitment set up at Goodison Park, with others in the hierarchy having put a stop to the pursuit.
Sky Sports’ Alan Myers had reported (10 August) that an offer for the former Stade de Reims striker had “100%” been made, but he didn’t expect it to be successful, while there had been earlier suggestions that not everybody at Goodison was on board with the move.
Messy
Without knowing who exactly was supposed to be in favour and who was against a deal for Ekitike it is hard to full assess the situation.
But it certainly doesn’t seem like everyone is pulling in the same direction if certain parts of the club are leaking information and then their work is being blocked by another group.
So if that has happened it won’t make supporters especially confident with regards to the final 10 days of the transfer window, where a striker is very much needed.
Ekitike would be an expensive proposition but would have been someone who could have contributed right away Everton, although it looks to be immaterial now.
With the Toffees apparently hell-bent on trying to force through a move for Leeds United wide man Willy Gnonto it does seem there is money available to spend as reported offers head towards £30m [FootballTransfers, 21 August].
Sean Dyche is short of wingers currently thanks to an injury crisis, but in theory should be fairly well covered when Jack Harrison, Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi are back from injury, and once Arnaut Danjuma is at full fitness.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s latest misfortune seems to have laid out once again the need for a central striker more urgently though, and there are surely a few doubts that Che Adams is the answer if he is gettable.
If Everton are going to put big money into a single deal it certainly feels like a high-quality centre-forward makes more sense than Gnonto right now, even if it clearly isn’t going to be Ekitike.
In other Everton news, the Toffees want to sign a Premier League attacker who is so “desperate” to move he will even take a pay cut.