Everton’s summer business has been largely tied up now, although there might still be a few avenues for Kevin Thelwell to explore before it fully slams shut.
However, he will not want to get dragged into any lengthy, gruelling transfer sagas this late in the window, especially with the new Premier League season just around the corner.
Any additions now must be hugely necessary, and born from unforeseen sales.
Well, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin refusing to sign a new Everton contract, that could come sooner than anticipated.
Everton enter Premier League battle for Boulaye Dia
This latest Everton transfer story comes courtesy of the Italian media, with Corriere dello Sport‘s claims relayed by Sport Witness.
Given much of the Toffees’ transfer links have emerged from Italy, it is unsurprising to see them once again using them within their headlines.
Everton’s interest in Arkadiusz Milik is one such example of their interest within the Serie A market, whilst the future of Arthur Melo remains up in the air too, with Thelwell reportedly circling.
On this occasion, though, it is once again Boulaye Dia who is an Everton target of Sean Dyche‘s and his director of football, having tried to sign the Senegal international earlier in the year.
However, they will now face competition, as it reads: ‘Brentford, Everton, Newcastle and West Ham are all possible destinations for the forward should he depart as expected.’
It then suggests that it is ‘increasingly likely’ that the forward will move to the Premier League.
Who is Boulaye Dia?
It feels like Dia has been on the radar of Everton for some time now, but his journey to the top was far from easy.
Despite being born in Senegal, his big break in football came for French minnow Jura Sud before Reimms took a punt on the 27-year-old.
They remain his longest-serving club thus far, but stints with Villarreal and now Salernitana have seen him impress across three of Europe’s top five leagues, and as well at the international level too.
Last season, however, he scored just four Serie A goals, which is a return that will not have impressed his side despite seeing his campaign ravaged by injury.
Former Liverpool forward certainly offered Dia his seal of approval back during his Reimms days, as he told Ligue 1’s website: I didn’t know him before.
‘But since the start of the season I started to follow him, and I’m really impressed by his qualities. I think he won’t stay at Reims forever, believe me.’
Well, a move to Everton or elsewhere in the Premier League now beckons, but Dia will have to raise his level to compete with the other top strikers at this level. English football marks a huge step up from Italy or France.
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