Atalanta have won the race to sign El Bilal Toure.
Fabrizio Romano has reported that Everton have missed out on the Almeria striker, who will undergo a medical with the Italian club on Friday.
Atalanta are set to pay a €28 million fixed fee (£24m) with €3m in add ons, with Almeria including a 15 per cent sell on clause in his contract.
Toure caught the eye of Everton and Atalanta after netting seven goals in La Liga last season and is now set for a summer move, less than a year after joining the Spanish side.
Despite Atalanta previously holding pole position in their pursuit of Toure, Romano previously reported that the two clubs had both tabled similar offers for the Mali international and were negotiating with the player to get a deal done.
It is the Serie A club that will now welcome Toure to the club later this week as they look to replace Rasmus Hojlund, who is nearing a move to Manchester United.
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Is Atalanta more inviting than the Premier League for El Bilal Toure?
Atalanta and Everton previously looked neck and neck to sign El Bilal Toure, however it may have been the promise of European football that edged it for the Italians.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side confirmed their place in the Europa League next season after one year’s absence, having reached the quarter-finals in the previous campaign.
After enduring a relegation scrap with Almeria, Toure can now look forward to the comfort of Atalanta’s position in Serie A and won’t have the fear of going through a similar thing at Goodison Park.
Now that the transfer saga is finally over, Everton will have to kick on and find alternatives before the Premier League kicks off.