Wolverhampton Wanderers are now leading the race for a player Everton tried to sign in the summer of 2023.
Sean Dyche was relatively busy during last summer’s window, with Beto, Youssef Chermiti, Arnaut Danjuma, Ashley Young and Jack Harrison joining the club.
Beto was signed to finally provide Everton with a focal point in attack after his ten goals for Udinese in the 2022/23 season. However, the 26-year-old has failed to hit the heights expected of him.
Everton did hold talks with another striker during the 2023 summer, but it now looks like one got away.
Wolves lead race for Everton-linked Championship hotshot
The Telegraph reports on Tuesday, 26 March, that Wolves are now the front-runners for Che Adams’ signature.
Adams, 27, has three months left on his Southampton deal and is free to talk to foreign clubs. However, it’s understood Gary O’Neil is targeting the Scot and that the Black Country side are now ahead of relegation-threatened Everton and Nottingham Forest.
BBC Sport reported in August 2023 that Everton were in talks over a £12million deal for the striker. Adams has scored ten goals for the Saints this season.
The 27-year-old has scored 25 goals in four seasons in the Premier League. Talking about Adams’ performance against Leicester back in 2022, Martin Keown said [via Hampshire Live]: “I thought he was outstanding when he came on. Brendan [Rodgers] said that his team stopped playing when they scored, but they started playing, Southampton, when Che Adams came off the bench.”
In hindsight, a player of Adams’ proven quality was precisely what Dyche needed. Beto was a risk that hasn’t paid off, an expensive one at that.
The Southampton man knows where the back of the net is and knows what’s required to succeed in England’s top flight.
With his contract up in just a matter of months, it’s certainly one for Everton to keep a close eye on if relegation can be avoided and Wolves can’t conclude a deal.
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