Everton transfer news as £34.6m demand made for Boulaye Dia move

Serie A side Salernitana have demanded £34.6million for striker Boulaye Dia, with Everton remaining the most interested club, according to Corriere dello Sport.

The newspaper has reported (21 July, pg 14) that Salernitana’s billionaire owner Danilo Iervolino [Forbes] set the eight-figure fee after the 26-year-old’s £19.9million release clause expired at midnight on Friday (21 July) [Football Italia].

Now, the Toffees would have to pay Iervolino’s asking price if they want to get the deal done for the 16-goal season striker.

The initial near £20million release clause fee for Dia may have been a bit steep for Everton, especially considering their current financial issues.

But now they look to have missed the boat completely after his release clause expiry and would now have to pay an extra £15million for their man.

Dia had a successful loan spell at the Serie A side before his move was made permanent from Villarreal for £10.3million. He scored 16 goals in 33 appearances and has proven his goal-scoring ability across Europe at Ligue 1 side Reims and with the Yellow Submarine in La Liga.

or the Premier League with Everton. But the asking price will now most likely be too steep and a poor investment from Sean Dyche’s side.With three of Europe’s top five leagues ticked off, perhaps Dia is bound f

The Toffees are nearing a deal for Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma on loan [The Guardian]. Having already strengthened this area, perhaps their remaining funds would be better invested in their leaky defence or the stale midfield.

But what could Everton be missing out on, if they pass on Dia? They need a prolific and dependable goalscorer, which Dia has proven himself to be. If he could maintain his 0.54 non-penalty goals per 90 (84th percentile) and his 0.21 assists per 90 (86th percentile) [FBRef] in the Premier League, then Everton would likely not have to worry about slipping into a relegation battle.

However, adapting to the Premier League can be tough, and the Toffees do not have the funds to gamble on Dia this window.

In other Everton news, the club’s move for Manchester United’s 21-year-old winger has reportedly be turned down after direct talks

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Report: English club are set to sign £15m player after he turned down Everton

Anthony Elanga is set to join Nottingham Forest this summer.

BBC Sport have claimed that the winger is close to joining the City Ground from Manchester United after recently turning down Everton.

Elanga won the 2019-20 Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year with Manchester United’s U-21s before he found his way into the first team under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, however he has falling down the pecking order since Erik ten Hag’s arrival and is now seeking regular football elsewhere.

Everton were reportedly in talks to sign the 21-year-old after the Red Devils previously turned down their loan move for him in the January transfer window, however Elanga chose to reject the Toffees as he was concerned he wouldn’t suit Sean Dyche’s tactics.

With Elanga’s next club said to have already been decided earlier this week, it has now been revealed that Nottingham will be his home next season.

The report claims Elanga is currently in the United States ahead of their pre-season clash with Arsenal tonight, however he is set to return to England for his medical this weekend.

The Sweden international will link up with Steve Cooper in a £15 million deal, while Everton will complete their second signing of the summer in Arnaut Danjuma in the coming days.

Was a move to Nottingham Forest more desirable for Anthony Elanga?

While turning down Everton due to his suitability to Sean Dyche’s style of play is understandable, a move to the City Ground still comes as a bit of a shock.

It was expected that Elanga could move abroad after rejecting the chance to move to Merseyside, however he has instead joined their Premier League rivals.

Forest finished four points above the relegation zone last season after signing a mammoth 29 players last summer. However, the Swede will become their first this time round as they look to take a different approach.

It will be interesting to see if Elanga can help improve on a difficult season for Cooper’s side, while Everton will be hopeful he doesn’t punish them if they both face another relegation battle.

The youngster certainly won’t be guaranteed regular game time quite like he would have under Dyche, with Forest home to the likes of Brennan Johnson, Emmanuel Dennis and Morgan Gibbs White.