According to reports on Foot Mercato earlier this month, Everton are one of a number of clubs interested in signing highly-rated Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore this summer.
The 21-year-old looks set to leave the Stamford Bridge outfit despite enjoying an impressive campaign on loan at Dutch giants Ajax, as he doesn’t believe he will get first team opportunities under Antonio Conte when he returns to the Blues at the end of the season.
Toffees boss Ronald Koeman will be looking to strengthen his squad this summer following the club’s qualification for the Europa League, while he will also want to improve on his side’s seventh-place finish in the Premier League.
The Dutchman could certainly do a lot worse than taking a closer look at the Burkina Faso international, who has shown that he could be quite an asset for the Merseyside outfit.
Here are three reasons Everton must go all out to sign Traore this summer…
They need a goalscoring forward
With Arouna Kone already announced to be leaving the club and Enner Valencia likely to return to parent club West Ham United following a loan spell at Goodison Park this summer, Ronald Koeman will be looking for a new forward or two this summer.
Romelu Lukaku’s future is also still in doubt with no indications that he will sign the new contract that he has been offered and it means that the Dutchman will be looking for a goalscorer.
Having become a key man for Ajax this term and after netting nine goals in 24 Eredivisie appearances, the 21-year-old would be an excellent addition.
He has Europa League pedigree
While he has been impressive in the Eredivisie this season, it is perhaps his performances in the Europa League that will have caught the attentions of interested clubs more.
The 21-year-old has helped Ajax to the final with four goals in 12 appearances, while he has also provided a further four assists.
The Burkina Faso international scored twice in the Dutch giants’ 4-1 semi-final first leg win against Lyon, and with Everton taking part in the same competition next term, Koeman may feel that Traore could be a valuable signing.
His price tag
According to reports in L’Equipe, via Sport Witness, Chelsea could start the bidding for Traore at around £8.5m this summer and it is a price tag that will have caught the eye of the Toffees.
While they do have money to spend now, the Merseyside outfit love a bargain – as they showed with the £7.1m capture of Idrissa Gueye last summer and the potential £5.1m arrival of Malaga forward Sandro Ramirez this – and they would surely be willing to meet the asking price for the promising 21-year-old forward.
However, with Premier League Stoke City and Southampton also said to be interested a bidding war could be created.
Do you agree, Toffees fans? Let us know below.
