Everton and Liverpool have both been linked with Bertrand Traore.
Everton and Liverpool are in the market for attacking reinforcements this summer – and appear to have on target in common.
Lyon star Bertrand Traore has impressed in France since making the move from Chelsea in 2017, racking up 18 goals last season and another 11 this term.
The 23-year-old Burkina Faso international has developed into the player Chelsea thought they were getting from Auxerre back in 2013.
Unsurprisingly, Traore is now attracting interest. The Daily Mail not only report that Everton are keen on a £40million move, but also that Liverpool are interested in him.
Traore may end up in a tug-of-war between the two Merseyside rivals, but if it comes down to it, a move to Everton over Champions League finalists Liverpool may actually be a smart decision.
Traore knows all about the frustration of being sat on the sidelines. He played just 16 games for Chelsea, spent 18 months on loan at Vitesse and then a year at Ajax, failing to move any closer to a first-team role at Chelsea.
After establishing himself at Lyon, he simply can’t go back to that sort of role. At Liverpool, he’d be struggling for playing time with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane – a tough task for anybody.
At Everton, he’d at least play regularly under Marco Silva, either out on the right flank or up front, continuing his development whilst then potentially setting himself up for a big move.
Joining Liverpool would be tempting for anyone, but Traore must remember his Chelsea stint and think what’s best for his career – and right now, Everton may just be the better option.
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