Everton scouts were spotted at an under-21 match last night, possibly keeping tabs on a striker ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
Thierno Barry and Beto have come under fire from Tim Sherwood, who believes they are holding Everton back.
David Moyes seems to agree, with reports suggesting the club are looking at Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United as a potential solution this winter.
Midtjylland’s Franculino Dju is also said to be of interest, but his £40m price tag makes that deal unlikely for now.
More recently, there has been talk that Everton scouts might have been watching a Sunderland striker on Wednesday.
Everton scouting presence at Sunderland U21 match to watch Brian Brobbey and Eliezer Mayenda
Sunderland Echo reported that Everton scouts were present at the under-21 match between Sunderland and Anderlecht last night.
The line-up featured a couple of familiar faces from the first team, including Brian Brobbey and Eliezer Mayenda.
Brobbey was deployed up front and scored with a well-taken finish into the bottom corner, while Mayenda played out wide.
The Dutchman only signed in the summer window, so any potential move this soon seems unlikely.
Mayenda’s situation is a bit different. He has not seen much playing time lately, which could open up an opportunity for Moyes to make a move in January.
Mayenda played a key role in last season’s promotion push, scoring 10 goals and netting the winner in the play-off final against Sheffield United.
Everton might have also been watching Samuel Ntanda
There is a good chance Everton scouts were also looking at some of Anderlecht’s players, and Samuel Ntanda is one who may have stood out.
Ntanda, who has made first-team appearances for Sampdoria, got on the scoresheet again, adding to what has been a solid stretch of form.
Since his £600,000 summer transfer from Serie B, the 20-year-old has contributed to four goals in nine appearances for the reserve team.
It is unlikely that Ntanda would be brought straight into Everton’s senior side. If anything, he would likely be seen as another addition to their under-21 set-up.
Since the Friedkin Group took over from Farhad Moshiri last December, they have been steadily investing more into the club’s academy structure.
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