Burnley’s Michael Keane is reportedly attracting interest from either side of Stanley Park but Everton can prove themselves amid Liverpool links.
If Everton are intent on fighting at the top of the transfer food chain, they should get used to some rather substantial competition.
Backed by billionaire majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, the modern-day Toffees are no longer forced to survive on a shoestring budget. As a result, it appears they would harbour few doubts about paying a club-record £30 million for Burnley centre-back Michael Keane.
However, according to The Sun, Everton’s hopes of luring the one-time England international to Goodison Park may have taken a hit with two of the Premier League’s traditional elite attempting to jump the queue.
The report states that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has now made Keane one of his top summer targets, which is most likely a response to their 2-1 home defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday, epitomised by a shaky Dejan Lovren display and the concession of another sloppy set-piece goal.
And The Sun adds that Manchester United, where Keane began his career, are also considering a move to bring him back to Old Trafford in the summer. Consequently, it is claimed that Everton are now looking at alternative targets.
But perhaps they should not be so ready to accept defeat. As manager Ronald Koeman boldly claimed recently, as reported by the Daily Mail, Manchester United may no longer be a major step up from an ambitious Everton. The same could be said for Liverpool.
Therefore, the Toffees should view competition for Keane’s signature as an opportunity to lay down a marker and demonstrate their ambition. Signing the 24-year-old ahead of Manchester United and Liverpool would make a statement, after all, proving that Everton can hold their own in the market and are capable of attracting top targets to Goodison.
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