Jonathan Ikone scored the winner as LOSC Lille beat Sevilla in the Champions League on Tuesday, and his efforts are now earning transfer interest from Everton and West Ham.
That’s according to Calciomercato, who report the Premier League duo are set to battle AC Milan for the winger’s signature. Ikone has proven a key weapon in Jocelyn Gourvennec’s arsenal since the 49-year-old replaced Christophe Galtier in charge this summer.
Gourvennec has started Ikone in 10 of his 17 games at the helm, with seven further outings off the bench. The 23-year-old made his second start in the Champions League so far this season on Tuesday, and scored to seal Les Dogues’ first win in the competition since 2014.
Ikone capitalised on a lively period for Lille at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan and reacted first to Zeki Celik’s shot rebounding off the back post to fire home. The France international had only scored once in his eight previous career appearances in the Champions League.
Ikone has now scored twice for Lille this term, to earn West Ham and Everton’s interest in a transfer. He is, however, yet to provide an assist over his 17 outings across all competitions after creating seven last term. The forward also scored seven in 48 games during 2020/21.
Lille are at risk of potentially losing Ikone soon as the former Paris Saint-Germain prospect’s contract expires in 2023. He signed his £24k-a-week terms after leaving the Parisian giant’s academy for the Stade Pierre Mauroy in 2018.
Everton hold long-term interest in West Ham target Ikone
Ikone’s rise since joining Lille has caught Everton’s attention previously, but never sealed a transfer to Goodison Park. Reports last year by LeFoot claimed the Blues were keen to rival Manchester United, but faced a £60m price tag.
Winning Ligue 1 with Lille last term could see Everton, and West Ham, now face a heighted price for Ikone. A forward who told Goal previously how Neymar, Riyad Mahrez and most of all Franck Ribery have inspired his game.
“[Ribery]’s always an example. Just look at his career to understand why he’s someone to emulate. He’s got great rhythm [and] he can beat his marker so easily. He’s not a player who scores very often, but he always makes plenty of assists. That’s what I want to do.
“On the field, I try to do what he would do sometimes, but I’ve not got the same skills as him yet! Maybe it will come. I try to reproduce his sidesteps, but I also take the example of Riyad Mahrez or Neymar, who are also very technical. What I love to do is to beat players. So, when I’m in a one-against-one situation, I won’t hesitate.”
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