French outlet Homme Du Match claim Wolves have seen a £10million bid rejected for Strasbourg striker Ludovic Ajorque – a player that is also said to be a target for Everton this summer, after an impressive 2021-22 season.
Ajorque, 28, has enjoyed a wonderful spell at Strasbourg since joining the club in 2018. In his 139 appearances for Strasbourg, he has scored 50 goals and 19 assists – netting 28 Ligue 1 goals in 71 games over the last two seasons.
Little surprise then, he is attracting interest from the Premier League. Everton are using the pool of Ligue 1 players as a source of many of their transfer targets this summer – Amadou Onana from Lille, and eyeing PSG’s Idrissa Gueye.
Everton need a striker, as do Wolves. Dom Calvert-Lewin and Raul Jimenez, the two clubs’ main strikers, are both out of action. Wolves have made the first move to land Ajorque, tabling £10million, a player Everton are looking to bring in.
Wolves bid rejected for Everton target Ajorque: Could return with new bid
The report claims there is a chance Wolves could return to the market with a second bid for Ajorque. But reports state that Everton are planning a loan-to-buy move for the striker, which would see them pay a fee in the region of £15m.
That would hardly tempt Strasbourg, who will want to replace their striker straight away. That means, a permanent move and cash up front. But if Everton are willing to pay £15million, Wolves may have to reach that £15m figure.
While he is still 28, it is good value for a striker that is proven in France’s top tier and even laid on eight assists alongside his 12 goals last term. He has less than two years remaining on his current Strasbourg deal, ending in 2024.
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