Everton enter talks for £33m Calvert-Lewin replacement but face Wolves battle

Follow us on Google Discover

Premier League duo Everton and Wolves are now in contact with El Bilal Toure following an impressive first La Liga season for the UD Almeria striker.

The fact that Neal Maupay was back in the Everton XI for last week’s 3-1 home defeat against Fulham was not so much a sign that the Frenchman had won over Sean Dyche, but more an indictment of the lack of alternative options at the Toffees boss’ disposal. 

Maupay is arguably an even worse fit for Dyche than he was for Frank Lampard. Demarai Gray, meanwhile, has filled in through the middle with rather limited effect; Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ongoing injury issues rendering February’s 1-0 triumph over Arsenal something of a false dawn, for both player and club. 

Everton could replace Calvert-Lewin with El Bilal Toure

Whichever division Everton find themselves in next season, a new centre-forward is likely to be priority number one.

Wolverhampton Wanderers may have eased their own injury issues. But Diego Costa – scorer of Saturday’s winner vs Brentford – is hardly a long-term solution at the age of 34. There are also doubts about Raul Jimenez’s future; left out by Julen Lopetegui against the Bees. 

Wolves and Everton could be on collision course too, Goal claiming that both clubs have already been in touch with the agent of El Bilal Toure. The precocious Mali international has six goals and two assists during an impressive first campaign in Spain’s top flight. 21-year-old Toure even scored a thumping winner against La Liga leaders Barcelona recently. 

Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid to Toure is that he has helped Almeria forget about the departure of star striker and talisman Umar Sadiq to Real Sociedad. 

“(Toure and Sadiq) are similar and both are very fast,” his former Reims coach Oscar Garcia tells La Voz de Almeria. “Both are very dangerous in space. Bilal Toure has a better aerial game than Umar Sadiq, but the Nigerian is better technically.” 

Goal add that Toure, who jouned Almeria last summer, has a £33 million release clause in his contract.

Toure’s physical prowess and eye-catching leap could make him a more-than useful addition for an Everton side who now have a coach in Dyche who tends to thrive alongside classic ‘number nines’.