Everton or Burnley have just been gifted chance to sign 28-goal striker

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Artem Dovbyk has an ‘agreement’ to leave Dnipro this summer with Everton, Nottingham Forest and Burnley three of the Premier League clubs keen on the Ukraine international. 

Following another prolific season in Eastern Europe, one of the continent’s most in-form centre-forwards is long overdue a chance at a higher level.

Artem Dovbyk shared the Ukrainian Premier League’s Golden Boot award in 2021. He’ll have it all to himself this time around; no one in the division coming close to matching his tally of 23 goals. 

Across all competitions, Dovbyk has 28 in just 35 games. 

And Vyacheslav Fridman, Dnipro’s commercial director, admits that no one will be standing in his way this summer, as long as offers arrive in excess of £12 million. 

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“For less than 15 million euros, we would not want to give him away. He’s really talented and costs a lot of money,” Fridman explains. 

“It makes sense to talk. Of course, Dovbyk should be let go. He deserves it with his attitude and his performances.

“We have an agreement with him and with his agent that, at the first good offer, which suits both us and him, we will let him go.”

An instinctive finisher and a physical specimen too at over 6ft, Dovbyk possesses a lot of the attributes Sean Dyche looks for in a centre-forward. The Everton boss has badly missed the injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin since replacing Frank Lampard, and Dovbyk would be a far more natural replacement than the diminutive Neal Maupay (The Sun). 

Dovbyk was also linked with both Burnley and Nottingham Forest in 2022. Both clubs are likely to be in the market for a ‘number nine’ too. The Clarets especially, Vincent Kompany losing top scorer Nathan Tella and the experienced Ashely Barnes. 

“He can play in any top league,” veteran Ukrainian coach Oleg Fedorchuk says of Dovbyk, who has three hat-tricks in 2022/23 alone.  

“It all depends on the style of the team. Arsenal and Man City’s style is unlikely to suit Dovbyk. But the more forceful style of Chelsea and Tottenham (is a better fit).”

“He was the best attacking player in the league (last year). He’s also the number one player this season. (He has) a lot of speed, outstanding physical strength and a good left foot.”