Everton boss Frank Lampard is pushing Goodison Park chiefs to secure the transfer of Ben Brereton Diaz from Blackburn Rovers. The forward is also a target for Tottenham Hotspur.
That is according to Simon Phillips, who reports the Toffees boss is ‘seriously pushing’ the Merseyside outfit for Brereton Diaz. Club chiefs are also now studying a move for the 23-year-old as their Ewood Park counterparts are unlikely to demand a lucrative fee for him.
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Brereton Diaz is out of contract at his Championship club at the end of the season. He has spent the past four-and-a-half years at the Lancashire natives and developed into a prolific striker. The Stoke-born star has also scored four goals and two assists in 17 caps for Chile.
Lampard now feels Brereton Diaz can help Everton climb back up the Premier League table with a transfer from Blackburn. The striker has scored 10 goals in 29 games so far this term across all competitions. He also registered his fourth assist of the term on New Year’s Day.
Bradley Dack turned Brereton Diaz’s pass home to beat Cardiff City 1-0 and go third in the second-tier standings. Blackburn are nine points from the automatic promotion positions after 26 games. Jon Dahl Tomasson has started Brereton Diaz in all of their matches so far.
Everton were £3m shy of securing Brereton Diaz’s transfer from Blackburn
Lampard feels Everton should target Brereton Diaz’s transfer from Blackburn after they fell into the Premier League relegation zone. The Toffees are also winless in six matches, losing four, and have one of the worst attacks. Goodison stars have scored 14 goals in 18 fixtures.
Only relegation rivals Wolves (11) and Nottingham Forest (13) have so far struck home less often than Everton. But a host of other top-flight teams are also monitoring Brereton Diaz. 90min has named Aston Villa, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Wolves and West Ham.
Everton may regret not stumping up the cash Blackburn sought for Brereton Diaz’s transfer in the summer, then. The Times reported the Toffees were willing to spend £12m after the club registered their interest. But Rovers ultimately held firm with their valuation of £15m.
Given Brereton Diaz’s importance under Tomasson, Blackburn could demand the same fee from Everton for his transfer in January. The Toffees’ dire situation could also offer Ewood Park chiefs encouragement to hold firm in their valuation of a highly-praised striker again.
“Brereton with the ball at his feet is an extraordinary talent,” ex-Blackburn boss Mowbray once said, via Lancs Live. “He’s a wonderful footballer who can dribble with both feet [and] take people out of the game.”
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