Everton have shown their hand early with an approach for the sought-after KAS Eupen goal-machine Henry Onyekuru.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman
This could be the deal that drags on all summer. It seems almost every club in the Premier League, as well as Scottish champions Celtic and the likes of Sevilla, RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach, are all tossing their hats into the ring to sign Henry Onyekuru.
Yet, Own Goal Nigeria claims that Everton have made the first move. As it stands, The Toffees are the only club to have made an offer to Belgian side KAS Eupen for their 19-year-old scoring sensation, though their £5 million bid falls below Onyekuru’s £7 million valuation.
The prolific teenager, who has netted 20 goals and produced another nine assists to earn a nomination for the Belgian league’s Player of the Year award, certainly has the potential to back up his price tag.
And with Everton’s director of football, Steve Walsh, scouring the continent for its brightest young talents, Onyekuru certain fits the Merseyside club’s long-term plans.
Steve Walsh alongside Nigel Pearson during his spell at Leicester City
Whether they will raise their bid to meet Eupen’s valuation, however, remains to be seen. Furthermore, with The Toffees shooting their bolt, it would be no surprise if the Belgian minnows find themselves inundated with counter offers over the next few weeks.
Nonetheless, money is hardly an object to Everton any more once majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri arrived to relax the purse strings.
Yet, Ronald Koeman’s ambitious outfit missed out on a number of their top targets last summer, from Axel Witsel to Moussa Sissoko, Lucas Perez to Kalidou Koulibaly. Therefore, they are running the risk of repeating the same mistake by bidding only £5 million for Onyekuru’s services.
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