Everton are pushing to broker their first addition to the senior squad for more than 10 months after agreeing the double sale of two academy graduates.
The club have sanctioned the sales of striker Ellis Simms to Coventry and 17-year-old academy prospect Ishe Samuels-Smith, who will join Chelsea for around £4m.
i understands that Everton will bank an initial £3.5m for Simms in a deal that will feature staggered payments and could be worth up to £8m eventually.
The 22-year-old spent the second half of last season back at Goodison Park after Everton failed to make any additions in January and scored a memorable late equaliser at Chelsea in a crucial 2-2 draw.
But he is surplus to requirements and, in a summer where Everton know they need to sell to spend substantially, the sale could be crucial.
The Toffees are still wrestling with Financial Fair Play issues and the cost of the new stadium project, with the club in advanced talks over investment from New York-based private equity firm MSP Sports Capital.
Sources close to the deal told i that there remains “no timeline” on when that could be concluded, pointing out the “very complex” nature of the investment.
“There are a lot of moving parts in the deal and it is not just a case of pressing the button and then it’s done,” a source told i.
They added that the group remained hopeful it would be done soon, having already provided an interim loan to help stadium construction in advance of the investment deal being concluded.
Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell has made a number of enquiries and the club are hopeful of securing a first incoming deal since September 2022, having gone through the whole of January without bringing anyone in.
The club returned for pre-season training on Thursday, with former England international Dele Alli noticeably the first to return for fitness tests ahead of his latest new start.
Sean Dyche will hold talks with Alli but with Everton required to pay £10m if he plays another seven games for the club, he would need to convince the manager quickly that he was over his recent travails.
Dyche has prioritised new forward additions, putting a premium on pace and power for his new recruits, with the scouting team reluctant to take risks on players with patchy fitness records.
They have been scouring the loan and free agent market and have an active interest in Lyon’s former Celtic forward Moussa Dembele.
They are also keen on Leeds United’s Italy striker Wilfried Gnoto, although there is a reluctance to sell at Elland Road. A fee of around £40m would surely require further outgoings at Goodison Park, where Amadou Onana could also be sold to raise funds.
The Belgium midfielder has interest from Chelsea and has been linked with Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, i understands that there has been no move for Almeria forward El Bilal Toure, despite reports in Spain that a £34.3m bid has been launched for the Mali international.
Almeria managing director Mohamed El Assy name-checked Everton in an interview this week as one club who had made an offer for Toure but sources at Goodison Park say that is not correct.
[inews]