Everton are considering a move for UD Almeria El Bilal Toure, who is also on the radar of Fulham.
El Bilal Toure, 21, enjoyed a career-best campaign with UD Almeria, finding the net seven times in 21 La Liga appearances as the Andalusian club staved off relegation, finishing one point above the drop zone in 17th.
He came into form during the second half of the 2022/23 season, scoring the winner at home to eventual champions Barcelona and the equaliser against Atletico Madrid which ultimately earned Almeria a draw. The young forward’s performances have led to plenty of interest from several clubs across Europe. It is understood that Fulham are among a few Premier League clubs interested in his services should star striker Aleksandr Mitrovic depart Craven Cottage this summer, but Everton are currently the favourite.
Toure is said to have a release clause of €40m (£34m) in his contract with Almeria. While there is interest aplenty from different clubs, Everton have reportedly launched a €40million bid to secure the services of the player while offering him a five-year deal.
El Bilal Toure would be a good fit at Everton
Everton were the second-lowest scorer in the Premier League last season. As a result, they came worryingly close to being relegated from the English top flight for the first time since 1951. Certainly, main striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin endured another injury-ravaged campaign, managing just two goals, while summer signing Neal Maupay failed to make any sort of impact for the Toffees.
The Merseyside outfit are willing to let both Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms leave this summer, as Sean Dyche hopes to bring in attacking reinforcements to cover and compete with Calvert-Lewin, who has had a rough time with injuries for the past two seasons. With the funds they get from the sales of Maupay and Simms, Everton want to fund a move for El Bilal Toure. Indeed, they have expressed a willingness to meet Toure’s release clause, but only will be able to pay the money to Almeria in instalments.
In Toure, Dyche would get a quick and imposing striker who can run the channels, stretch defences and score goals. Standing at 6ft tall, the Mali international fits the mould of a target-man who could fit into Dyche’s system at Everton. In his first season in La Liga, the youngster has shown flashes of promise and played a key role in saving Almeria from relegation.
At 21, Toure has a long way to go in his career and is tipped to get better with experience and maturity. Thus, he could prove to be a fantastic long-term investment for the Toffees. With that being said, it will be interesting to see if Almeria are ready to accept Everton’s bid for Toure.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
