Exclusive:Everton wants
to acquire Wilfried Gnonto
and Kamaldeen Sulemana
Everton could rekindle their interest in Championship duo Wilfried Gnonto of Leeds United and Kamaldeen Sulemana of Southampton after agreeing to sell Demarai Gray to Al-Ettifaq.
Gray is set to leave Everton in the next few hours after agreeing a £10m deal for the Jamaica international to join the Saudi side.
The move could open the door for Everton to hit two of their main summer transfer targets, with capital soon to be reinvested in big deals, prioritizing wingers.
With Gray now set to leave Goodison Park, there’s clearly a lack of depth, with Alex Iwobi’s move to Fulham leaving a void that will be even more apparent following Gray’s departure.
Following the Jamaica international’s departure, Sean Dyche will have the choice of Dwight McNeil, Jack Harrison and youngster Lewis Dobbin for two wide positions, while Arnaut Danjuma and James Garner are also likely to play there, but prefer play in other positions.
Iwobi has started the season as the preferred pick on the left wing, with Garner on the right, although many admit that both prefer to play in the center. Iwobi then left to join Fulham on the deadline day, leaving even fewer options.
As a result, Everton could be looking for a big opportunity in the January transfer window by landing one of their key targets in the summer, especially if Leeds or Southampton struggle to secure a spot in the Premier League. Championship, with the appeal of Premier League football resounding strongly.
The Merseyside club have failed to pursue Gnonto in particular, who are looking to be forced out, but Leeds’ £30m valuation proves too high for Everton to match. Now, however, with an extra £10m from the sale of Gray, Everton may have raised the money needed to make a more realistic move.
A BBC report on the last day claimed the Toffees had made a £25.7m bid for Gnonto, well below Leeds’ valuation, but with gray money now in his pocket, the deal could be done .
Southampton are demanding a similar fee for any club interested in Sulemana, with Everton following although no official decision has been made, and if Gnon chooses to stay at Leeds, a deal is open to the player. Ghana could be an alternative.
