EVERTON LODGE NEW BID FOR £34.5M TARGET AFTER RIVALS OFFER £21.5M TRANSFER
Everton have now returned to UD Almeria with an improved offer to secure the transfer of El Bilal Toure after seeing Atalanta BC usurp the Toffees’ surprisingly poor first bid.
That is according to IDEAL, which reports that Almeria expect an auction for Toure that will merit €40m (£34.5m) offers. It is the value of the release clause in the Mali international’s contract. But Everton nor the Toffees’ rival suitors for the 21-year-old have bid close to it.
Atalanta had moved close to putting themselves in pole position for the forward’s transfer in recent weeks. The Serie A side presented an offer worth €22m (£19m) plus €3m (£2.5m) with add-ons. Though La Dea now find the Bergamo natives are behind Everton once again.
Everton improve their offer for El Bilal Toure’s transfer from Almeria
The Daily Mail had reported earlier in July that Everton surprised Almeria by only targeting Toure’s transfer on loan. The deal would have included an obligation to buy the 15-cap star with the payment spread over four instalments. But the bid was never going to tempt UAD.
Now, IDEAL claims that Everton have returned to the negotiating table and have submitted a package worth €30m (£26m). It would mark the most expensive sale in the Spanish side’s history. Yet Rojiblancos chiefs still believe that a club will match their demands in full soon.
El Bilal Toure trusts Almeria’s belief that clubs will pay big for him
Toure has now returned to Almeria’s facilities from his holiday for pre-season training early in anticipation of a transfer. UAD gave the striker a prolonged break having played for Mali since the domestic term finished. But he trusts the club’s belief that a viable bid will arrive.
Almeria will not stand in Toure’s way of a move once they receive an offer the La Liga outfit deem acceptable. Power Horse Stadium chiefs believe they have a duty to his development and to the club’s future to facilitate a transfer when the terms on the table suit the parties.
UAD head coach Vicente Moreno is under no illusions that Toure will leave before the new domestic season starts. But all the while that he remains under contract in Andalusia, they will continue to use his presence in training. They avoided relegation by a point last season.
Toure offered seven goals and two assists during the 2022/23 La Liga season to see Everton target his transfer from Almeria now. He featured in 21 games, starting 15, following a move from Stade de Reims last September. The deal to move to Spain was worth just €8m (£7m).
