Who is Everton target El Bilal Toure?

The 21-year-old is an exciting young talent who is already making a name for himself in La Liga, producing some eye-catching showings for Almeria.

Last season, Toure scored seven goals in 21 league appearances, only 15 of which were starts, and he also chipped in with two assists for good measure. He won an average of 2.1 aerial duels per game, too, outlining how effective he can be as a target man.

The youngster is contracted at Almeria until the summer of 2028, but that is unlikely to deter other clubs from making a move for him this summer, and Everton have been linked with a move for him recently. It looks as though the Blues’ interest isn’t going away, following a fresh update regarding his future in Spain.

Are Everton signing El Bilal Toure?

According to The Daily Mail‘s Jones, Everton have made their move for Toure after wrapping up Ashley Young, as they look to get some significant transfer business over the line:

“Everton have made an approach for Almeria striker El Bilal Toure but expect competition from Atalanta. The Toffees have turned their attentions to the forward after completing the signing of Ashley Young on a free transfer from Aston Villa on Thursday.

“Sean Dyche is keen to add another forward to his ranks with Dominic Calvert-Lewin proving unreliable in terms of fitness and Ellis Simms now sold. Neal Maupay, meanwhile, is deemed not good enough to play a major role in the side’s season, and an injury to Calvert-Lewin would provide significant issues for the Toffees.

“Almeria have expressed surprise that Everton have offered a loan with obligation to buy rather than an outright bid.”

Toure could be precisely what Everton are looking for in their attack ahead of the new season, as doubts remain over the long-term fitness of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and the general worth of Neal Maupay, as the above report alludes to.

At 21, the Almeria star is still a raw footballer who is learning his trade, so it would be unfair to expect immediate fireworks at Goodison Park, but he already has a one-in-three-game goal ratio in La Liga, which is proof that he can perform in one of Europe’s top five leagues. He has also netted five times in 15 caps for Mali, highlighting his international pedigree.

Toure is very much a traditional centre forward, rather than someone who is capable of thriving out wide or dropping deep, and it could be that Sean Dyche sees him as the long-term leader of his attack, and someone who needs to make his mark from the off, given the rumoured £25m being discussed in a recent report by the Mirror.

It could be argued that another proven striker is also needed, in order to take some of the pressure off Toure’s shoulders, but he is a confident player, and he could thrive being tasked with a key role from the off, should the transfer come to fruition.