'Agreement' - Everton close in on first David Moyes signing as £17m deal agreed between clubs
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Everton have reached an agreement with Olympique Lyonnais for the transfer of Ernest Nuamah in a deal worth around £17m, according to reports in France. The Toffees have yet to make a signing this month with David Moyes returning to the club last weekend to replace the sacked Sean Dyche.
In recent days, Lyon owner John Textor admitted the French club were open to sales in January amid financial issues. Lyon have been provisionally relegated to Ligue 2 by French football's financial watchdog Direction Nationale du Controle de Gestion because of their high debts. They will only avoid relegation if they improve their finances.
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Hide AdRMC Sport have reported that an agreement has been reached between Lyon and Everton for Nuamah and that all that remains is for the player to agree on personal terms with the Toffees but that is not expected to prove an issue with “all parties confident” in finalising a deal.
Nuamah to bolster Everton attack
Everton have struggled for goals in the Premier League this season. They have found the net just 15 times in 20 games - only rock-bottom Southampton have a worse record with 13 goals in 21 outings. Nuamah, 21, came through the academy at Danish Superliga side FC Nordsjælland. He scored 20 goals and provided five assists in 49 games for the club before leaving in the summer of 2023.
He joined Belgian side RWD Molenbeek before being immediately loaned to Lyon. Both clubs are owned by Textor, with the loan facilitated due to Lyon’s financial issues. He joined the French club permanently for a reported fee in the summer of around £24m - with Lyon set to make a loss on him. He has made 51 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, scoring four goals and providing three assists. The winger had been the subject of interest from Fulham over the summer with a deal agreed and a medical completed but the player opted against a move.
What next for Everton
Moyes’ first game back in charge at Goodison Park was a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Wednesday night. All of the sides below Everton in the table were also beaten in midweek with Wolves losing at Newcastle and Southampton defeated by Manchester United at Old Trafford. Leicester City and Ipswich Town lost home games to Crystal Palace and Brighton, respectively.
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Hide AdDefender James Tarkowski felt there was plenty of positives to take from Everton’s performance in midweek as they prepare to host an out-of-sorts Tottenham Hotspur side on Sunday. He reflected: "I thought it was a competitive game against a very good side. I've watched them play teams and really dominate possession but I thought it was quite even in terms of that. We felt like we had a bit more control than we usually have and we created a couple of chances, we just didn't put it away and they did.
"I think we need a bit more quality on the ball. I think you saw that a few times tonight and it's all of us, not any individual. We're lacking that bit of quality to keep the ball in tight areas and work it out, like good teams, like Villa, do. Things like that need to improve but also a lack of confidence can cause that - we've not won many games, so maybe that's a reason why as well.
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