Obvious striker solution exists for Everton after missing out on €28m forward

Everton must look towards Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho after missing out on Almeria’s highly-rated El Bilal Toure.

The Toffees had been in direct competition with Serie A’s Atalanta for Toure’s signature and both clubs had tabled the same offer. However, the young striker opted to sign for the Italian side with the club set to finalise a €28m move (€3m add ons) imminently, meaning Everton must now look elsewhere.

One clear option that stands out is Iheanacho for a number of reasons. The Nigerian forward has just one year left on his current deal and he currently finds himself set to play in the Championship next season following Leicester’s relegation.

Both are clear positives for Everton - and Sean Dyche - in their pursuit and it should make a potential deal easy to complete on all fronts. Football Insider have reported the club are targeting a fee around £10m-15m for the forward, who they signed for £25m in 2017.

New Leicester boss Enzo Maresca is currently in the midst of a squad clear out and Iheanacho has been part of a list of Brendan Rodgers-era players who have been tipped to leave. Already sold are the likes of Harvey Barnes and James Maddison and Iheanacho could soon join them.

The 26-year-old managed five goals and five assists in the league last season, and eight goals in all competitions as Leicester struggled overall for any sort of consistency across the whole season. His best scoring season came during the 2020/21 season in which he netted 19 goals and seven assists in all competitions, with 12 coming in the league and his other goals spread across the Europa League and FA Cup.

Given he had to compete with both Jamie Vardy and Patson Daka for one starting central striker position last campaign, he only managed 11 starts in the league - that’s a figure that can definitely be improved should he make the move to Merseyside. His fitness record is strong and he’ll be hungry to prove his worth and start more games after only making 13 starts the season previous.

He would offer a more technical threat up front for Everton than the likes of Neal Maupay - whose future is uncertain - and Dominic Calvert-Lewin who has obvious physical strengths, but an awful injury record.

Signing him, alongside Leeds’ Wilfried Gnonto, to play with Arnaut Danjuma would make them an stronger attacking unit as a whole and give them a more potent threat overall. And Iheancho has proven he can finish brilliantly in the past and perhaps just needs that consistent run to flourish once again.