Pep Guardiola has already called Everton summer transfer target ‘exceptional’

Everton have been linked with a summer swoop for Moussa Dembele.

The Toffees are very much in the market to bolster their attacking options in the transfer window. Although Sean Dyche's side avoided Premier League relegation on the final day of the 2022-23 season, key squad improvements are needed - particularly in the final third.

Everton were the second-lowest scorers in the top flight with 34 goals. Dominic Calvert-Lewin endured another injury-ravaged campaign and bagged only twice while Neal Maupay netted just once after arriving from Brighton.

Finances again are expected to be tight for the Blues amid the club suffering combined losses of more than £400 million since 2019. The loan and free agent markets could prove pivotal to Dyche as he plots his recruitment.

Dembele is one name who is said to be on Everton's radar, having also been keen during the January transfer window. The striker has spent the past five years at Lyon where he plundered a total of 72 goals in 170 appearances. His final campaign for the French side proved somewhat disappointing, though, as he found the net just three times.

However, plenty of fans will still remember when Dembele was one of the most highly-touted prospects in Europe. Indeed, Lyon splashed out £19.7 million to purchase him from Celtic in the summer of 2018 - having thrived at Parkhead.

In just two seasons for the Scottish club, the Frenchman fired 51 goals in 94 games. Two of those efforts were in a 3-3 draw against Manchester City in the Champions League.

Indeed, Dembele was linked with several top clubs while at Celtic - including City. It might have been just a rumour that Pep Guardiola was interested but it didn't stop him calling the former Fulham marksman 'exceptional'.

Speaking in December 2016, Guardiola said: “If you read the newspapers in the last six months since I became a coach at Manchester City, maybe I have had contact with 126 players to buy for Manchester City. Dembele is another one.

‘"Every week I have contact for the next season to change players. Alexis (Sanchez) was the last one. But the quality (in Dembele) is there. He is an exceptional player."

Dembele's career has been on a downward spiral somewhat in the past 12 months. He turned down a new contract at Lyon last summer, which suggests that he's been preparing for a fresh challenge for some time.

Dembele is still aged 26, which means he is about to enter the peak years of his career and a chance of surroundings could rejuvenate his form.