Everton face major battle to sign Keita Balde Diao

Everton may have designs on Keita Balde Diao, but it will likely take a significant effort to persuade the forward to move to Merseyside.

With Ronald Koeman setting a deadline of this week to find out where they stand with Olivier Giroud, thoughts turn to alternative options up front. It is no secret Everton would like to bring in one more striker, between now and the close of the summer transfer window.

We’ve already speculated on several other potential targets. However, one option we’ve not brought up, is Keita Balde Diao.

As reported by talkSPORT, the Blues have shown interest in signing Diao. This is certainly understandably, when you consider what he has already achieved in his young career.

Further, the 22-year-old is coming off his best season yet, where he scored a career-high 16 goals for Lazio. However, if Everton are going to tempt him to join their revolution at Goodison Park, they are facing a significant amount of competition.

In the Premier League alone, Arsenal and Manchester United are apparently keen to sign Dioa. On top of this, there is a major interest in keeping the forward in Italy.

TalkSPORT notes that Juventus have already made a bid for the former member of Barcelona’s youth academy. Now though, Napoli have also stepped up, with a reported offer of £19.5 million.

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In addition, Napoli are prepared to match Diao’s wage demands, in an effort to persuade him to Naples. However, this may not matter, with Lazio believed to want £27 million for him.

So, where does this leave Everton? Simply put, they face an uphill battle to persuade the Senegalese international to sign for them.

However, for all the talent Diao possesses, is he really the type of player Koeman wants, or indeed needs? The answer might actually be no, at least if you consider Scout Nation’s scouting report.

That’s because, despite having creativity and pace, the Spanish-born player’s weaknesses include his finishing and defensive contributions. Apart from the fact you would like a striker who can convert a decent amount of his chances, his lack of effort to get back doesn’t make him sound like someone who would appeal to Koeman.

By all means, Everton are right to do their due diligence and consider Diao as an option. However, you could argue they will be better served looking elsewhere for help in attack, if Giroud decides against joining the Blues.

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Where do you stand on the Blues’ reported interest in Diao? Is he the type of player you want to see come to Merseyside, or would you prefer the team look elsewhere to boost their options up front? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.