Newly promoted Premier League club rival Everton to sign £6.8 million attacker

Yesterday, Everton were linked to Borussia Monchengladbach striker Alassane Plea. The Frenchman wants to return to Ligue 1 but he has considerable interest from England with Everton closely following the 29 year old.

Plea has entered the final 12 months of his contract and Borussia Monchengladbach are open to part ways with the Frenchman. A deal can be struck for as little as £6.8 million, a figure that is reasonable in the eyes of many interested clubs.

In France, Olympique Marseille and OGC Nice have shown interest in Plea and want to sign him, however, Nice are also exploring the option to sign Marcus Thuram. The Toffees are not the only English side keeping tabs on the Frenchman.

Plea has netted 47 goals and provided 28 assists in the last four years since joining Monchengladbach. Last season, the 29 year old had 18 goal contributions (10 goals and eight assists) in 33 Bundesliga games.

Everton face competition from Nottingham Forest to sign Alassane Plea

Now, another Premier League club has joined the chase to sign Plea. According to French media outlet RMC Sport (via Sport Witness), newly promoted club Nottingham Forest will rival Everton in signing the 29 year old. The Toffees are searching for the right candidate to replace Richarlison and Plea could be the solution.

For starters, he’s very versatile, capable of playing as the only striker as well as being part of a two striker system. Last season, he often started from the left wing, playing as a left sided inside forward, a role that Richarlison executed at Goodison Park. Plea’s arrival would also ease goalscoring pressure off Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s shoulders.

With a limited budget, Everton cannot go and splash the cash to bring a big name to replace Richarlison. Plea will cost around £7 million which will fit into the budget and allow the Toffees to spend money on strengthening other departments.

However, the Royal Blues will surely face competition from clubs, namely Nottingham Forest, Marseille and Nice. The report adds that talks are ongoing with all interested clubs but neither are close to completing an agreement.

Plea has proven that he can thrive in multiple leagues. Even though he hasn’t set foot in England, he has the experience to perform, making Plea a risk worth taking. Everton may need to move fast or they would have to be part of a bidding war where they could easily find Plea unaffordable.

Will the Toffees sign Alassane Plea?