Four clubs chase £10m Everton man but move to Championship club ‘unlikely’

Everton strike department is expected to undergo wholesale changes as Sean Dyche wants to bring in two strikers while also looking for exits of Neal Maupay and possibly Ellis Simms. There is a high possibility that Everton go into the new season with a completely remodeled strike force.

Everton’s Achilles’ heel was their inefficiency in attack as they managed to score just 34 goals in 38 Premier League games. Their strikers – Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Maupay and Simms contributed just three goals in those 34, not even constituting for 1% of goals coming from strikers.

EFC are in pursuit of several names but so far have failed to sign a forward this summer. Perhaps, EFC will need to sell players first and the cash generated can be used to fund the rebuild. Everton striker Simms is generating a lot of interest as the possibility of the Englishman leaving is high this summer.

Sunderland unlikely to sign Everton striker Ellis Simms

The Everton academy graduate spent the first half of the last season on loan at Sunderland, where he found some outstanding goalscoring form, netting seven goals in 17 Championship games. In the January transfer window, EFC recalled Simms from the loan spell as the Toffees were operating with wafer thin squad depth in the attack.

Sunderland tried to bring Simms back on loan on the winter transfer window deadline day but Dyche rejected the offer of loaning the Englishman out. This summer, the Merseysoders need to take a decision over Simms’ future as there are plenty of suitors lined up for the 22 year old. Simms’ contract expires next summer and Dyche is yet to make a decision over the player’s inclusion in the first team.

Sunderland have been following Simms’ situation and have already held talks with Everton. There are other Championship clubs also in the chase. According to Nothern Echo, Ipswich Town, Swansea City and Coventry City are also keen on Simms. However, the report adds that Sunderland have now become an unlikely destination as a move is becoming unlikely amid increased competition.

Everton have slapped a price tag of £7 million to £10 million and the Black Cats have no intention of engaging in a bidding war for the English centre forward. Coventry are likely to look for a Viktor Gyokeres replacement and could push for Simms.

Simms’ contract runs out in 2024 and EFC demanding up to £10 million could deter a lot of interested parties. However, at this moment, at least four Championship clubs remain in the hunt to sign Simms.

Will Ellis Simms leave EFC?