El Bilal Toure loan-to-buy deal was recently proposed by Everton

Reports in the Daily Mail say Everton have offered Almeria a loan deal with an obligation to buy for striker El Bilal Toure.

The Mali international has long been linked with a move to Merseyside and according to the Mail the Toffees have actually lodged a formal bid for him.

Everton it is claimed, were lookng for an initial loan signing with staggered payments over four years alongside the obligation to turn the loan into a permanent move.

The details of the deal do sound like they could be the sort of things the Blues would be looking to do given their financial problems.

But, as ususal it’s impossible to know whether there is any genuine foundation to this story.

Movement on the transfer front does seem to be happening at last, with reports that Ashley Young is close to completing a move to Goodison Park.

It also first emerged last night that Everton have apparently made an £18 million bid for Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto.

Gnonto is another attacking player that the Toffees have alledgedly been tracking for a while now and some said, were strong favourites to sign.

Now, with other reports that fellow Premier League club Aston Villa also have an interest in the Italy Under-21 international, the Blues have moved to secure his services.

Toure is a player who seems on paper to be a good fit for what Sean Dyche needs.

He is a powerful centre-forward and is strong in the air, which will be important given how much Dyche’s sides have tended to rely on that threat.

Most of all of course, he can score goals and managed seven in fifteen La Liga apperances last season, which is a respectable total, especially for a 21-year-old.

With Everton having to rely so much for a focus and goals up front on the ever injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Toure does look like a solid potential alternative.

It remains to be seen if anything further will come of this story and whether Almeria are waiting for other bids with a more up front financial commitment before deciding to sell the player.