As Everton continue to figure out how to bolster their squad while their tour of the United States continues, rumors about who they are looking at are flying around rather rapidly.
David Moyes has been quite direct with the media since the team arrived in the States, telling Chris Beesly of The Liverpool Echo that he's "desperate to get things moving on," and that the club is "continually reassessing and moving on while things have maybe not come to fruition," while admitting that they'll "keep doing it, we’ll keep trying to get the best players we can."
“We want to challenge ourselves to get good players if possible. We’re trying to do that, but we’re finding it quite difficult at the moment," Moyes also told the reporter, among a host of other quite candid things.
With that in mind, Everton have continued to be linked to young players with plenty of skill and lots of potential. They just signed Adam Aznou, a player who fits that bill, but at 19, has not played enough to warrant a massive transfer spend.
Links to the likes of Malick Fofana are also heartening, although I'm increasingly concerned that the player is using Everton to get a move he actually wants.
Enter yet another rumor regarding an exciting young winger, this time Como's Assane Diao.
Everton have reportedly had a bid rejected for Diao already, something in the neighborhood of €44 million, with indications being that either Como don't want to sell or they want a number closer to €65-75 million.
The 19-year-old (he'll turn 20 in early September) made his debut for the Senegal national team in March, and so he has ties to the likes of Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye, which may draw him to Everton.
And he's certainly shown himself to be an excellent player in limited minutes so far, scoring eight goals for Como in La Liga last year in just 15 appearances, on an xG of 4.0. Diao has played all along the front three for both Betis and Como, which would make him another versatile piece in Moyes' arsenal.
As we've said time and time before, it is good to see interest in these types of players; guys who'll be here in 2025/26, but also will improve and be part of the progress as Everton looks to push toward Europe and more in the years to come.
And look, despite all the chatter, nobody really knows what Everton's budget is this summer. But the club should be working to make signings that will improve the squad, and should keep trying to make big moves where they can.
Como may not sell Diao, but Everton cannot give up the work.