Everton are edging towards the signing of Anwar El Ghazi on a loan deal from Aston Vila.
The winger would become the club's third arrival of the January transfer so far, following the permanent captures of both Vitalii Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson earlier in the month.
The news comes as Lucas Digne is set to travel in the opposite direction, to Villa, in an unrelated transfer.
The left-back is poised to leave Goodison Park in a £25m deal after three-and-a-half seasons with the club.
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However, this isn't the first time that the Blues have been linked with a potential swoop for El Ghazi.
The Holland international initially impressed on loan at Villa before joining them on a permanent deal in the summer of 2019.
In the time between his temporary spell in the Midlands, and leaving Lille for the offer of a four-year contract, multiple links to other clubs cropped up, including Everton.
However, in May 2019, former Blues player Andy van der Meyde tried his very best to convince his fellow Dutchman against the move.
Speaking on Dutch TV show VTBL, El Ghazi was asked about potentially linking up with the club's then director of football Marcel Brands at Everton - only to be met with the panelist asking him not to follow in his footsteps.
"Don't do it. Don't. Do. It. Everton, what a s*** club," Van der Meyde said.
"Please don’t go to Everton because it would destroy you. Just look at me!"
Van der Meyde spent an eventful four years off the pitch on Merseyside but his problems affected his relationship with then-manager David Moyes and massively restricted his game time.
The ex-Holland international made just 24 appearances in all competitions across his time at Goodison Park before making a move to PSV in the summer of 2009.
