Everton are poised to sign the striker Oumar Niasse from Lokomotiv Moscow after having an offer of £13.5m accepted by the Russian club.
Niasse is currently in the north-west of England and he and Everton will now attempt to agree personal terms.
The 25-year-old Senegal international was scouted extensively by a host of Premier League clubs over the first half of the season, with Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Aston Villa having watched him. But it is Everton who have made the firm move.
Niasse was voted the Russian Premier League’s player of 2015 and in 21 games for Lokomotiv this season he has scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists. He has helped the club to third place in the league, five points behind the leaders, CSKA Moscow, and qualification for the last 32 of the Europa League; Lokomotiv finished top of a section that included Sporting Lisbon and Besiktas.
Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco have had bids turned down for Niasse and there have been other clubs in mainland Europe showing an interest. But his heart has been set on England for personal and professional reasons; his wife is based in Manchester.
Niasse is blessed with strength and explosive pace and he can lead the line on his own. He has been used as the spearhead in Lokomotiv’s 4-3-3 formation.
He began his career with Ouakam in Senegal and, after a brief spell with Brann in Norway, he moved to Akhisar Belediyespor in Turkey in 2013. In his one season at the club he scored 15 goals in all competitions. Lokomotiv then paid €5.5m (£4m) to sign him.
