Everton are ‘pretty likely’ to secure a deal for Michy Batshuayi, according to transfer insider Dean Jones, with a Chelsea double swoop for the Belgian and Ross Barkley also tipped.
Frank Lampard is keen to add goals and creativity to his side following the £50million sale of Richarlison to Tottenham earlier this summer. The Brazilian scored 10 and assisted five of Everton’s 43 goals last season, including six in the final nine games.
The Toffees boss hopes to use the momentum of two recent incomings - Ruben Vinagre and Dwight McNeil in the past week - to further strengthen a squad that flirted with relegation last season. And links to Batshuayi and Barkley suggest he is hoping to utilise his Chelsea connections to secure deals.
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And Jones has backed those connections to work, with moves for the Blues pair ‘pretty likely’.
He told GiveMeSport : “Everton are expecting a late flurry of business. So in situations like that you’re going to turn to places where you can strike a deal. So I think both are pretty likely.”
While a return to Goodison for Barkley remains more speculative, Everton’s approaches for Batshuayi have gathered momentum. Football.London reported that the two clubs have entered talks over a permanent deal for the Belgian after Thomas Tuchel decided he was not part of his plans.
The 28-year-old has been at Stamford Bridge since 2016 but has failed to play a consistent role in London and had several spells on loan. He spent last season on loan at Besiktas, scoring 14 goals in 42 games.
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