Everton are now interested in signing Troyes striker Mama Balde, who could be brought in alongside Che Adams, however they will have to battle some other Premier League clubs for his signature, a report has revealed.
Who are Everton signing this summer?
The Toffees are now closing in on a move for Adams, with Football Insider reporting the Southampton striker is due to have his medical ahead of a move to Goodison Park, as the club continue to put the finishing touches on the proposed £15m deal.
Having already agreed personal terms with the Scotland international, the move should be a formality barring any late issues, and the two clubs are now in the final stages of finalising a fee and structure of the payments with the Saints.
As such, it appears as though the 27-year-old is poised to be Sean Dyche's latest recruit, but the deal is yet to be completed, and Everton have another attacking target in mind, who could even be brought in alongside the Southampton ace.
According to a report from talkSPORT, Troyes striker Balde could be targeted as well as Adams, and he would be far cheaper, as he is believed to be available for a fee of around £7m.
The Toffees' interest in the 27-year-old was first documented when they had a £12m offer for Adams turned down, but there is a chance he could be brought in alongside him, with the report detailing they are hunting for "new forwards".
Sean Dyche is keen on more additions to his squad, and the Guinea-Bissau international has now emerged as a target, but there are set to be some other Premier League clubs vying for his signature, with Burnley and Sheffield United also in the running.
Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE Who is Mama Balde?
The Guinnea-Bissau-born striker is a 20-time international for his country, who has really started to develop his game over the past year, having struggled in his first season as a Troyes player, scoring three goals in 30 league games.
Since then, the former Dijon man has really managed to kick on, registering 12 goals and four assists in Ligue 1 last season, and managing to find the back of the net twice against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.
After the forward's performance against PSG, former teammate Tristan Dingome lavished him with praise, saying: "You just have to look at his performances, you can see he's become very effective. Obviously that makes the difference. He helps us when he has his back to goal, and he's improved a lot on last year.
In training he's difficult to handle. He's really strong and is the archetype of the modern striker. I think he's found the role that suits him perfectly."
It is clear that Everton need some extra firepower in attack, given that they were the second-lowest scorers in the top flight last season, and Balde's recent performances for Troyes indicate he would be capable of helping to solve their woes in front of goal.
