Everton have been linked with a move for Ismaila Sarr for some time now, and a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player ahead of the January transfer window.
What’s the latest?
According to The Mirror, the Toffees are exploring the opportunity to sign the Watford winger when the transfer window reopens next month.
As per the report, despite Watford’s intentions to keep Sarr at Vicarage Road for their promotion charge in the second half of the Championship season, Everton are plotting a £35m bid for the player.
It’d be a major coup
There is no doubt that the signing of Sarr would be a major coup for Frank Lampard in his pursuit to improve his team after another disappointing start to their Premier League campaign.
Everton are currently teetering on the edge of the relegation zone in 17th after a string of poor performances left them just one point above the bottom three ahead of the World Cup break.
One of the biggest issues that the Toffees are currently experiencing is their lack of attacking threat and prolific finishing in front of goal, scoring the joint-second fewest goals of any team in the top flight so far.
As a result, if the powers at Goodison Park can secure a deal for Sarr in January, the Watford winger could be a hugely valuable asset to Lampard over the remainder of the campaign.
In 109 appearances for Watford, the 24-year-old – who was once dubbed “outstanding” by BBC pundit Garth Crooks – has scored 30 goals and registered 21 assists with a goal contribution every 174 minutes, proving that he is a consistent and reliable threat in front of goal.
Furthermore, Sarr has been a standout performer for Senegal during the World Cup in Qatar, helping his nation to the round of 16 in the prestigious tournament.
Across four appearances at the finals, the talented forward scored one goal and successfully completed 69% of his dribbles, along with averaging 1.5 key passes, 2.8 shots per goal, one tackle and a whopping 9.5 successful duels per game.
Lampard is in desperate need of a player who can make an instant positive impact on the attacking threat in the team, and Sarr could be the perfect player to make the difference which might save Everton from another difficult relegation scrap at the bottom of the table over the second half of the season.