Everton are eyeing up a surprise swoop for Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, according to a Daily Express report.
The newspaper claims Toffees manager Ronald Koeman sees the 30-year-old as a potential replacement for Romelu Lukaku who looks set to leave Merseyside this summer.
It is said Lukaku is in the middle of a £100million bidding war between Chelsea and Manchester United after he has rebuffed all Everton’s offers of a contract extension.
The report also states United are offering Wayne Rooney to the Toffees as part of their offer for Lukaku, who finished as the Premier League’s second top scorer last term, with 25 goals.
Vardy could be tempted to leave the King Power Arena following a poor 2016/17 campaign, despite the fact he signed a new £100,000-a-week four-year deal just last summer.
Another factor which could be crucial in the England star’s move to Merseyside is his relationship with Everton director of football Steve Walsh, who he is reportedly “close to”.
Vardy finished as the Foxes top scorer as he bagged 13 goals in 35 Premier League outings this term, as well as providing six assists.
However, he was not the same goal machine as he was in Leicester’s Premier League winning campaign of 2015/16, when he scored 24 goals in 36 league games.
The former Halifax and Fleetwood man has been capped by England 16 times, scoring six goals, once of which came in the 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Lithuania in March of this year.