According to recent reports, Everton are keen on the summer signing of Saint-Etienne winger Denis Bouanga.
Le 10 Sport states that Everton are set to make an offer for the 25-year-old this summer amid interest from a host of European clubs including Valencia, Sevilla and Lille – and that Saint-Etienne have rejected a €12m (£10.8m) bid from Stade Rennais.
Last month, the same publication suggested ‘it is only a matter of time’ before Everton make a move for 25-year-old, who would be available for a reported fee of around €15 million (£13.5 million), and that Saint-Etienne are aware of the interest from the Toffees, with the French side waiting for Carlo Ancelotti’s to make a concrete offer for the Gabon international.
Bouanga has only been at Saint-Etienne for one season, making a £4.05 million move to the club from Nîmes Olympique last summer.
However, despite only playing for a short spell with Les Verts thus far, the 25-year-old has highly impressed, scoring 10 goals and providing three assists over his 26 Ligue 1 appearances this season, averaging a WhoScored match rating of 7.04 – ranking him as the club’s second-best performer this term.
Bouanga has also performed admirably in the Europa League, as although he contributed just one assist over his five appearances, the Gabonese winger managed a 7.08 WhoScored match rating, as well as producing two goals and an assist in the Coupe de France.
Would you be happy to see Everton make a move for Denis Bouanga this summer?
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In addition to these impressive returns, the winger is also extremely versatile, having been fielded in no fewer than eight different positions across the midfield and forward line for Saint-Etienne this season.
TIF Thoughts…
Based on this past campaign, Bouanga seems like he would be a very useful player for Everton, and with a current Transfermarkt valuation of £7.2 million, Saint-Etienne’s £13.5 million asking price seems as if it may not be too distant from the Toffees’ expectations.