Everton have "formally expressed" their interest in signing Almeria forward El Bilal Toure this summer having expressed their intentions to pay the release clause of €40m (£34m), according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.
What's the latest Everton transfer news?
Having missed out on multiple attacking targets in the January transfer window, including the likes of Kamaldeen Sulemana and Jean Philippe-Mateta, Everton are eager to bring in a new striker this summer, and they have identified several targets.
Back in June, it was reported the Toffees were plotting a move for Udinese striker Beto, with the Serie A outfit expecting the 25-year-old to leave this summer, however there could be competition for his signature.
Several of Europe's top clubs, including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Tottenham Hotspur, have now been offered the opportunity to sign the Portuguese forward, with the same report detailing that he will be available for €30m (£26m) this summer.
Another player who has been linked with a switch to Goodison Park is Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto, however journalist Paul Brown has claimed a move for the Italy international is "slightly unrealistic", so Sean Dyche may have to focus on other targets.
Tavolieri recently took to Twitter to claim that Everton have put €40m (£34m) on the table to sign El Bilal Toure, offering the Almeria forward a five-year contract, and the same journalist has now provided another update on the situation.
Everton have indeed "formally expressed" their intentions to go ahead and pay Almeria the €40m (£34m) release clause included in the 21-year-old's contract, but spread out over a period of installments rather than up front and in full.
The Toffees hierarchy are keen to pay off the deal in three of four installments, which could potentially put a spanner in the works, with a number of other clubs interested, including Fulham, who view the youngster as a priority target if Aleksandar Mitrovic leaves.
At the moment, the situation is "a bit messy", with a number of agents said to be "speaking about the striker", potentially indicating the Blues will miss out if they don't simply stump up the cash.
Who is El Bilal Toure?
Although he was born in the Ivory Coast, the Almeria starlet is a Mali international, having already made 13 caps for his national side, registering four goals in the process.
The former Reims man predominantly plays at striker, finding the back of the net seven times in 21 appearances in La Liga last term, in what was a very impressive debut season.
The Toffees have been linked with a move for the £5k-per-week attacker for quite some time, with transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey hailing him as a "major talent" amid reports about a switch to Goodison Park last summer.
Even though the Malian impressed last season, however, it is still up for debate whether his performances justify a £34m outlay, as there are several areas in which he needs to develop.
Over the past year, Toure ranks in just the 15th percentile for successful take-ons, and in the 27th for passes attempted, when compared to his positional peers, indicating he is far from the finished article.