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Despite Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s excellent workrate and Oumar Niasse’s supersub stints, Everton still need to get an experienced replacement for Romelu Lukaku in the January transfer window if the Blues are to have any chance of making a serious run at matching their seventh-placed finish from last season.
Plenty of forwards have been linked with the Blues this season, with Christian Benteke the latest name to hit the news cycle. However, the Daily Mail are reporting that newly-promoted Brighton & Hove Albion are putting together a bid for Celtic’s Moussa Dembele, and that the Blues could be in the conversation as well.
The 21-year-old striker has been at his explosive best in the Scottish Premiership since he moved from Fulham, but question marks remain regarding the pedigree of the competition Celtic have to face on a weekly basis versus the Premier League. He has potted 40 goals and 12 assists across all competitions in 67 games for the Bhoys, and has shown up well at the youth international level for France too, with 17 goals in 44 games.
Dembele faces an uphill battle to win a spot in the talent-laden France squad headed for Russia this coming summer in the 2018 World Cup, and could be looking to prove his credentials in the Premier League this spring.
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Brighton are proposing an £18million offer for the centre forward, including a 10% sell-on clause in the contract should the player prosper and move on to a bigger club for a huge transfer fee. Everton are going to have to come up with a similar or better deal to get Celtic’s attention should the Toffees be really interested in the player.