Everton face heartbreak in Nikola Kalinic pursuit

Yesterday we brought you news that Everton may have turned their attention to Fiorentina’s Nikola Kalinic as their search for a new striker continues.

Sky Italy had reported that the Blues had ‘been in contact’ with Fiorentina over the forward and were willing to pay up to €25m for the Croatian.

Now Corriere dello Sport have picked up the rumours and provided a bit more context to the whole thing.

First, it appears Everton have indeed been in contact with La Viola and were told it would take €30 million to get their man, around £26 million.

That price is not much of a problem given the Lukaku money is still in the bank and similar prices have been quoted for Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud.

Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

Unfortunately, it seems that regardless of money not being an issue, Kalinic will not be heading to Goodison Park any time soon.

Corriere dello Sport report that the player is not interested in a return to England having endured a rough time with Blackburn Rovers in the past.

Instead he is keen on staying in Italy and has already rejected the chance of moving to both England and Spain and his stance seems unlikely to change any time soon.

That will come as something of a blow to Ronald Koeman. Kalinic would have solved the striker issue and more than that, filled the target man role perfectly.

Instead the Dutchman will have to turn his attention elsewhere, although where that will be is beyond most of us at this moment in time.