Everton set to miss out on summer striking target

Reports in Portugal suggest Sporting striker Seydou Doumbia will leave the club for China this summer, ending any chance of Everton signing the Ivorian forward.

Sport Witness cite a report from Portuguese paper Record, which claims Sporting will try to sell Doumbia to a Chinese side during their summer tour of the country.

The Portuguese press are not always known for their reliability so any links are to be taken with a huge pinch of salt.

Everton, Newcastle and Swansea have all been credited with an interest in Doumbia, who has already played for 13 clubs in a nomadic career to date.

The 30-year-old has already had an unsuccessful loan spell with Newcastle in 2016 where ha played just three times and failed to score a goal.

He’s not exactly a striker to set the pulses racing.

The Toffees were last linked with a move for Doumbia in January when the club’s desire for a new striker was well known.

Cenk Tosun has since come in to bolster the club’s forward line, so any move for Doumbia looks unlikely.