done deal: Mali international surper star set to complete his medical in place in £26.5m deal, Everton had staff on standby – Sky Sports

Everton had staff on standby for Almeria striker El Bilal Toure to complete a medical at Goodison Park, according to Sky Sports.

The publication reported on its website on Friday (28 July) that the Toffees were close to signing the 21-year-old forward.However, Sky Sports have noted that the Mali international is now having a medical with Atalanta after agreeing a £26.5million deal with the Serie A club, having preferred a switch to the Italian top flight.

“Almeria forward El Bilal Toure is having a medical with Atalanta after the clubs agreed a £26.5m deal,” according to Sky Sports.

“Everton were close to signing him and had staff on standby to do a medical. However, Toure’s desire to play in Serie A proved decisive.”

It may seem like a missed opportunity for Everton, with Toffees supporters set to be disappointed at the club’s failure to bring in the talented forward.

However, a move to Merseyside was perhaps never really on the cards if the 21-year-old always had his heart set on a switch to Serie A.

Still, Everton need new players, and the Mali international would have undoubtedly helped the Toffees have a much better season than they did last time.

Setbacks like this do, of course, happen to plenty of clubs in the summer transfer window, but Sean Dyche is now rapidly running out of time to bring more new faces to Goodison Park, having already acquired Ashley Young on a free transfer and Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal.

The new Premier League season is getting closer and closer, and Everton will no doubt struggle once again if more signings are not made between now and the end of the window.

In other Everton news, James Garner has sent a four-word message to one player after the latest Manchester United transfer news.