Everton are believed to be willing to pay £16.8m to complete the signing of a midfielder who possesses “enormous qualities” this summer.
Everton pushing to sign £30m Liam Delap
The Blues have been linked with various potential new signings of late, but Liam Delap is a name who has stood out as a particularly exciting option, as they look to bolster their attack ahead of next season.
It has been claimed that David Moyes has even held face-to-face talks with the Ipswich Town striker, who looks almost certain to leave Portman Road in the summer transfer window, following relegation from the Premier League to the Championship.
Delap has enjoyed a hugely impressive season, despite the demise of his own team, scoring 12 goals in 32 starts in the league, which is three more than any Everton player managed in the competition, with Iliman Ndiaye leading the way with nine strikes.
The 22-year-old stands out as a brilliant option for the Blues with a £30m release clause, considering he is a young striker who should only mature as the years pass, and he should be looked at as the leading choice to come in and lead the line at the club’s new Bramley Moore Dock stadium this summer.
Everton also ready to pay £16.8m for new midfielder
According to a new update from Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Everton are ready to pay £16.8m to sign Lille midfielder Ngal’ayel Mukau this summer, having sent scouts to watch him in action in recent weeks.
He is actually valued at £12.6m by the Ligue 1 club, but the Blues are willing to bid higher to get their man, seeing him as another strong option alongside Delap.
Mukau may not be as well-known to Everton fans as Delap, due to him not playing in the Premier League, but he is an exciting young player in his own right.
The 20-year-old has scored twice in six Champions League starts this season, as well as averaging 1.5 tackles per game across 22 matches in Ligue 1 in 2024/25. Meanwhile, Lille head coach Bruno Genesio hasn’t held back in his praise of him, saying:
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“He’s an aggressive player, with a big volume of play, capable of recovering balls from the opponent’s feet. He’s also a forward-thinking player, who can get forward from the first touch and find verticality.”
Lille president Olivier Letang has also described him as a “very likeable lad” with “enormous qualities”, adding that “he burst onto the scene” and “we know his potential and his state of mind.”
Everton could do with fresh blood in the middle of the park, considering Abdoulaye Doucoure is leaving and Idrissa Gueye is now well into his 30s, and Mukau could be a great choice to add into Moyes’ squad.