Everton are interested in raiding Southampton for winger Kamaldeen Sulemana following the south coast club's relegation from the Premier League.
What transfers have Everton made?
Sean Dyche has admitted that his side have missed out on several key targets this summer but has completed the signing of Ashley Young on a free transfer and the loan capture of Arnaut Danjuma.
With talented teenage striker Youssef Chermiti also nearing a transfer to Goodison Park for around £13m, the summer reassemble is taking shape.
Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…
And now, according to the Daily Mail, the Toffees are poised to shift their attention to Sulemana after Leeds United rejected a £15m offer for Wilfried Gnonto.
Sulemana signed for Saints for £22m in January but now could look for a swift departure after the side's relegation, and the Merseyside outfit could now offer a lifeline.
How good is Kamaldeen Sulemana?
There would perhaps be some doubts over forging ahead with a move to sign Sulemana for Everton, with the Ghanaian gem only scoring twice – both on the final day of the season against Liverpool – and assisting once from 18 appearances.
Despite this, Sulemana is a high-speed vehicle and would undoubtedly improve the Toffees' ability to drive into dangerous areas and pump life and energy into the system, having ranked among the top 20% of attacking midfielders and wingers for total shots and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90 over the last year, as per FBref.
The £10k-per-week dynamo was once praised for bringing "power and depth" and for his "incredible speed" by Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag – then in charge of Ajax – and given this, partnered with his illustrated skill in carrying the ball up the pitch, he could serve as Dyche's very own version of Wilfried Zaha.
Zaha is listed as the 21-year-old's most comparable player on FBref, and would by no means be a poor choice to emulate, given his dazzling exploits with Crystal Palace over the past decade, scoring 90 goals and supplying 76 assists from 458 appearances for the Eagles.
Having joined Turkish giants Galatasaray this summer upon the expiry of his contract at Selhurst Park, Zaha leaves having been praised as "unstoppable" by Clinton Morrison and "unplayable" by talkSPORT's Tony Cascarino.
Himself ranking among the top 24% of positional peers for total shots, the top 20% for successful take-ons and the top 13% for touches in the attacking box per 90, Sulemana has already found the blueprint, now is time for the application.
Everton, for their part, will be hoping that a prospective move for Sulemana would open up a myriad of attacking avenues this season after only just surviving the drop on the final game of the campaign, Abdoulaye Doucoure's second-half striker against Bournemouth on the final day enough to relegate Leicester City.
Only Wolverhampton Wanderers scored fewer strikes than the Blues' 34, and it is imperative that the summer strategy is on the money if a third successive campaign at the pit of the Premier League table is to be avoided.
Sulemana could be the precocious, dynamite prospect to have the desired effect and unlock the potential of this Everton side, perhaps adopting a talismanic mantle in the future, just like Zaha at Crystal Palace.