Everton have reportedly set their sights on 21-year-old English forward Dwight McNeil, who is valued at £25 million by Burnley.
According to a report by The Times, Everton’s quest to sign a wide attacker in the summer transfer window has taken them to a fellow Premier League club. 21-year-old English forward Dwight McNeil has popped up on the Toffees’ radar, with Burnley slapping a £25 million price tag on him.
Dwight McNeil joined Burnley from Manchester United in 2014 before subsequently making swift progress within their youth setup. The Englishman broke into the first-team squad four years later, featuring in the Clarets’ final game of the 2017/18 season. And he has not looked back since.
To date, the 21-year-old forward has amassed 107 appearances for Burnley, with seven goals and 16 assists to show for his efforts. While he might not have been the most prolific of customers in the final third for the Clarets, McNeil is still rated among the most promising young wingers in the Premier League, which explains why Everton might be interested in him.
Everton are believed to be in the market for wide attackers this summer following the appointment of Rafael Benitez as the new manager. The reasoning for such eagerness would be understandable as well, considering Alex Iwobi and Bernard have both struggled to make an impression since joining the Merseyside club.
In addition, Anthony Gordon is far from becoming a fixture in the first-team setup at Goodison Park, which is why Everton could well want to sign a couple of wingers. The Toffees have already signed one dynamic wide forward in Andros Townsend, but they remain hot on the trails of other wingers as well, including Samuel Chukwueze.
Apart from the 22-year-old Nigerian forward, Everton have also shown an interest in the likes of Hwang Hee-chan, Leon Bailey and Demarai Gray, who is another player closing in on joining them. And now, McNeil has emerged as a viable target, although he comes with a £25 million price tag.
What now remains to be seen is if Everton step up their efforts to sign McNeil this summer, with the 21-year-old definitely an option worth considering. For now, what remains certain is that the Englishman is on Everton’s radar, with Burnley demanding £25 million to part ways with him.