Everton are reportedly preparing a fresh offer for 25-year-old Burnley forward Maxwel Cornet after their opening move hit a brick wall.
According to Daily Mail, Merseyside giants Everton are readying a move to land 25-year-old Burnley attacker Maxwel Cornet in the ongoing 2022 summer transfer window.
The Toffees are coming off the back of a 2021/22 campaign that saw them flirt heavily with relegation. A string of luck and good performances towards the business end of the season helped Everton retain their top-flight status at the expense of Burnley.
Frank Lampard and co. are now keen to land the Clarets another blow by moving for their best player from last season. Cornet arrived at Turf Moor in the summer of 2021 and ended the campaign as Burnley’s top scorer across all competitions. He was one of the few shining lights in what was a woeful campaign for Burnley.
Everton lost star striker Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur, weakening an attack that already lacks sufficient bite. They have been persistent in attempting to bring in Cornet and even had a loan offer for the 25-year-old rebuffed by Burnley.
But the Merseysiders remain unfazed and are yet to launch another assault to land their man. Everton’s director of football Kevin Thelwell is busy trying to accelerate recruitment and will be heartened by the fact that Cornet was not in the Burnley squad that faced off against Shrewsbury last week.
The Ivory Coast international is ready for a new challenge and is open to leaving Burnley this summer. As things stand, it could all come down to whether the Toffees can fork out the cash needed to turn the Clarets’ head. With the ball firmly in their court, Thelwell should choose whether to seize the initiative.
Cornet will add a touch of dynamism and directness to an Everton attack that has been too predictable at times. Dominic Calvert-Lewin appears to have lost his way and Anthony Gordon is far too young and raw to be trusted with leading the line on a regular basis. Adding Cornet into the mix will give Lampard more options going forward.
With the 2022/23 season fast approaching, the Toffees will do well to land the 25-year-old forward as quickly as possible and acclimatise him to their playing style. Given their struggles in recent years, Everton cannot risk sacrificing small margins in what could be yet another campaign spent trying to avoid the drop.