Report: European finalists plan swoop for £25m Everton target this summer

AS Roma are reportedly interested in Everton transfer target Kelechi Iheanacho this summer, with the Nigerian international looking set to leave Leicester City.

The Foxes paid £25m for Iheanacho to Manchester City back in 2017 but after a six-year stint at the King Power Stadium, the 26-year-old will likely be sold this summer.

Everton have shown an interest in the forward as Sean Dyche looks to rebuild his depleted attacking options, but according to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, Jose Mourinho is keen to recruit the striker at the Stadio Olympico.

Roma, who reached the final of the UEFA Europa League last month, aren’t the only European side weighing up a move for Iheanacho, with Besiktas also interested, according to Turkish outlet Star.

Indeed, the Toffees are just one of a number of clubs eyeing up the Nigerian forward, with fellow Premier League sides Burnley and Nottingham Forest also interested.

Iheanacho lack of goals indicate he is not the right man for Everton

Iheanacho’s current contract with Leicester City expires in 2024, meaning the Foxes will likely want to offload the forward this summer to avoid losing him for nothing next year.

Consequently, he should be available for a cut-price deal, but Everton need to be looking for a forward who is more prolific than the 26-year-old.

After showing some promise during his time at Manchester City, Iheanacho is a player who has struggled to live up to the initial hype and has only managed to reach double figures in terms of goals in one of the six seasons at Leicester City.

With five Premier League goals last season for Leicester, Iheanacho underwhelmed and Everton really need a forward who can hit the ground running.

At 26, Iheanacho should be nearing his prime goalscoring years, but just hasn’t reached the heights that were once predicted of him.