Everton willing to pay £35m for new signing

Everton are preparing for a second full season under David Moyes’ leadership since he returned to the helm, and opinion is split.

Without question, the Toffees need further reinforcements ahead of the new campaign. In attack, they look thin, while there remains a startling lack of depth in wide defensive areas (though Celtic have been contacted over a possible deal for right-back Alistair Johnston).

Shrewd moves have been made. Merlin Rohl and Tyrique George have seen their loan stints extended on permanent bases, and a deal in principle has been agreed to sign Arsenal’s Christian Norgaard for £7m. In midfield, Everton are well-stocked, albeit with Idrissa Gueye having departed at the end of his contract.

REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff

How Moyes and technical director Angus Kinnear resolve these issues before the end of the window remains to be seen, but there’s undeniably a degree of sparkle that needs to be pumped back into the frontline – especially with Iliman Ndiaye slated for a transfer to the Saudi Pro League.

How Everton can reenergise their frontline

Ndiaye has been an inimitable attacking force over the past few years for Everton, and losing him to a team such as Al-Hilal is going to be a big blow, but there’s no question that the Merseysiders could benefit immensely from a £70m fee, having already completed a wave of shrewd business.

Things fell apart toward the end of the recent Premier League season as Everton failed to win any of their final seven matches, but thy showed plenty of promise earlier on, especially before Jack Grealish injured his foot in January and was then ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.

Only a loanee, the Manchester City man’s absence was keenly felt. The 30-year-old England star said he was “over the moon” to have scored his first goal back in October 2025, and played like a boy in the playground for a resurgent Everton side during those early months.

It’s no surprise that Moyes wants the left-sided forward back, with negotiations ongoing with City to make that happen. Everton struck a neat partnership with Grealish and Ndiaye, and though the latter may have left the Premier League if and when Grealish returns, there’s no question that the right signing on the alternate flank could help lift the Hill Dickinson side back up.

Well, there’s still plenty of window left this summer, and Everton are also scouring the market for further attacking additions – with one emerging target sharing similarities with both Grealish and Ndiaye.

Everton ready to pay for Grealish-Ndiaye hybrid

There is hope that Grealish will play for Everton once again next season, but with no Ndiaye to partner him on the opposite flank, Moyes will be acutely aware that a solution needs to be found – with the new Premier League season now only weeks away.

Well, according to Football Insider’s sources, Everton are confident that they have the financial strength to sign Baris Alper Yilmaz from Galatasaray this summer, with the winger valued at £35m.

REUTERS/Matthew Childs

Previous reports suggest that Everton have made significant progress in trying to strike a deal over the past several months, but there’s clearly still work to do, with Gala hoping to retain their star’s services.

Yilmaz is a skilful winger with substance. He has an elegance and spring in his step that offers shades of both Grealish and Ndiaye, and the fact that he posted 12 goals and 14 assists in all competitions emphasises the kind of edge that Everton need to bounce back after an end-of-season slump.

In the Super Lig last season, Yilmaz scored eight goals and registered 11 assists across 27 starts. He created two chances per game on average, and in that, he showed a Grealish-esque playmaking ability to complement his fleet-footed, fearless dribbling.

Moreover, he’s held his own against the likes of Virgil van Dijk in the past, with the Liverpool captain remarking that he was “difficult for every defender“, slippery and hard to predict. There’s certainly a hint of Ndiaye about him when you consider things from that perspective.

Everton are carefully making progress this summer. Johnston, for example, would be a fantastic addition at right-back – praised for his “excellent World Cup” with Canada by Martin O’Neill.

Yilmaz didn’t enjoy quite the same effect with Turkey, but he still impressed, showing that he has the ability to battle through adversity and showcase his silky, sharp skills in the final third. He would be a credit to this Everton team, especially now that Ndiaye’s future in the Premier League looks anything but certain.