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Everton make approach for brilliant playmaker, £32.5m bid by Euro giants rejected in summer - reports
Everton and Liverpool have approached Nice with enquiries about midfielder Jean Michael Seri, according to a report.
Italian news outlet Tuttomercatoweb claims that the two Merseyside rivals have made requests about Seri, 26, ahead of the January transfer window opening next month.
Seri is believed to have attracted attention from across Europe due to his brilliant playmaking performances in Ligue 1 with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain also understood to be tailing him.
The Daily Mail has recently reported that European giants Barca had a whopping offer worth £35.2million rejected by Nice in the summer transfer window which annoyed the Ivory Coast international, who has spent most of this season struggling for match fitness.
He has made 21 appearances across all competitions this term, scoring one goal and supplying five assists in the process.
Last season, Seri was a huge part of helping Nice secure a shock qualification to the Champions League.
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The former Pacos de Ferreira playmaker scored seven goals and supplied nine assists in 34 Ligue 1 games as Nice finished third behind Monaco and PSG.
Football Insider verdict
Ross Barkley looks very likely to leave Everton in January as his contract expires at the end of the season, so it would make sense for the Merseysiders to start taking a look at who they could spend that money on to replace him. Seri has not been playing as well this season as he did last time out so Barca may have dodged a bullet when their £35.2million bid was turned down in the summer. Even though he may not be good enough for the Nou Camp, Seri would still be an unbelievable signing for the Toffees and they should not turn their nose up at him just yet. Beating Liverpool to his signature would make a massive statement on Merseyside and owner Farhad Moshiri is not one to shy away from an ambitious deal.
In other Everton news, the Toffees have made a breakthrough in talks to sign this lethal finisher with him due to jet into Merseyside on Friday.
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