Sources: Everton set sights on Christian Kofane deal amid striker crisis
Everton have set their sights on a move to sign Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane in January, sources have told Football Insider.
The 20-year-old has been firmly on the Toffees' radar since the summer, but Leverkusen opted to block any moves in the transfer window's closing stages, ruling out his exit.
However, the Cameroon international has enjoyed a strong start to the new season and remains firmly on David Moyes' radar given their clear issues up front.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, Everton could make a move to sign Kofane in January if he is made available by Leverkusen.
Thierno Barry is currently the only senior striker on the books at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and having missed out on other targets, they are acclerating their plans.
Should a mid-season move be ruled out, Everton may well revisit their interest next summer, and are set to keep a close eye on Kofane's displays in the coming season.
Could Everton make a move to sign Christian Kofane?
Football Insider revealed on 9 October that Kofane is eyeing a potential move to the Premier League, with a number of clubs keeping close tabs on his situation.
Everton are believed to be firmly among those, and while they are far from his only suitors, they could push hard to get a deal over the line given their current problems up front.
Kofane has enjoyed a strong start to the season with Leverkusen, and Everton could guarantee him furst-team football if they could convince him to make the switch.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "Everton looked at Kofane and showed interest in trying to sign him, but Bayer Leverkusen didn't really want to lose him.
"I'm sure the German club would like to keep hold of him as well and probably wouldn't want to lose him in the winter transfer window either.
"But I think there's potential options maybe for next summer for that interest to be reignited in Christian Kofane, because he is very highly regarded by these clubs.
"He's a big, tall striker but also very mobile, he can play out wide or down the middle, so I think that's why he ticks a lot of boxes for Premier League clubs.
"We know Everton are looking to strengthen their attacking options after they failed during the summer, so Kofane is likely to be high on their wanted list in 2027."
Which other clubs are interested in Kofane?
As previously mentioned, Everton are far from the only club interested in signing Kofane in January, with a number of high-profile clubs keeping tabs on his situation.
In the Premier League, the likes of Tottenham and Aston Villa are believed to be keen on the striker, while there are also European sides who could move to bring him in.
Both clubs were keen to lure the striker away from Bayer Leverkusen in the closing stages of the summer window, but failed in their attempts as he remained in Germany.
Should he be made available in January or next summer, they can be expected to reignite their interest alongside Everton and his other potential suitors.