Everton recently sent scouts to watch a winger who has been compared to Gareth Bale, according to reports, as we close in towards the January transfer window.
Everton transfer news
Despite a resounding 4-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in their last outing, Everton’s Premier League season has been generally disappointing. The Toffees have managed just 14 points from their first 14 matches and are currently at 15th in the table, just five points above the drop zone. As such, manager Sean Dyche is likely to focus on bolstering his squad during the January transfer window.
Sean Dyche Everton
Reports suggest the Toffees are eager to secure the signing of Fenerbahce winger Oguz Aydin, following a recent scouting trip to assess the player, while the club is also understood to have made an approach for Botafogo striker Igor Jesus.
The Brazilian, who has eight goals in 30 games for Botafogo, is seen as a potential upgrade on Portuguese striker Beto, who is set to return to Italy after what's been a difficult spell on Merseyside.
Torino are reportedly in advanced discussions over a potential £16.5 million deal for the striker, who has scored just six times in 48 games for the Toffees since moving from Udinese last summer.
Everton sent scouts to watch Baris Alper Yilmaz
According to TBR Football, another player on Everton's radar is Galatasaray winger Baris Alper Yilmaz. The publication claims that the Toffees, alongside a host of other Premier League teams including West Ham United, Newcastle and Aston Villa, sent scouts to watch the Turkey international action against Sivasspor at the weekend.
They would have likely been impressed with what they saw, with Yilmaz scoring the decisive goal in what was a hard-fought 3-2 victory for Okan Buruk's side, who are now six points clear at the top of the Turkish Super Lig.
yilmaz-turkey-arsenal
The goal was Yilmaz's seventh of the season and second in as many games, with the 24-year-old also having found the net against Eyupspor a week prior.
Baris Alper Yilmaz Turkish Super Lig Stats (2024/25)
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Man of the Match
Yilmaz, who has 24 caps and two goals for Turkey, has previously been likened to Tottenham, Real Madrid and Wales legend Gareth Bale by former Kayserispor coach Ilker Puren.
“I compare Baris Alper Yilmaz to Gareth Bale in terms of strength,” Puren told GS Gazette, per the Express. “He has the ability to sprint three or four meters after eliminating the opponent with the ball."
Puren also compared Yilmaz to Manchester City and England star Phil Foden.
“One day, he will definitely play in the Premier League because physics comes to the fore there. He has also improved his positional knowledge," he said. "The level he is at now is close to Phil Foden.”
TBR Football claim that Yilmaz, who is reportedly valued at £25 million by Galatasaray, is open to a move to the Premier League in January.