According to reports, Everton have tabled a €45m (£39.6m) bid for Benfica forward Raul Jimenez as Ronald Koeman seeks further attacking reinforcements with the departure of Romelu Lukaku looking imminent with every passing minute. The Mexican international has been a forgotten man in Portugal now and could make a move away from the Liga NOS Champions this summer.
Everton have been akin to an insatiable tiger in the transfer market this summer getting in players for fun. While big sides like Manchester United, City, Arsenal and Chelsea have hardly managed a couple, the Toffees have already sealed four names and are raring to go for more.
Koeman is in desperate need for a striker and the arrival of Sandro Ramirez from Malaga is by no way sufficient for the side. With Enner Valencia already returning to West Ham United and Ross Barkley patiently waiting for his big move, the Toffees would need three options at least, up front who could take the role from the centre as well as on the flanks.
The delayed arrival of Yannick Bolasie further complicates things for the manager, who would have to start with an incomplete attacking front otherwise. And Jimenez could be a like for like replacement for Lukaku at Goodison Park, whose big frame and positional preference make him an ideal centre-forward for the Toffees.
Since moving from La Liga side Atletico Madrid to Benfica back in 2015, the Mexican international has found chances drying up for him with every season. He was unimpactful at Vicente Calderon too, which led Diego Simeone to dispose of him just only after one year of his arrival. And it seems, he hasn’t been able to recover his form in Portugal either.
At 26, he surely has his best years ahead of him, but the whopping money Benfica has demanded (£44m) to let go of his services is surprising. The forward could score only 12 goals and assist four times for Benfica over two seasons, which has led to his appearances getting slashed by half. And Koeman’s pursuit of this unproven target hasn’t found a solid base either.
He was only a partial success in Liga MX Apertura (Mexican League) side CF America, where he managed 31 goals and 16 assists in 82 appearances over a span of three years. He hasn’t been very successful at the national level either as he could snatch only nine goals in 50 caps since making his debut back in 2013.
