According to reports, newly promoted side Brighton & Hove Albion are now eyeing a move for Everton’s want away striker Oumar Niasse after the Merseyside club made it clear that they want to offload him this summer. The Senegal international exhibited flashes of brilliance on his loan stint with Hull City in the second half of last season but couldn’t save them from being relegated.
The Seagulls have been quite prompt in the transfer market. With their promotion to the Premier League pretty much certain weeks before the Championship season ended, they had their targets spot on and Chris Hughton wasted no time in landing them.
The likes of goalkeeper Jack Ryan from Valencia and central midfielder Pascal Gross from German side Ingolstadt arrived in the first week of July itself. They were followed by Mathias Normann from FK Glimt and Markus Suttner also from FC Ingolstadt. In August came Ales Mateju from FC Viktoria and Davy Pröpper from PSV Eindhoven.
However, none of them are strikers and apart from getting in Isaiah Brown on loan from Chelsea, manager Hughton seems largely dependent on Glenn Murray and Sam Baldock to keep things ticking up front this season yet again. A player like Niasse could be a wise addition given the vibrancy and urgency he brings in the attacking third.
It is quick movements and persistence that had forced Everton to buy him from Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow in the first place for a whopping £13.5 million in the winter of 2016. Roberto Martinez was an admirer of him but he could make no impact whatsoever owing to his patchy form and fitness issues.
Ronald Koeman didn’t want him in his squad from day one and had sent him to the Under-23s right away, looking for a buyer to dispose of him. Loan specialist Marco Silva became Hull City’s manager then and got him temporarily.
He played decently for the Tigers scoring four times and notching up an assist in 17 games. He had scored in Hull City’s win against Manchester United in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg. He was a hit for Everton’s Under-23 side too, contributing significantly to their Premier League 2 title success.
However, Koeman doesn’t look like changing his stance anytime soon and Everton want to offload him this summer too even though they are looking for a striker at the moment. Niasse debuted for the national side back in 2014 and could play only eight games for them scoring thrice. A move to Brighton would help him have the last shot before the 2018 World Cup.
