Everton have targeted a move for Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi this summer.
The Nigeria international is keen on a move away from the Foxes, and is available for a cut-price fee due to a relegation clause in his contract.
The Toffees need midfielders following the departures of Abdoulaye Doucoure and Orel Mangala, the former having not been offered a new deal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton look to have secured one replacement already after agreeing a £25million deal with Chelsea for the transfer of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Ndidi set for Besiktas move
Ndidi looked to be an ideal replacement for the departing Doucoure.
The 28-year-old has plenty of Premier League experience and was among the very few to impress for Leicester last season.
A defensive midfielder, Ndidi would have also provided cover for 35-year-old Idrissa Gueye.
But Everton have ultimately missed out, with the midfielder now set to undergo a medical with Turkish club Besiktas, according to Sky Sports News (6 August, 10:49 am).
The broadcaster reports that, as well as Everton, Fenerbache held an interest. However, Besiktas have agreed an £8.5m deal for Ndidi, who also attracted interest from the Bundesliga.
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has convinced the midfielder that his future lies in Turkey, with a medical expected to take place within the next 24 hours.
Everton can look elsewhere
While Ndidi certainly would have presented a Premier League-ready signing for Everton, the transfer would have had its downsides.
The 28-year-old has struggled extensively with injuries throughout the past four years.
The first of which, a knee injury, saw him make just 19 Premier League appearances in the 2021/22 season, and the issues have not stopped since.
Just last season, Ndidi suffered a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for almost two months.
Everton have had their fair share of injury-prone players in recent years, and adding another would not have proved beneficial for a squad desperately needing depth.
Instead, the Toffees would be wise to prioritise younger targets, in line with the strategy decision-makers at the Hill Dickinson Stadium have looked to apply to other areas of the squad this summer.
