Everton are close to signing the France full-back Djibril Sidibé but are facing frustration in their attempts to land Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucouré and Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha before the transfer deadline. Sidibé, part of France’s World Cup-winning squad last summer, will undergo a medical on Merseyside on Wednesday for a proposed loan move from Monaco. Marco Silva wants increased competition for Séamus Coleman at right-back this season having loaned Jonjoe Kenny to Schalke and with Mason Holgate a potential departure.
The Everton manager also wants to strengthen in central defence before Thursday’s deadline – Chelsea’s Fikayo Tomori is under consideration – and would relish a reunion with Doucouré plus the addition of Zaha to his forward line. Watford, however, have rejected a second offer of €40m (£37m) for the central midfielder and are adamant the 26-year-old will not be sold so close to the transfer deadline. The French midfielder stated his desire to join a club in the Champions League in January but looks set to remain at Vicarage Road.
Everton are yet to table a second bid for Zaha but, despite declaring last month that their rejected offer of £52m was “the end of the matter”, retain interest in the winger. Palace’s stance on Zaha remains the same as Watford’s on Doucouré, although Roy Hodgson is close to signing James McCarthy for around £8m.
