Everton target Boulaye Dia doesn’t score enough goals, with Frank Lampard looking to bolster his striker options as he aims to bring the Villarreal and Senegal striker to Goodison Park, according to The Guardian journalist Ed Aarons.
The forward is currently out on loan with Serie A club Salernitana, after having been part of Aliou Cissé’s Lions of Teranga squad for the World Cup.
Everton transfer news – Boulaye Dia
According to journalist Dean Jones in a previous interview with GiveMeSport, a Premier League move could be on the cards for Dia, with the striker himself believing that he is ready for the next step in his career amid rumours of a move to Everton and Leeds United.
Tutto Salernitana have reported that the Italian club have a £10m option to make the 26-year-old’s move permanent at the end of his loan spell but could look to move the striker on as soon as his signature is secured, with a fee of £17m being touted.
The same publication has suggested that West Ham United are also one of the potential suitors for the Villarreal man’s services when that permanent switch to Salernitana is confirmed.
However, Aarons believes that whilst Dia’s link-up play is “very impressive”, the striker has not scored enough goals in his career as a centre-forward.
What has Aarons said about Dia?
Aarons told GiveMeSport: “Dia has been good at coming deep and linking the play a little bit more. He links it up well, he's pretty strong.
“He’s a bit of a threat in front of goal but he doesn't score enough goals. In his career he's not scored enough, that's one thing he can improve on. But his link-up play has been very impressive.”
How did Dia perform at the World Cup?
Having been selected as Cissé’s first-choice centre-forward for the Senegal squad for the World Cup, Dia helped the 2021 AFCON champions reach the last 16 of the tournament, before suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Gareth Southgate’s England.
The Oyonnax-born striker played in 89% of the minutes available for the Lions of Teranga, scoring one goal in four World Cup appearances according to Transfermarkt, which backs up Aarons’ statement about the Salernitana man not scoring enough goals.
An average Sofascore rating of 6.67 for his performances on the world’s biggest stage would perhaps suggest that the Everton target had been slightly inconsistent in Qatar, though he was trusted enough by Cissé to lead the line in all four of the side’s fixtures.
Therefore, Lampard may desire a move for a more clinical goalscorer with his Everton side having scored just 12 goals so far this campaign, though, with his aforementioned strength and link-up play, Dia could prove to be an effective focal point for the Toffees, which could persuade the Merseyside club to pay £17m for his services.