Everton manager Frank Lampard is pressuring Goodison Park officials to sign Blackburn Rovers midfielder Ben Brereton Diaz. Tottenham Hotspur is also interested in the forward.
According to Simon Phillips, the Toffees boss is seriously pressing’ the Merseyside club for Brereton Diaz. The club is also considering a move for the 23-year-old since his Ewood Park colleagues are unlikely to demand a high sum for him.
Brereton Diaz’s contract with his Championship club expires at the end of the season. He has spent four and a half years at the Lancashire club, where he has developed into a prolific scorer. In 17 appearances for Chile, the Stoke-born star has four goals and two assists.
With a move from Blackburn, Lampard believes Brereton Diaz can help Everton climb back up the Premier League table. This season, the striker has 10 goals in 29 games across all competitions. On New Year’s Day, he also had his fourth assist of the season.
Bradley Dack converted Brereton Diaz’s assist to beat Cardiff City 1-0 and move into third place in the second-tier standings. After 26 games, Blackburn is nine points off the automatic promotion places. Brereton Diaz has started every match for Jon Dahl Tomasson so far.
EVERTON WAS £3M SHY OF SECURING BRERETON DIAZ’S TRANSFER FROM BLACKBURN
Lampard feels Everton should target Brereton Diaz’s transfer from Blackburn after they fell into the Premier League relegation zone. The Toffees are also winless in six matches, losing four, and have one of the worst attacks. Goodison stars have scored 14 goals in 18 fixtures.
Only relegation rivals Wolves (11) and Nottingham Forest (13) have so far struck home less often than Everton. But a host of other top-flight teams are also monitoring Brereton Diaz. 90min has named Aston Villa, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Wolves, and West Ham.
Everton may regret not stumping up the cash Blackburn sought for Brereton Diaz’s transfer in the summer, then. The Times reported the Toffees were willing to spend £12m after the club registered their interest. But Rovers ultimately held firm with their valuation of £15m.
Given Brereton Diaz’s importance under Tomasson, Blackburn could demand the same fee from Everton for his transfer in January. The Toffees’ dire situation could also offer Ewood Park chiefs encouragement to hold firm in their valuation of a highly-praised striker again.
“Brereton with the ball at his feet is an extraordinary talent,” ex-Blackburn boss Mowbray once said, via Lancs Live. “He’s a wonderful footballer who can dribble with both feet [and] take people out of the game.”
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