Everton join Newcastle in transfer race for Championship wonderkid but will have to meet £15m asking price
EVERTON boss Sean Dyche wants to win the race for Blackburn midfield gem Adam Wharton.
But the Goodison chief will have to find straight cash to beat Newcastle to his signature as he closes in on a major capture.
Dyche was prepared to let striker Ellis Simms go as part of the deal but Blackburn would rather have cash than take an exchange and Everton are trying to raise it.
Ironically the sale of Simms to Coventry may help that but they still plan to shift others in a summer revolution.
Rovers would need around £15million guaranteed for Wharton and Everton could go that far, particularly if they find a buyer for Amadou Onana.
Dyche could also have a better sales pitch than Newcastle, who see Wharton, 19, as a long-term prospect — and even one they would loan back to Blackburn.
Everton may offer the top talent an immediate crack at the Premier League. Their needs are greater and they have lost Tom Davies already from that part of their squad.
It would be a blow for Blackburn to lose Wharton so soon but owners Venky’s must balance the books after writing another £20m cheque recently following a failed promotion campaign.
Venky’s are also faced with problems transferring funds from India because of new government regulations in their home country.
West Ham are keen on buying Onana but behind the scenes they are not being encouraged.
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The Belgian international may want to go to a club in the Champions League if he moves.
Meanwhile, Blackburn are offering centre-half Danny Batth, 33 in September, a two-year deal as they plot a raid on Sunderland.
Rovers want Batth, who is in his last year with the Black Cats and is not getting an extension after that because of his age.
The Ewood Park club are hoping Batth pushes to leave and former boss Tony Mowbray decides he will not be a starter so they can land him cheaply.
Luton’s bids for keeper Thomas Kaminski are being brushed aside by Blackburn.
The Premier League new boys have made a second attempt to recruit the Belgian shot-stopper but the offer starts at under £1m.
Even with extras that is miles short of what Rovers want.
Hatters see Kaminski competing for game time and may have to look elsewhere for cover.