Long linked with a move away from Lorient to the Premier League, mostly due to his undoubted physical abilities, Lamine Koné was, and still is, a wanted man.
Finally getting his transfer last season when Sam Allardyce added him to his Sunderland squad in January, the Ivory Coast international impressed and helped keep his new club avoid relegation to the Championship.
The 27-year-old is now an alleged target for Ronald Koeman’s Everton, who have just sold John Stones to Manchester City for £47.5m, and could be part of a double arrival of centre-backs alongside Swansea’s Ashley Williams.
The Merseyside club’s first bid, said to be of €18m, was reportedly rejected by David Moyes’ new club, but Everton have come back with an improved offer as they swing their new financial bat around a bit.
If reports from England just don’t do it for you anymore, Foot Mercato in France have also confirmed this report, and claim a €21m (£18m) has now been made.
Furthermore, the French website state Ronald Koeman and co. have offered the Sunderland star a five-year contract to boot.
We’ll probably hear more from this in the coming days.
