The Toffees want to sign West Ham’s Diame.
West Ham United midfielder Mohamed Diame has emerged as a transfer target for new Everton boss Roberto Martinez as he wants to make the midfielder his second signing, according to talkSPORT.
Diame has been targeted by north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in the past but it is the Toffees that are set to make the first step towards landing the Senegal international.
Martinez began to put his own stamp on the squad at Goodison Park this week with the signing of Arouna Kone from the Spaniard’s previous employers Wigan Athletic.
Yet the 39-year-old is not satisfied and wants a midfielder as soon as possible to continue strengthening the side.
Diame is another player who featured under Martinez at Wigan, having joined the side from Rayo Vallecano in 2009 before departing the DW Stadium for West Ham last summer.
It’s thought that 26-year-old has a £3.5m release clause in his contract however and the Everton boss would be more than happy to pay that money for the Senegalese midfielder.
Having now spent four years in the Premier League Diame has plenty of experience in England and is generally deployed in the middle of the park to break up the play and distribute the ball.
To date the midfielder has played 129 top flight English matches and is also the current captain of the Senegal national team – having earned 19 caps for his country.
Interest from Arsenal and Spurs appears to have cooled on Diame in recent times as well, so if Martinez acts quickly the deal could be wrapped up before the competitors have any time to react.
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