The agent of Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane has publicly confirmed that Everton are among the clubs showing interest in his 19-year-old client, who is being valued at £87m and described as the best under-21 striker in Europe.
Eric Depolo, speaking to Daily Arsenal, named Everton alongside Chelsea, Newcastle, Brentford, Barcelona and Bayern Munich when asked which clubs have been in contact. Arsenal are considered the frontrunners, but the sheer volume of interest tells you everything about how highly Kofane is rated right now.
“I have never had as many calls in my life as now regarding Kofane. Right now, he is the best U21 striker in Europe and the most complete one. He has speed, technique, defends very well and is strong in the air. It is very difficult to find all these attributes in one striker.”
Depolo went further, confirming direct contact with Arsenal and laying out his valuation with confidence.
“Yes, there is contact between me and Arsenal. But their focus right now is to win the league from there everything will start moving. He is a €100 million player. With Kofane, Arsenal will have a top striker for the next 10 years.”
Why Everton are right to keep tabs on Christian Kofane
The need for a reliable centre-forward at Hill Dickinson Stadium this summer is not in question. Beto and Thierno Barry have combined for just 11 Premier League goals between them this season, and David Moyes needs more potency up front if Everton are to push on and compete for European football consistently. Kofane represents exactly the type of long-term investment the Friedkin Group should be considering as they build for life in their new stadium.
The 19-year-old has contributed seven goals and five assists in all competitions for Leverkusen this season, the majority of his 38 appearances coming from the bench. His contributions in the Champions League, where he impressed in the quarter-final stages, have raised his profile significantly. At Africa Cup of Nations earlier this season he also scored twice for Cameroon, confirming his quality extends to the international stage.
The comparison to what a former Everton target did for his club resonates here too. Goodison News described Kofane as a player who “has everything it takes to do better than Samuel Eto’o,” which is high praise for any striker, let alone a teenager.
Is a Christian Kofane transfer to Everton realistic?
At £87m, it would represent the kind of statement signing that the Friedkin Group have yet to make since taking over. Arsenal are in pole position and Leverkusen are reportedly willing to accept bids of around €60-70m, which still represents a significant outlay. Bayern Munich have also been credited with interest but are said to be unwilling to enter a bidding war, which at least removes one powerful rival from the equation.
Everton are unlikely to be the club that lands Kofane if Arsenal, Barcelona and the top Premier League clubs all push hard. But the fact that his agent is publicly naming the Toffees as interested parties suggests there is genuine substance behind the link, and that Moyes’ recruitment team have done their homework on one of the most exciting young strikers on the continent.
