Everton stun Arsenal by winning race for Nigerian frontman

Rob McCarthy

Everton have pulled off a significant transfer coup by reportedly securing a deal for Henry Onyekuru from Belgian outfit KAS Eupen.

The Nigeria frontman finished last season as the joint leading goalscorer in the Belgian Super League with 22 goals in 38 games, and that led to plenty of speculation over his future this summer.

Arsenal were said to be right at the front of the queue for the 20-year-old but the Toffees appear to have surged ahead of their Premier League rivals and landed Onyekuru.

Everton have done a deal that will see Onyekuru spend a season on loan with Anderlecht before eventually coming to the Premier League in 2018-19.

The Toffees feel that Onyekuru’s spell with Anderlecht will aid his development, particularly with the Belgian outfit playing in the Champions League next season.

The forward is understood to have already undergone a medical at Everton’s Finch Farm training ground and that personal terms have also been agreed.

There has certainly been no delay in Ronald Koeman bringing in fresh faces to his Everton squad this summer, with the Toffees chief already adding Jordan Pickford, Davy Klaasen, Nathangelo Markelo and now Onyekuru in the early part on the transfer window.