Everton looking to beat Chelsea in race for England striker

Everton are attempting to trump Chelsea in the race to sign England international and Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, reports the Sunday Mirror. 

Vardy was named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for upcoming meetings with Malta and Slovakia next month and could well be on the move before the two international fixtures. 

Chelsea have been heavily linked with a £40m move for the 30-year-old, who has netted two goals in three Premier League games for Leicester this season. 

However, Everton boss Ronald Koeman is looking to add another striker to his squad before the close of next week’s transfer window and believes Vardy could be the final piece of the jigsaw required to make a serious stab at a top-4 finish. 

Koeman has invested heavily in his squad already this summer and is able to call upon Sandro Ramirez and Wayne Rooney in attack. 

The Dutchman believes he can beat Chelsea in the race to sign Vardy, though, while former Leicester scout Steve Walsh is now Everton’s director of football, which increases he Toffees’ chances of luring the Foxes star to Goodison Park. 

Vardy turned down a move to Arsenal last summer and penned a new deal worth £100,000 a week, but both Everton and Chelsea believe he is open to a new challenge.