Report: Everton may have held deadline day talks with £97m star over loan

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Everton may have made an ambitious play to sign Ousmane Dembele on the final day of the January transfer window, with the Liverpool Echo reporting that one source suggested that talks over a loan for the Barcelona star took place.

The Toffees enjoyed a successful deadline day. They announced that Frank Lampard had indeed become their new manager. And that was followed by the news that Donny van de Beek had arrived on loan.

It was Everton who sprung one of the late surprises of the month. They signed Dele Alli on a permanent basis from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal that could be worth up to £40 million.

But it would appear that they touched base on whether they could perhaps pull off one of the most shocking deals of the entire window in the final hours.

The Liverpool Echo reports that one source has claimed that they held talks to sign Dembele on loan. It must be noted that the report adds that those claims were also played down by the club.

Dembele was certainly one to watch in the final hours of the window. Barcelona were trying to move him on as his contract expires in the summer. He was even offered to Arsenal as they looked to finalise a deal for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

However, the Frenchman remains at the Nou Camp, poised to be a key protagonist in this summer’s window.

Lampard was set to rival Gerrard again as Everton linked with Ousmane Dembele loan talks?

Of course, one of the most notable deals of the window was Philippe Coutinho joining Aston Villa on loan. That was certainly a major shot in the arm for Steven Gerrard.

So it would have been fascinating had the Villa boss’ old teammate managed to sign a Barcelona forward of his own this month.

Dembele would have arguably been more of a wildcard than Coutinho. Both have struggled to live up to expectations at the Nou Camp. But Dembele would have arrived with no prior experience in the Premier League.

Having said that, it would have been incredibly exciting. Dembele cost Barcelona an initial £97 million.

And like Gerrard landing Coutinho, it would have been a real statement had Lampard signed Dembele on loan for Everton.