Done deal
Updated Ellis Simms has completed the formalities on his move to Coventry City after the Sky Blues struck a deal with Everton reportedly worth between £6m and £8m. once all clauses are met.
According to The Athletic, the Sky Blues were the first club prepared to meet Everton’s valuation of the striker after Ipswich Town were said to have failed in a move to land him for around half that.
Simms had been chased by a number of clubs in England’s second tier, including Swansea City and Sunderland where he spent the first half of last season on loan, but Coventry won the race to sign the 22-year-old.
Simms was signed by Everton from Manchester City’s youth academy and, following successful loan spells at Blackpool and Hearts, looked to be building a case for breaking into the Toffees’ first-team set-up in the near future.
He was recalled from the Stadium of Light by Frank Lampard in early January to bolster Everton’s striking options while Dominic Calvert-Lewin tried to work his way back to fitness and was tasked by Lampard’s successor, Sean Dyche, with leading the line as the lone striker at Anfield and Old Trafford in Premier League games in February.
The Oldham-born forward struggled in difficult circumstances against world-class defenders in those games but appeared to have announced his arrival in the top flight with a superbly-taken goal at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea where his strike earned Everton a precious 2-2 draw.
However, Dyche showed little faith that Simms had the ability or experience to effectively lead the line as Calvert-Lewin’s understudy and he did not feature much in the run-in.
He was effectively put up for sale to raise funds this summer and has now secured a fresh opportunity to build his career at Coventry where he will likely replace rumoured Toffees target Viktor Gyökeres. The Swede is believed to be close to signing for Sporting CP.