Blues target Ellis Simms is close to joining Coventry City from Everton, according to widespread reports.
The 22-year-old was understood to be interesting a number of Championship clubs, including the Blues, former loan club Sunderland, Bristol City, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Swansea and Stoke City.
However, a number of sources are reporting that the Sky Blues, who are expected to lose forward Viktor Gyokeres in a £20 million deal to Sporting Lisbon, are close to completing a deal to sign Simms. The fee reportedly is between £6 million and £8 million.
Talks are said to be ongoing with the deal expected to be done by the weekend.
Oldham-born Simms, who has a year left on his deal at Goodison Park, is reported to have missed the start of pre-season training with the Toffeemen today.
Simms joined Everton at 16 having spent time with Blackburn and Manchester City as a schoolboy.
The striker was loaned to Blackpool in January 2021, then a year later moved to Hearts in Scotland for the second half of the following season.
Simms signed for Sunderland on loan last season and made 14 starts and three sub appearances, scoring seven times, before being recalled at the turn of the year.
For Everton, Simms has made three starts and nine sub appearances - all in the Premier League - scoring once, in March’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea.
A new number nine - or perhaps two - is likely to be well up Blues boss Kieran McKenna’s summer wishlist with loanee George Hirst having returned to his parent club Leicester at the end of the season.