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Everton FC are hopeful of swiftly completing a £4m deal for Bosnia World Cup star Muhamed Besic after moving closer to a breakthrough in talks with Ferencvaros.

Roberto Martinez has targeted the 21-year-old midfielder after watching him shine for his country in Brazil, and is keen to add him to his squad in time for him to join in with their pre-season preparations.

That prospect is now increasingly likely as negotiations with his Hungarian club are nearing a conclusion and confirmation of the signing is possible within 48 hours.

It is believed Besic, who has 12 caps for Bosnia and Herzegovina, relishes the prospect of a move to the Premier League and has expressed a specific desire to link-up with the Toffees.

Martinez is still hopeful he can also persuade Romelu Lukaku to return to Goodison, and the ECHO believes that he is prepared to be patient on that front as the Belgian striker finishes his post-World Cup holiday and mulls over his next step.

Meanwhile, another talented youngster, Chris Long, has set himself the goal of making his first-team debut this season.

The academy graduate is with Martinez’s squad in Austria this week as preparations for the new campaign intensify.

And it’s a second successive week in the country for striker Long, who was part of the Under-21s group that arrived back at Finch Farm on Saturday - only to be called back to train with the senior squad this week.

The 19-year-old said: “One of my wishes is to make my debut this season. It’s a longshot but I’ve got to keep working hard, impressing the manager and hopefully I can be in and around the first-team.

“I’m feeling good now. I’m glad to be back playing football, especially scoring goals in training.”

Long’s appetite for senior football whetted by last season’s loan spell at MK Dons, and his next aim would mark a dream rise for the forward who has been at the club since he was aged 5.

He added that Martinez’s decision to hand a new three-year deal to another Finch Farm product, Conor McAleny, has given him an extra incentive.

“I aspire to do that and get a three-year contract, maybe even a five-year one!” he said. “I need to let the manager see what I can do and hopefully I will be rewarded with something like that.

“It was a short loan [at MK Dons] - only a month, mainly due to injury - but I enjoyed it a lot.

“The first-team experience was great. To play week-in, week-out starting in front of crowds and that debut goal topped it off. I’m feeling good now.”

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