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Everton remain focused on offloading a raft of unwanted players before stepping up their pursuit of new signings.

The Blues are closing in on the £8.5m capture of Manchester City's Fabian Delph but know they must shift the squad's deadwood in order to press ahead with chasing the rest of their targets.

Everton have so far managed to move out a clutch of players either on permanent deals or on loan with Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams having been released at the end of their contracts.

The £14m sale of Nikola Vlasic to CSKA Moscow allowed director of football Marcel Brands to tie up the signing of Andre Gomes while Jonas Lossl arrived on a free transfer following his release from Huddersfield Town.

RB Leipzig are hoping to strike a deal with the Blues for the transfer of Ademola Lookman but Everton are standing firm on their valuation of the winger while Idrissa Gueye remains a target for Paris Saint Germain following their failed bids in January.

James McCarthy is expected to be sold, Yannick Bolasie has a £10m release clause in his contract this summer and Mo Besic, Kevin Mirallas, Oumar Niasse and Cuco Martina are likely to leave.

A deal to send outcast Shani Tarashaj on loan to Dutch side FC Emmen is expected to go through but has yet to be finalised.

(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Everton remain open to offers for the £20m rated Cenk Tosun and Marco Siva's desire to bring in a new centre-forward could hinge on the sale of the Turkey international as the club look to add quality to their forward line.

Silva would ideally like to recruit an experienced targetman and is a fan of Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic but the club need to slash their wage bill and it remains to be seen if there would be room for a player of the 33-year-old's stature, should their interest go any further.

Talk of a move for Diego Costa is understood to be wide of the mark and director of football Brands has stressed that significant funds will only be spent on players in the 20-25/6 age bracket, saying he does not want to sign a “big name” striker that would hinder the development of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Kurt Zouma, meanwhile, remains Everton's prime defensive target following his successful loan spell at Goodison last term.

The 25-year-old is keen on coming back but has returned to Chelsea for pre-season training and is expected to travel to Japan this week ahead of games with Kawasaki Frontale and Barcelona.

Everton are having to play a waiting game to know if the Stamford Bridge club would be willing to sell Zouma but have alternative targets lined up in case a deal cannot be struck.

(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Silva also wants to inject his attacking options with a left-footed right-winger.

And though exciting Lille man Nicolas Pepe has admirers at Goodison, Everton will struggle to meet the finances involved in signing the Ivorian.

A host of clubs are battling for his signature and Everton are to pursue other targets.

The Blues are also looking to find an understudy for Seamus Coleman following Jonjoe Kenny's move on loan to Schalke.

Although Mason Holgate can play at right-back, Silva sees him as one of his centre-half options this season and so Everton are expected to try and land back-up for Coleman before the close of the transfer window on August 8 with Chelsea's Reece James among those who have been scouted.