Everton have expressed an interest in signing Lille forward Nicolas Pepe.

The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international would cost a club record fee of around 65million euros (£58.5m) and it remains to be seen whether Everton will bid that high.

Pepe has been linked with Liverpool this summer, with Lille president Gerard Lopez claiming there was interest - but this has strongly been denied by the Anfield club.

Instead it appears it is their Merseyside neighbours Everton who are exploring the possibility of a deal for Pepe, who is currently on international duty at the African Cup of Nations. Ivory Coast face Algeria in the quarter-finals this week.

Pepe enjoyed an outstanding season in Ligue 1. He was the league's second highest goalscorer with 22 goals, behind Kylian Mbappe, as Lille finished runners-up to Paris Saint-Germain.