Everton must make an assessment on El Bilal Toure’s long-term injury record to decide whether it is a risk to sign him after a muscle tear, following endless fitness issues with current striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The Daily Mail reported on 15 May that the Toffees had been given assurances over the Almeria forward’s recovery after he missed two months of the La Liga season with a thigh injury.
With Everton badly in need of additional potency in attack the Mali international has emerged as a transfer target for the second summer in a row, and in light of the issues at Goodison Park with the number nine Campbell wants the club to be confident that Toure’s most recent injury isn’t part of a trend.
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News the Sky Sports pundit said: “What you try and do is look at his injury record and if this is just a temporary one and he usually plays every week then yeah that’s what you’ve got to sit on.
“But if he’s been carrying injuries left, right and centre then Everton have to get this right, they can’t afford to mess around.
“You look at the medical record and that’s what’s going to determine if they actually do make a real move for him or not.”
At 21 the young forward shouldn’t have too much wear on his body yet, but a relatively serious injury is a concern whatever age a player is.
Doctors at Almeria were apparently confident he would make a full recovery and the fact he returned to score a seventh league goal of the campaign on the final day (4 June) is encouraging, but Sean Dyche can’t take risks when Calvert-Lewin appears to have a handful of consecutive games in him before a set back.
When the England star is missing it is crucial Everton have more in reserve next season after Neal Maupay’s struggles for form, so if there is a chance that Toure could also be on the sidelines again the Toffees would probably be better off looking elsewhere.