Marcel Brands could be risking another Everton disaster amid reports CSKA Moscow have enquired over the Cenk Tosun’s situation in the final week of the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, CSKA have approached Everton chiefs to sound out Tosun’s availability to join the Russian giants on a short-term loan deal.

The Toffees are aware of greater interest in the 29-year-old from clubs across Europe but are yet to receive any other formal offers, as they strive to offload a striker who has been deemed surplus to requirements for the past two years.

Marco Silva slapped a £20m asking price on Tosun in the winter 2019 market and while he joined Crystal Palace on loan with an option to buy for that sum last year, returned to Goodison Park where he has been stuck behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin in Carlo Ancelotti’s pecking order.

Tosun is eager to secure regular game time to solidify his place in Turkey’s national squad for this summer’s postponed European Championship, having so far only played 43 minutes in the Premier League this season.

The £6.5m-rated flop, signed by Sam Allardyce for £27m, is further yet to start a top-flight game and was omitted from the matchday squad that beat Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup over the weekend.

West Brom had been linked with interest in Tosun following Allardyce’s appointment, but would appear to be one of the sides yet to make a formal approach as the February 1st deadline continues to near.

Should Everton accept CSKA’s offer?

Everton need to reach a decision on how the January transfer window will end for Tosun soon, as the Blues cannot afford to fall into the same trap with the Turkey international as they backed themselves into with Yannick Bolasie.

Reports have suggested Everton may even opt to retain Tosun and let him spend the next six months on the bench to provide cover for Calvert-Lewin, after seeing Joshua King price himself out of a move from AFC Bournemouth by demanding a £120,000-per-week contract.

Brands securing Tosun a loan exit this month without an obligation for the side to purchase the 29-year-old at the end of the season would also be a naïve decision by Everton, having already seen the striker depart on a temporary deal in the hope that it would be his end destination only for injury to force the £60,000-per-week dud back to Merseyside.

Tosun again returning to Goodison Park after failing to set the world alight after a few months away would only risk the Toffees’ chances of recouping a significant proportion of the fee paid to Besiktas in 2018, as he will then be in the final year of his contract.

It is the exact situation that Everton have found themselves in with Bolasie, who is now inside the final six months of his contract after Sporting CP turned down their €4.5m (£4m) option to buy the DR Congo winger last summer after an underwhelming season in Portugal.

Since then, a move to Middlesbrough fell through and Neil Warnock has confirmed the Championship side are looking at alternative options, to leave Everton desperate to offload Bolasie’s wages before he departs as a free agent.

The more Everton either price Tosun out of a permanent move or send him out on loan without an obligation to buy, the more likely it is that he becomes a Bolasie 2.0. Something majority owner Farhad Moshiri will no doubt want to see his side avoid.

AND in other news – Exclusive: Pundit expects Everton to sell a £180k-p/w duo before Monday’s deadline…