An update has emerged on Lazio forward Joaquin Correa, regarding Everton's plans to bid for his services.

What's the talk?

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Get Italian Football News), Everton are readying an improved bid for Lazio attacker Joaquin Correa after having their initial offer knocked back by the Italian side.

Earlier this month, other reports in Italy stated that the Toffees failed with a €25m (£21m) offer for the Argentine forward.

But now, it appears director of football Marcel Brands is set to go back in for Correa, who has expressed his desire to leave the Stadio Olimpico this summer.

His preference is a move to Inter Milan but it's thought that the Merseyside outfit cannot be discounted at this stage, perhaps even more so after the Serie A champions recently signed Edin Dzeko

Rafa needs him

Brands must ensure that his talks with Lazio run smoothly and that he is able to agree a deal to sign Correa in the next two weeks. The winger could be a terrific addition to the squad and the type of player they need to improve their attacking line-up.

Rafa Benitez enjoyed a fine start to his tenure at Goodison Park with a 3-1 win over Southampton, but goals from the wide areas is still a cause for concern. Bernard and Alex Iwobi were the club's top-scoring wide players with one goal each in the Premier League last term and the arrivals of Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray are unlikely to solve the problem. The former scored two goals in the past two league seasons for Crystal Palace and Gray scored once for Bayer Leverkusen.

This suggests that the Spanish boss is in dire need of a wide man who is capable of finding the back of the net at the top level. 21 goals in the past two seasons for Lazio indicates that Correa could be that man for the Blues, with 11 goals and six assists in the 2020/21 campaign across the Serie A and Champions League for the 27-year-old.

In a tactical analysis of the forward, Breaking the Lines highlighted his biggest strengths as a player, including his positional flexibility. They wrote: "It is no wonder why his style of play is drawing fans towards his potential. Correa’s wide repertoire of skills and his tricky dribbling makes him a menace for opposing defenders. His quick movement and awareness allow him to move into spaces or drop deep to enable his teammates to move forward.

"He can be the creative outlet of the side, creating chances for his teammates. It is because of his movement that he is able to draw defenders away, then using his dribbling to get past them and either provide a key pass or go for goal himself.

"Highly versatile, he can play on both wings or in the centre, with his wide array of assets allowing him to flourish in either position."

Correa has also been described as a "jugador revelación" (a revelation), whilst his nickname is said to be 'the jewel' - that's exactly what Goodison Park would be getting if Brands can seal a move for him.

Overall, this shows that the £27m-rated gem could operate in a variety of roles for Benitez, whilst also offering him the goals from out wide that he is in need of. Therefore, Brands must get this deal over the line to bolster the squad in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, "I'm all for it" - Exclusive: Michael Ball keen for Everton to wrap up deal for £27m-rated beast...