Marcel Brands can secure Carlo Ancelotti his new Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a summer swoop for Everton target Sasa Kalajdzic of VfB Stuttgart.

What’s the word?

While speaking with Give Me Sport, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Toffees are one of several Premier League sides with eyes on Kalajdzic.

The Goodison Park outfit were recently linked with the 24-year-old target man by reports in Italy, which cited Everton and Newcastle United as potential competition for Juventus in the race for the man dubbed the next Erling Haaland.

Kalajdzic has been in sensational form during his first year of German top-flight football, with the Austria international striking 13 goals in 25 Bundesliga games including eight in his last eight outings.

Stuttgart are understood to value Kalajdzic at between €20m and €25m (£17m-£21.5m) and Romano fully expects a Premier League side will present a move in the summer, although it remains to be seen if that is Everton.

“I think yes, he has chances to join Premier League,” Romano said. “To be honest with you, I don’t know about the club because all the clubs you mentioned (Everton, Newcastle and West Ham) are scouting this player, he’s an amazing player.

“At the moment, there is still nothing advanced, but I think yes, he has chances to join the Premier League. A lot of clubs are looking at him.

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“So, he’s the typical opportunity and this kind of summer we have after the pandemic, we are obviously in a difficult situation from an economic and financial point of view. Having this kind of opportunity is interesting for English clubs.

“So, I would say yes, I see him as a good opportunity in Premier League, but let’s see if they will pay what the club are asking. So, it’s still so far away, but I think it’s an opportunity.”

Should Everton sign Stuttgart’s Kalajdzic?

Kalajdzic burst out of the gates with three goals in his first three career Bundesliga games back in September before a difficult winter followed, but his form has been incredible since the end of January to now rank sixth in the German top-flight’s scoring charts.

The 24-year-old would have been forgiven for struggling to score prolifically in his first season of Bundesliga action, having missed much of last term due to a cruciate ligament rupture, though that has not been the case.

Kalajdzic’s goals have been a huge factor behind Stuttgart sitting ninth in the table heading into of the international break, with his strikes against Bayer Leverkusen, Union Berlin, Hertha BSC, 1.FC Koln and Eintracht Frankfurt directly returning seven points and avoiding defeat on four occasions.

Stuttgart would be looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone without those points, yet Kalajdzic can have an impact higher up the table in the Premier League next season if Brands were to strike a deal.

Doing so would see Everton’s Director of Football hand Ancelotti his new Ibrahimovic, having taken the Sweden icon – who Kalajdzic has been compared with – to Paris Saint-Germain for £15.5m back in 2012.

Ibrahimovic went on to strike 156 goals in 180 games for PSG across all competitions over four years in the French capital, including 35 in 46 games under Ancelotti during their sole season together.

Kalajdzic, who stands at 6 ft 6 to Ibrahimovic at 6 ft 4, is yet to boast the same record that the 39-year-old already claimed in 2012, but is on course to follow in his footsteps on a path that Brands should strive to see includes a spell at Goodison Park.

Click here to see the full interview with Fabrizio Romano.

AND in other news, Everton can potentially save £13m by turning to this Max Aarons alternative…