Everton thought they might have a clear run at one of the more intriguing young midfielders in Europe this summer. Then Manchester United had to go and make a phone call.
Christ Inao Oulai, the 20-year-old Ivorian who plays for Trabzonspor, is drawing serious attention from Premier League clubs. Everton manager David Moyes has been tracking him for weeks. But according to Italian journalist Niccolo Ceccarini, even Manchester United have made inquiries about the midfielder. That kind of competition changes things.
Oulai only joined Trabzonspor last summer from Bastia in France. He signed a five-year deal with the Turkish side, which was supposed to give them some leverage. But the kid progressed faster than anyone expected. He broke into the Ivory Coast senior squad last year and made the World Cup roster. That put him on the radar of a lot of clubs.
Everton saw him as a potential steal. Landing a player of his caliber at this stage would be a real statement for the Toffees. But the problem is that United are also looking at midfield reinforcements, even after bringing in Andrey Santos. You don’t usually bet against United when they get serious about a player.
There’s also Tottenham. Spurs were considered frontrunners for Oulai last month. But they have since spent nearly £200 million combined on Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. New manager Roberto De Zerbi appears to be shifting focus toward attacking options now. That might push Tottenham out of the race or at least lower their urgency.
Everton are hoping United’s recent midfield additions — Youri Tielemans and Santos — will make the Red Devils less likely to formalize their interest in Oulai with an actual offer. That would be a smart bit of hope, but it’s still hope. United have a way of collecting talent regardless of what their roster looks like on paper.
And even if United and Spurs back off, there’s still Fiorentina to deal with. Fabio Paratici runs the show there now, and he has a history of making things happen in the transfer market. He doesn’t need Premier League money to compete.
Oulai is under contract until 2029. Trabzonspor don’t have to sell. But when a 20-year-old has already played in a World Cup and half of Europe is calling, holding onto him gets tricky. Moyes will have to wait and see whether United’s interest is real or just a courtesy call. Either way, this one isn’t going to be easy.
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