Everton have opend talks to sign £15m star compared with Romelu Lukaku

Everton are in talks to sign Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata as Frank Lampard desperately seeking attacking additions this month.

That’s according to The Sunday Mirror (15/01, p70) as they claim that Everton have now entered negotiations to sign Zapata.

It’s stated that Everton want to take Zapata on loan for the rest of the season with an option to buy him for £15million.

The report notes that Newcastle United wanted to take Zapata in a similar deal last January but were quoted £35million.

Injuries have hampered Zapata since then and with the striker now turning 31, Atalanta are slashing their asking price.

West Ham United had a deal basically ‘done’ for Zapata last year according to David Moyes but that deal fell apart.

Everton will now hope for better luck with Frank Lampard needing a real goalscorer to help pull Everton away from danger.

Zapata started his career in his native Colombia with America de Cali, where goals were hard to come by with nine goals in 54 games.

Argentinian side Estudiantes saw enough potential to sign Zapata in 2011 and that proved to be a great deal as the striker hit 22 goals in 46 games.

Since leaving South America for Napoli in 2013, Zapata has spent his entire career in Italy.

15 goals for Napoli, 19 goals for Sampdoria and now 80 goals for Atalanta, Zapata has been a regular goalscorer in Serie A.

Bizarrely though, Zapata has never been prolific for Colombia with just four goals in 34 caps.

A burly and powerful centre forward, Zapata has been likened to former Everton star Romelu Lukaku over in Italy.

Those aforementioned injuries have been a real problem for Zapata though and he now seems to be a striker whose powers are dwindling a little.

Zapata has scored just once in 11 Serie A games this season and Everton would need him to recapture his goalscoring form if a January deal goes through.