Everton close in on £9m deal for Aston Villa star Tim Iroegbunam... with Lewis Dobbin set to go the opposite way in a move that helps BOTH side's financial concerns

Everton are closing in on signing young Aston Villa midfielder Tim Iroegbunam for around £9million, with forward Lewis Dobbin in advanced talks to go the other way in a separate deal that would help both club’s financial fears.

Mail Sport reported on Monday how the Toffees were keen to step up interest in Iroegbunam, 20, and it has now emerged that Villa are reciprocating interest and want to sign Dobbin in the coming weeks.

  how the Toffees were keen to step up interest in Iroegbunam, 20, and it has now emerged that Villa are reciprocating interest and want to sign Dobbin in the coming weeks.

Iroegbunam made 15 appearances for Unai Emery’s side last season and is now keen to get more regular first-team football, with Everton seen as a perfect destination to do so. The Toffees are ready to wrap up a £9m deal and a conclusion could be swiftly reached, pending a medical.

Winger Dobbin impressed in several substitute appearances and was tipped for a big future at Goodison Park but it appears that may not happen, with Villa keen and in active discussions to bring the former Derby loanee back to the Midlands.

Sean Dyche’s side are also close to completing a deal that would see Jack Harrison return to Everton after an impressive loan last season. It is believed the Leeds winger has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave on temporary deals while Daniel Farke’s men are in the Championship.

That clause was in part inserted as a makeweight for relegation wage-decrease clauses at Leeds, who had 13 players out on loan last season. The Championship club are also in a troubling financial position and owe around £190m in instalments for past deals. They will likely be forced to sell some key assets this summer.

Meanwhile, Everton are braced further interest in Jarrad Branthwaite after a paltry first offer from Manchester United last week was deemed almost laughable at Goodison Park. They want at least £70m – if not more – for the young defender.

Arsenal made contact last week for Belgium midfielder Amadou Onana and one other Premier League club, believed to be Aston Villa, are keen but that depends on their financial worries. Paris Saint-Germain have also been mooted as a potential destination but nothing is advanced.

Everton do not need a so-called fire sale this summer but any sales they can get over the line before the June 30 accounting deadline would be helpful for future battles with the Premier League's financial rules.

The club want at least £50m for Onana, 22, which would see them make profit on their hefty £34m investment paid to Lille two summers ago. The French club are also set for a windfall in the way of a sell-on clause if Onana was to depart Everton.