Toffees seek Dunne deal

EVERTON have jumped to the head of the queue for the signature of Ireland star defender Richard Dunne.

Dunne was expected to sign for Steve Bruce’s Sunderland but the Dubliner could now return to Goodison Park as part of a £20m deal that would see Joleon Lescott move the other way.

Lescott has been a target for Manchester City for months and manager Mark Hughes would be willing to pay the £20m asking price but Everton boss David Moyes wants Dunne as a makeshift in the deal and the Scot could persuade the 26-year-old to make the short return journey across East Lancashire.

Dunne joined Everton as a 15-year-old schoolboy from Home Farm in the 1994-95 season, he made his debut at 16 and moved to Manchester City in 2000.

The City captain has been one of the first names on the teamsheet since his move from Everton but it now seems certain that the 6’2” defender will be a casualty of the big money overhaul at Eastlands.

Meanwhile Bolton have matched Wolves bid of €7.6m for Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle but Wolverhampton owner Steve Morgan remains confident of signing the Wexford man.

“I’m very confident that we’re signing players at the right level and age to come to the club and bring competition for places,” said the 56-year-old Liverpudlian multi-millionaire.

Elsewhere Klaas Jan Huntelaar is the latest big-name striker to be linked with a move to Manchester United.

Given the number of big-money signings at Real Madrid this summer, it would be no surprise if Huntelaar found himself surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu Stadium.

And, as any attempt to lure Karim Benzema to Old Trafford looks fraught with difficulty, it is not a shock either that it has been suggested a move for Huntelaar by Alex Ferguson is on the cards.

Although he is a key part of the Dutch side that became the first European team to qualify for the World Cup Finals earlier this month, Huntelaar has not appeared to settle in Spain since joining Real in January this year.

The 25-year-old former Ajax star scored eight goals in 20 appearances for his new club. However, he was omitted from their Champions League squad in favour of Lassana Diarra and an approach from Ferguson may well pay off.

Not that United – about to pocket £80m from Real for the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo – are short of possibilities in the attacking department.

Apart from Benzema, who would cost around £30m if he could be prized away from Lyon, Atletico Madrid’s Argentina front-man Sergio Aguero appears to feature on United’s radar. He would command a fee of around £40 million.