Rennes winger Kamaldeen Sulemana 'chooses Southampton over Everton in £22m deal'

Rennes winger Kamaldeen Sulemana has reportedly chosen to join Southampton over Everton.

Both Premier League clubs had £22m bids accepted by their Ligue 1 counterparts, leaving it down to the player to decide on his future.

Sulemana has opted to join the Saints and is now set to move to St Mary's ahead of Tuesday's deadline, according to L'Equipe.

This news is a setback for Everton, who are running out of time to bring in reinforcements for new manager Sean Dyche.

Dyche was officially confirmed as Frank Lampard's replacement on Monday, and is keen to rectify the relegation-threatened club's struggles in front of goal by adding a forward to his squad.

The Toffees look set to miss out to one of their relegation rivals for Sulemana, but they are in talks with 33-year-old forward Andre Ayew after he cancelled his contract with Qatari club Al Sadd.

The Premier League side face a race against time to get the experienced striker registered before the transfer window closes on Tuesday.

Ayew, formerly of West Ham and Swansea, offers a cheap and reliable goalscoring alternative for Everton with a lack of recognised strikers available to the club. The Ghanaian attacker scored 21 goals in 89 appearances in the English top-flight.

Everton look set for a hugely busy deadline day finale after also rivalling Southampton for the signature of Union Berlin's Sheraldo Becker.

The relatively unheard-of Becker has scored seven goals in 18 appearances so far during Union Berlin's rise to second in the German top-flight.

Southampton also made an offer to pay the £26.4m buy-out clause of Sporting Braga forward Vitinha, 22.

Everton are in need of additional attacking potency following a dreadful season so far, languishing at the bottom of the Premier League table and appointing Dyche in an attempt to save the club from relegation.

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher is a top target for Everton, who have submitted a £45m offer the England star.