Everton's interest in Ben Brereton Diaz has 'accelerated' ahead of tonight’s transfer deadline, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

According to a report by The Express, the 23-year-old Blackburn Rovers forward is expected to leave Ewood Park ahead of the transfer deadline amid Premier League interest from Leeds, Newcastle and the Toffees.

The report claims Everton lead the race for the former Nottingham Forest man, who has amassed 42 goals since becoming a regular at senior level – 41 of which were netted in the Championship.

Despite the arrival of Brighton forward Neal Maupay at Goodison Park, Blues boss Frank Lampard is still hoping to bring in another attacker before the 11pm deadline.

The Latest: Blues speeding up

Phillips has shared an update on Everton’s striker search, revealing a deal is 'definitely' still in the pipeline for the Blackburn star.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the journalist said the Toffees have sped up their interest since last week:

“Brereton Diaz is definitely still an option for Everton. He was looked at last week and that has accelerated since then.”

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The Verdict: Great signing

Despite never having played in the top-flight, Brereton Diaz has produced a fantastic goal-scoring record in the Championship, indicating he has the clinical finishing ability needed to succeed in the Premier League.

At just 23 years old, the striker netted an impressive 22 goals in 37 league games last season, blowing his previous season’s seven-goal tally out of the water.

Former Blackburn Premier League winner Colin Hendry has heaped praise on Brereton Diaz’s transformation since breaking into the Chile setup. As per Tribal Football, he exclaimed:

"He's come on leaps and bounds since he's been playing international football, there's an edge to him and he has a great knack of scoring goals.

"He's in a rich vein of form at the moment and he could be the catalyst for Blackburn this season.”

Chile manager Eduardo Berizzo recently hailed Brereton Diaz for his ‘many qualities’, having singled him out for a fantastic performance against South Korea in June.

With such high praise, if Everton can get a deal over the line for the Blackburn ace, this seems like it could be a brilliant signing for Lampard.