Everton are keen on signing Manchester United striker Ethan Wheatley.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Merseyside club are getting a formal offer ready for the 20-year-old forward. Wheatley is highly regarded at Manchester United and is considered a player with a bright future in the game.

Everton are aiming to build with the future in mind, and they want to bring in the 20-year-old during this summer window. It remains to be seen whether they can persuade Manchester United to allow the player to move on.

Manchester United have a strong record of developing young players, and they may believe that Wheatley has a significant future at the club. Letting him go at this stage could turn out to be an error.

At the same time, Everton want to improve the squad with greater quality and depth. They are likely to feel that a 20-year-old such as Wheatley could help them immediately, while also having the potential to grow into an important first-team player in the years ahead.

The chance to move to Everton could also appeal to the young attacker. They are expected to be in a better position than Manchester United to hand him first-team opportunities. He is unlikely to receive many chances ahead of Benjamin Sesko.

Persuading the 20-year-old forward to join may not be especially difficult, but Everton must also reach an agreement with Manchester United. A formal proposal is being prepared for the young attacker, and it remains to be seen how the situation develops.

If Everton are able to sign Wheatley for a reasonable fee this summer, the move could turn into a strong long-term investment. In time, he could justify that outlay and establish himself as a key player for the club.