Toffees handed boost in hunt for Sporting midfielder amid contractual row
Everton‘s hopes of landing William Carvalho has been boosted after the Sporting midfielder sent a resignation letter to his club calling for his contract to be terminated.
The Toffees has been linked with Carvalho for a number of weeks now and those rumours have only intensified with the arrival of Marco Silva.
Silva worked alongside the 26-year-old midfield enforcer during his spell in charge of the Portuguese giants, and would seemingly like to work alongside Carvalho again.
Now, according to the Liverpool Echo, that wish could become a reality after Carvalho informed Sporting of his desire to leave following a massive falling out with the club’s hierarchy.
Carvalho, along with other big names such as Gelson Martins and Rui Patricio, want to depart Estádio José Alvalade after the first-team squad was attacked by its own fanbase at Sporting’s training ground in May.
The trio were set upon by 50 masked supporters alongside striker Bas Dost – who sustained cuts and bruises from the attack – as well as other members of the squad.
Manager Jorge Jesus has threatened to quit alongside his club’s best players if President Bruno De Carvalho, who is thought to be behind the attack, doesn’t step down from his role.
De Carvalho had criticised Sporting’s senior stars after their Europa League quarter-final loss to Atletico Madrid in April, and has refused to apologise for hitting out at his club’s players on social media.
If De Carvalho continues to refuse to leave, Sporting will lose their current boss and a wealth of talented individuals.
Everton could, then, seek to bring Carvalho to Goodison Park on a free transfer and reunite the Portugal international with Silva.
Carvalho would be a huge asset to Everton’s senior ranks if he were to arrive on Merseyside, with plenty of experience of playing at the highest level chief among his qualities.
The Angola-born footballer is fierce in the tackle, strong, good on the ball and would work wonders in the ‘number six’ role that Silva has dubbed as vital to his favoured 4-3-3 formation.
It remains to be seen if Carvalho will end up leaving Sporting, and the chances of him remaining with his current employers would be boosted if the club’s president steps aside instead.
Ironically, it was De Carvalho who sacked Silva while he was at Sporting, in May 2015 – the club president releasing a 400-page document detailing why the 40-year-old was relieved of his duties.
De Carvalho has also threatened to sue any player or staff member who reneges on their contract, and could ensure that a length legal battle ensues between him, the club and his first team.
Next: Wayne Rooney Edging Closer to DC United Switch
That may put Everton off moving for Carvalho altogether too but, for now, the Toffees are still very much in the hunt for his services.