Everton’s Hirving Lozano Hopes May Rest on Marcel Brands
By Tom Power
Everton‘s interest in Hirving Lozano could be stepped up if Marcel Brands decides to raid his old club for the Mexico star.
The Liverpool Echo has suggested that Brands has no contractual obligations, insisted upon by former club PSV Eindhoven, about raiding the Dutch giants for their best players.
Lozano scored the winning goal to stun Germany in Mexico’s World Cup opener on Saturday, and that strike will have added a couple of extra zeroes to his price tag.
New director of football Brands, who was instrumental in luring Lozano to PSV last summer, has been tipped to convince new Blues boss Marco Silva into splashing out on the 22-year-old winger.
And the ex-Pachuca starlet may follow the Dutchman to Goodison Park, despite insisting recently that he would not resolve his future during the World Cup.
Brands left PSV on excellent terms after he helped them secure the Eredivisie title last season.
That relationship has ensured that PSV did not insist upon clauses in his contract preventing the 56-year-old from attempting to sign their stars for the Toffees.
Lozano bagged 17 goals for PSV during the 2017/18 campaign – strikes that saw him top the goalscoring charts in the Netherlands.
He also weighed in with eight assists as he aided PSV in landing the top flight trophy.
Lozano was immediately linked with Everton after Brands’ appointment in May, and his stock has only risen further with his early World Cup performance.
The forward played like a man possessed against world champions Germany last weekend, and fired home the winner in a shock 1-0 victory over Die Mannschaft.
His ability to play on either wing – as an inside forward or natural winger – would add versatility to Silva’s front line if he joined Everton.
With question marks over the futures of Yannick Bolasie and Kevin Mirallas, the Blues will need wing reinforcements this summer.
Theo Walcott will likely retain his place on the right of a front three, while the returning Ademola Lookman has been promised game time by Silva after starring on a six-month loan at Leipzig last term.
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Lozano would add youth and quality to Everton’s ranks if he joined, but it remains to be seen if they could afford his now lofty price tag.