Everton Tipped to Move for Espanyol & Boca Juniors Midfielders
By Tom Power
Toffees star’s future plunged into doubt again as Blues linked with midfield duo
Everton‘s search for new arrivals this summer has seen them linked with two defensive midfielders in today’s papers.
Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo has claimed that the Blues are mulling over a move for Espanyol’s David Lopez.
Argentinian media, via Tyc Sports, also speculates that Marco Silva may instead be lining up a transfer for Boca Juniors’ Wilmar Barrios.
The duo being linked to Everton will once again throw the future of Morgan Schneiderlin into doubt as rumours about his Toffees’ career continue to persist.
Silva hinted that he already had a very good idea about which of his current first teamers he planned to keep for the new season.
The 41-year-old spoke to the press after Everton’s 22-0 friendly mauling of ATV Irdning on Saturday, and seemed to suggest that he knew who else would be departing Goodison Park.
Schneiderlin will hope that his head isn’t on the chopping block but it cannot be a coincidence that two more players in his position have been touted as future Everton stars.
Barrios is a 24-year-old Colombia international who featured for his national side three times at this summer’s World Cup.
He has made 46 appearances for Boca since he completed £2.4m switch from Deportes Tolima two seasons ago and is contracted to Boca until June 2020.
Barrios has an €18m release clause in his contract, but Boca president Daniel Angelici has apparently stated he will remain with the Argentine giants until the season ends in December.
Lopez, meanwhile, is a 28-year-old midfielder who has also played at centre-back for Espanyol.
He has turned out 121 times for his La Liga team since moving from Napoli two summers ago for £3.6m.
Everton would supposedly face competition from Valencia and Real Betis for his services.
But all three clubs have been put off by Lopez’s reported €40m release clause and, for that money, there are better options out there for Everton to pursue.
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Both players would arguably be decent acquisitions for Silva, but paper talk is all the rage this time of year so it’s a case of wait and see as to who will actually join.