Confidence-starved striker may depart Goodison Park on season-long loan
Sandro Ramirez appears to be edging towards the Everton exit door as a number of European sides line up to sign him on loan.
The Toffees misfit is hoping to earn regular first-team football away from Goodison Park this season after he failed to impress Blues boss Marco Silva during pre-season.
The Liverpool Echo understands that Real Sociedad are the latest team to express an interest in Sandro, but Celta Vigo and Nantes are not in the running for his signature. Clubs from France, Germany and Spain are also weighing up transfers for him.
Europe’s summer transfer window deadline is at 11pm UK time and, despite the Premier League’s window closing almost three weeks ago, top flight clubs can still sell or loan out players they don’t wish to use this season.
That could allow Sandro to depart on loan for the second time in eight months following his poor six-month loan spell with Sevilla in the second half of last season.
Sandro has endured a nightmare time on Merseyside after his £5m move to Everton over a year ago, with the Spanish striker unable to settle into life in the north west of England.
He has chalked up a paltry one goal in 15 games for Everton, and seems bereft of confidence after coming to a club that was eventually embroiled in a terrible 2017/18 campaign that saw them employ three different senior managers.
Sandro had hoped for a fresh start under Silva upon the Portuguese’s arrival in June but has been unable to rediscover his best form since pre-season.
The 23-year-old started six of Everton’s seven friendlies over the summer but did little to impress Silva and his coaching team, and has only made the bench once – that coming in the 2-2 opening day draw with Wolves
Silva revealed that Sandro would find it “tough” to break into his thinking if he remains with Everton, but admitted that forward would fight for his place if he failed to secure a loan move away before the end of August.
The chances are that Sandro’s career at Everton is over, and a temporary stint away – to put him in the shop window – is the club’s best bet at getting him permanently off their books.