Fees still high for Everton targets
Stories today centre on two players that Everton have been linked with moving for in the next window, and seem to indicate that there may not be much reduction in summer transfer fees, despite the pandemic.
The two players concerned are Lille defender Gabriel and Aston Villa Jack Grealish. both of whom Everton have been rumoured to be interested in signing.
As far as Gabriel is concerned, the Toffees have been repeatedly linked with the Brazilian centre-back and are one of the favourites to sign him, if Lille do sell in the summer.
One of the things that has complicated the transfer window, is the fallout and impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
There has certainly been a feeling that following the lockdown, whenever that ends, and a likely recession, this will lead to a significant reduction in future transfer fees as clubs re-adjust to a new financial reality.
However, according to reports in online outlet, Goal, Lille will still want what they were previously asking for, about £30 million, for Gabriel, if indeed they do look to move him on later this year, whenever the transfer window opens.
And another player Everton are supposedly casting an eye over, Jack Grealish will also still cost the Blues a huge, record fee if they do want to sign the young midfielder.
The Daily Mirror, claims that Villa’s wealthy owners are not prepared to b the reduce the price they will ask for the young England playmaker, despite the pandemic.
This is despite the fact that Villa might also still be relegated, although that appears more and more unlikely as the Premier League moves slowly and laboriously towards a season re-start, probably sometime in mid-June.
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So if indeed the Toffees do want to sign either or both of these players, (highly unlikely of course), then the club will have to find over a £100 million to do so.
Talking of eye-watering sums, there is also news that Everton’s owner, Farhad Moshiri, has increased his wealth over the past year giving him a fortune of approximately £1.8 billion.
Alisher Usmanov, who has become more involved in Everton recently, has also got richer as well over the past twelve months, making him now, according to the Sunday Times, the seventh richest person in the UK!
So the Blues financial backers are in rude health and they would therefore, in theory anyway, be able to spend big again this summer. Although of course this analysis doesn’t take account of the impact on their fortunes of the current crisis.