Everton: Major twist in ‘wanted’ Gabriel Magalhaes transfer
Manchester United have entered the race to sign Gabriel Magalhaes, shattering hopes of Everton to sign the Lille man.
Gabriel Magalhaes is another name frequently heard in the corridors of Goodison Park in the past few weeks. The LOSC Lille defender was said to be extremely close to an Everton move with the player already undergone the medical at Finch Farm before the lockdown. No, the major twist is that the Toffees are likely to miss out on the centre back as Manchester United is set to hijack the deal.
The story began in January when Gabriel was first time linked with a move to the Toffees. The interest was solid and reports also suggested that the Brazilian had undergone a medical and was all set to move to England in the summer. A transfer fee of £22 million was also agreed between LOSC Lille and the Royal Blues.
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However, to disrupt the entire world came the Corona Virus and with it came the indefinite halt to footballing activities in Europe. The Merseysiders approached Lille to renegotiate a transfer fee keeping in mind the financial hits football clubs endured due to the lockdown.
The Ligue 1 club refused to budge. The news of the deal getting strangled in limbo spread like wildfire and teams like PSG and Tottenham Hotspur came sniffing for Gabriel. Les Dogues saw a chance to make the most out of this opportunity. A transfer war began between the Blues, PSG, Napoli and Spurs.
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Marcel Brands continued to press for a deal but the French club were holding out at a price of £30 million, as per Football Insider. To make matters worse, Manchester United have entered the race to sign the Brazilian.
According to Daily Record, the Red Devils have asked Lille to keep them informed about Gabriel’s situation and what offers have been made so far. Manchester United is eyeing a hijack deal and Everton are set to be affected the most.
The Toffees have invested so much time and efforts on Gabriel that now seeing Manchester United or any other side prize away with the 22 year old will be counted as a major disappointment in the Everton camp.
At this moment, Napoli is said to be front runners with a bid of over £25 million already made but with the summer transfer window fast approaching, things can swing from one end to another in a matter of hours.
While Everton remains cautious of not overspending in the summer as they target multiple arrivals to improve the squad, Marcel Brands may give one final push to sign Gabriel Magalhaes. However, with Manchester United looming over the 22 year old, convincing him to join Everton over the Red Devils will be a daunting task.
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Should Brands make another bid of £30 million for Gabriel Magalhaes?