Everton to approach Italian owners about double transfer move

According to a recent report Everton are considering approaching the Italian family who own both clubs about January transfer moves for Rodrigo Becao and Ismaila Sarr.

The Pozzo family control both Udinese (Becao’s club) and Sarr’s Watford and the story goes that Everton are preparing a double transfer deal for the two players.

Centre-back Becao has been a rumoured target of the Blues’ for a while now and the rumour has been revived recently that Toffees’ boss Frank Lampard is very keen to add him to the squad.

This does on the face of it seem odd given that Everton now have plenty of options in central defence with James Tarkowski, Conor Coady, Mason Holgate, Micheal Keane, Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey in the squad. In addition, they have another, Jarad Branthwaite out on loan.

However, Keane is probably going to be leaving in January if a club can be found for him and Mina could be on his way as well given his injuries and the fact that his contract is up in the summer. Meanwhile Branthwaite is likely to stay in Holland with PSV until the season’s end, at least.

So, given all that and the fact that Godfrey is still not 100% fit after his opening day injury it could make sense for the Blues’ to add another centre-half, if the fee is a genuinly affordable one.

Sarr is also a player long linked with a move to Merseyside. And now again recently, Everton’s name has been one of several Premier League clubs supposedly interested in signing him.

Certainly, adding more quality attacking options in January is a no-brainer and as we all know, must be the priority for the club’s new year transfer plans. Whether Sarr is that player, or one of them, I’m not sure.

There was anyway a strong barrier in the way of any deal as Hornets’ boss Slaven Billic was determined to keep his talented forward for their promotion push.

Now though, it seems that Watford might be more inclined to let the Senegal star leave Vicarage Road as they have agreed a deal to sign young Brazilian forward Matheus Martins.

Additionally, this story has emerged claiming a double deal could be on the cards and provide a way for the Toffees’ to get both players in January.

After the troubled past between the two clubs, Watford will probably not be too keen to make it easy for Everton to secure Sarr’s signature so making signing him in the New Year a tough task.

Going over their heads to the club’s Italian owners would perhaps make sense by overcoming this barrier and facilitating a deal.

And, signing both these players would also almost certainly reduce the amount Everton would have to find, which would have been more had they tried to get each individually.

This all does sound a little improbable. However, who knows these days. Whatever the truth or not behind this rumour, as we’ve said countless times regardless of this deal, Everton must make every effort to strengthen their attack in January or the season could be lost.