Beto ‘to complete Everton move this week’

Udinese striker Beto has reportedly travelled to Merseyside in order to complete a move to Everton.

The Portuguese striker started in his side’s 3-0 defeat to Juventus last weekend, but is not in the squad that has travelled south to face Salernitana on Monday evening.

The Athletic claims that the 25-year-old flew into the UK on Sunday morning to undertake his medical.

There will be hopes the club can finalise a deal as soon as possible, with Everton in EFL Cup action this midweek, before facing Sheffield United at the weekend.

Everton slumped to yet another defeat at the weekend against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park.

 

That loss means they remain rock bottom, with three defeats from three, and still yet to score a goal.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin out injured again, manager Sean Dyche brought youngster Lewis Dobbin into the side and used Arnaut Danjuma in a central role, but still to no avail.

Neal Maupay started on the opening weekend against Fulham and was guilty of missing more than one gilt-edged opportunity as Everton lost 1-0 – the same scoreline Wolves left Goodison with on Saturday.

Beto meanwhile, brings more goalscoring pedigree, having hit double figures for goals in his two Serie A seasons for Udinese.

A fine season for Portimonense during 2020-21 alerted Udinese to his talent, just a couple of years after Beto was playing amateur football and working in KFC.

Udinese’s very strong start in Serie A last season was helped largely by Beto’s goals, as he netted five in the first eight gameweeks.

Two goals at the Stadio Olimpico in a dramatic 4-4 draw with Lazio, and hat-trick against Cagliari, and scoring in back-to-back seasons against AC Milan are Beto’s other notable moments in the black and white of Udinese.

Fabrizio Romano claims that the deal is ready to be completed in the next 24-48 hours, meaning the striker should be available for Everton’s trip to Bramall Lane on Saturday.

Everton face Doncaster Rovers in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, and Beto would need to be signed and registered by midday on Tuesday to be eligible for that clash.

The report from The Athletic states that Everton will not pay anything until the next financial year, but the deal is believed to be in the region of £21.4m – a fee below Beto’s current release clause.

A further £4.2m could be owed in performance-related add-ons, but nothing being paid until next year could give Everton more room to manoeuvre in the transfer market this summer.