Some Everton supporters have been reacting on social media after the Daily Mail suggested the Toffees had been offered the chance to sign Joao Mario.
The Portuguese international midfielder is thought to be available for £15million this summer, as the San Siro natives will look to cash in on the interest shown so far by FC Porto and AS Monaco.
It was not noted whether it was the Serie A giants or Mario’s representatives who offered the €85,000-a-week (£73.6k-a-week) midfielder to us, however. But what the Daily Mail does claim is that a move could hinge on Andre Gomes’ future at Goodison Park.
They believe Marco Silva and Marcel Brands intend to offload as many as twelve first-team players once the window opens, and that figure could include Gomes should Tottenham Hotspur beat us to the punch and acquire the Barcelona reject.
Mario may not be seen as the ideal replacement for Gomes by all of the Goodison faithful, but the 26-year-old would come with some Premier League experience thanks to a half-season loan with West Ham United in 2018.
The 43-cap international has also been involved in more league goals this season than Gomes has been with us, with Mario netting once and assisting thrice whereas Gomes has one apiece in the English top-flight – Mario, though, recorded his entire goal involvement for the season in one game against Genoa.
Despite only affecting the scoreline against Genoa, Mario has averaged 1.5 key passes per ninety in the Serie A – Gomes has 0.3 this term – while also bettering our on-loan midfielder for successful tackles, passes blocked, and shots taken.
Stats like those and the vastly cheaper transfer fee led to these reactions to the suggestion Mario had been offered to us…
I’d have him as an option but we have to sign Gomes as well!
— Leigh Parry (@Leigh_R_Parry) May 13, 2019
Good Player!
— PAUL PETERSON (@PaulSlapper) May 14, 2019
Get him signed
— Rob Halliday (@HallidayRobin) May 14, 2019
Played really well at West ham. I’d only take him if we sell Walcott and Vlasic but if we keep both, no need for him.
— Mario B ???????? (@ToffeeLAD_) May 13, 2019
cant argue with 15m really like can we, if hes any good
— ⁸ (@HazoAG8) May 13, 2019
Great squad player for gylfi or Gomes if he signs.can play box to box or attacking mid so will offer something different off bench
— Elliot???? (@elliotbrimagei1) May 13, 2019
No ta
— Paul Davies (@Kwiyyojibajaba) May 13, 2019
Whaaaaaaat!?
Sign him up. Great player.
— Gaz (@thewinstonwolfe) May 13, 2019
Joao Mario is a good player and would probably perform well for Silva. I like Gomes but don’t pay over the odds for him and his head could have been turned.
— Phil Hughes (@philhughes27) May 13, 2019