Everton have been linked with a move for Everton Soares, but they may have to pay a tidy sum to procure his signature.
According to ESPN (h/t The Sun), Everton are lining up a £25m bid for the 23-year-old, but that may not be enough to convince Gremio to sell as Jack Kinnersley of the Daily Mail reported that Napoli had a bid of £27m previously rebuffed.
Soares joined Gremio from Fortaleza in 2013 and has gone on to make 177 appearances in all competitions, scoring and creating 63 goals. The Brazilian international has been at his best over the last two seasons – 18 goals & assists (2018), 22 goals & assists (2019) – which Globo Esporte say has led Gremio to up his release clause to £69m.
His asking price is believed to be around £46m, and with interest from Arsenal & Borussia Dortmund, Soares’ value could continue to rise. His wage demands won’t much much of an issue, however. In 2018, Brazil’s highest-earning defender was taking home £920k-a-year. Soares signed a new deal in October 2019 should see him earn in excess of £1m-a-year.
If the Toffees signed him and matched his current contract (due to expire in 2023), Soares could set the Toffees back around £48m in total. And while ESPN say Everton lead the race for his signature, it remains to be seen whether they could get such a big deal over the line this month.