Everton offer two-year deal to Demarai Gray, option of further 12 months
Everton have offered a two-year deal with the option of an extra year to Bayer Leverkusen winger Demarai Gray, according to the Telegraph.
James Ducker, writing on their website, claims the 24-year-old is expected to complete a £1.5million transfer to Goodison Park after a six-month spell in Germany.
The move has come about after new Blues boss Rafa Benitez requested greater width to his side, and the player dubbed an “unpredictable forward” [Independent] by German legend and Leverkusen managing director Rudi Voller, looks set to move to Merseyside.
Peculiar
It feels like an odd move by the club, especially as it appears to have come out of nowhere.
Very rarely do clubs get to keep matters under wraps until just before a deal is finalised, but it looks like Everton have done well to hide this one.
One of the reasons it feels so strange is that the Birmingham-born winger only joined Leverkusen in January from Leicester City, and he made the perfect start as he scored on his debut.
However, that proved to be his first and last goal for the club as he endured 11 goalless games thereafter, and now looks set to abandon his Bundesliga dream.
Gray’s previous spell in the Premier League was not a success either – 10 goals in 133 appearances for the Foxes was a paltry return as he failed to earn a regular starting berth – and thus he will come to Everton with a lot to prove.
But perhaps that’s something that will work in the club’s favour, as despite claiming a Premier League winners medal, there is sure to be a lot of hunger in Gray to prove his doubters wrong.
On a relatively short-term contract, it looks like a shrewd move to add some depth to the Blues’ forward line.
In other Everton news, this French-born powerhouse international wants Blues move amid Rafa Benitez lure.
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