Sporting Lisbon in advanced talks to sign Everton goalkeeper Joao Virginia
Everton and Sporting are in very advanced negotiations for a loan deal with an option to buy for Portuguese goalkeeper Joao Virginia, according to Record.
The 21-year-old is not in the plans of manager Rafa Benitez for the season, and both clubs are expected to wrap up talks in the coming days.
The Portuguese outfit want Virginia to replace Luis Maximiano, who is set to join Granada, and Everton are keen to do business.
Goodbye?
Virginia would have known that his chances of playing for us this season was all but over the moment Asmir Begovic arrived from Bournemouth earlier in the summer.
The youngster was third-choice behind Jordan Pickford and Rob Olsen last season under Carlo Ancelotti, but he Pukki managed to make three appearances, getting his Premier League debut against Burnley.
Keeping him around this season will not do his development any good, and a loan deal like the one he had at Reading in 2019-20 is great for him.
However, the idea that Everton could be open to selling him permanently at the end of his temporary spell is somewhat baffling.
Begovic does not have a lot of years left in the game, and we believe Virginia would be the perfect man to challenge Pickford and eventually replace him going forward.
The chance to establish himself as first-choice back home could be very appealing to the youngster, though, and that is very understandable.
We are likely to be without a third-choice goalie for the campaign, but that is not likely to be an issue.
In other Everton news, this is how Toffees fans reacted when Benitez’s name was announced v Southampton.
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