Everton in Joaquin Correa talks, offer expected
Everton are in active talks to sign 27-year-old Lazio forward Joaquin Correa, according to Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla.
Correa, 27, has been consistently linked with the Merseyside outfit for some time, but it appears Everton are now firming up their pursuit of the Argentine who won the Copa America last month.
TVDelloSport journalist Pedulla delivered the latest on the potential deal via his personal Twitter profile on Thursday evening [19/08/21]. Initially, he wrote: “Correa and Everton, contacts in progress from 6 pm [BST].”
A couple of hours later he then wrote: “Correa and Everton, it can go up to £25.7million with bonuses, but it comes.
“The Argentine wanted PSG or Inter and therefore the Champions League, but he understood that, at least today, there are no other roads. And so the negotiation continues.”
Pedulla also detailed on his website that Everton are “very interested” and “the negotiation can be developed in the next few hours”, with Lazio likely to sell.
FFP?
There have been widespread reports recently that Everton are struggling with FFP regulations and are essentially being capped in the transfer market.
That is something that tallies with the signings we have made so far this summer.
To date, only Andros Townsend, Asmir Begovic and Demarai Gray have been brought in. Townsend was a free agent after his Crystal Palace contract expired while Begovic and Gray were signed for nominal fees.
Townsend and Gray both started Saturday’s 3-1 win over Southampton at Goodison Park, but are they really long-term contenders to start for the Blues?
Perhaps Gray will finally reach his potential under Rafa Benitez, but they’ve not exactly been signings to set the world alight.
Correa would be an exciting one, however, after netting eight Serie A goals last season and striking three times in the Champions League.
He also has an Anfield equaliser against Liverpool under his belt while playing for Sevilla in 2017.
We’re hopeful this can happen, but remain wary of anything concrete with the spectre of FFP looming large.
In other Everton news, Jeff Stelling & Chris Kamara predict scoreline of Blues v Leeds United.
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