Aston Villa try to beat Everton to James Tarkowski with £120k-a-week contract
Aston Villa are trying to outspend Everton in attempt to land free agent Burnley defender James Tarkowski, according to The Mail.
The Toffees were reportedly at the front of the queue for the 29-year-old after offering him £90,000-a-week and outlining Frank Lampard’s ambition, with the manager believing the defender is the “perfect profile” for his side (Telegraph).
But the Villains have now offered the former England international a deal worth a weekly £120,000, which would reportedly double his current wages at Turf Moor.
According to The Mail Fulham are also in the race for Tarkowski, who has been linked to West Ham, Newcastle and Leicester.
But billionaire-backed Villa are apparently set to be “one of the most active clubs in Europe in the window” after already signing Boubacar Kamara on a free from Marseille.
Lampard vs Gerrard
It will be a concern for the Toffees boss that it is Villa who are the main rivals for this signing, as they have the ability to outspend in a bidding war and their manager has an extremely similar profile.
The Clarets man seems like the ideal kind of player to bring to Goodison to fix what has proven to be a key weakness in the defence.
The fact that he doesn’t require a transfer fee obviously makes him more attractive for a club with financial constraints, but that also leaves him open for the kind of contract offer that Everton aren’t able to match from a club that doesn’t.
It would probably make sense to go as high as they can in an attempt to convince him to sign since he is exactly what they need, and hope that whatever blueprint Lampard has communicated to him will interest him.
But, while he is a proven Premier League player, they should be wary of overspending before they’ve had a chance to potentially move on some other high earners who aren’t performing.
Gerrard doesn’t appear to be operating within the same budget so if it’s money that plays the major role in Tarkowski’s decision, and at his age it is likely to be his last opportunity for a big deal, this one could slip through the Toffees’ fingers.
In other Everton news, one forgotten man at the club has been hailed as a potential James Rodriguez successor after a sudden breakout at the end of the season.
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