Matthew Shaw

Tue 26 July 2022 9:05, UK

Everton are on the verge of agreeing on a loan-to-buy deal to sign Sporting CP defender Ruben Vinagre, according to Record.

The Portuguese newspaper has reported in its print edition [26 July, pg. 9] that the Toffees will cover the entire salary of the left wing-back, which is just below £680,000-a-year.

It is shared that Everton will pay just below £8.5million for the 23-year-old if they are satisfied with his performances across the next season at Goodison Park.

Sporting coach Ruben Amorim had made his mind up to part ways with Vinagre before pre-seaosn even started, after only one full campaign at the club.

The former Wolves talent only featured 18 times last season, and is clearly needing somewhere he can settle, with the initial loan likely seen as low risk.

Kevin Thelwell will know Vinagre from their time together at Molineux, and Frank Lampard will have needed to have sanctioned this one before it got any further.

Number Two.

Finally, we are seeing some real movement on the transfer front.

Although, we have to say this is quite underwhelming given our real need to strengthen a lot of other areas in the squad rather than left back as things stand.

Vitalii Mykolenko is the main man in that role for certain now, meaning that Vinagre will be nothing more than a rotation option as things stand.

That is needed, but the midfield and final third are looking so poor and weak right now, so you would have liked to have thought that they would be sorted first.

We can’t complain though, as it was getting to the stage where we actually thought nothing was going to happen.

Vinagre arrives with Premier League experience and will be a good option to have in the matchday squad each week, and let’s hope this kickstart a good couple of weeks before that first game.