Everton using intermediaries to seal loan-to-buy deal for Duvan Zapata – Fabrizio Romano
Everton are using intermediaries to try and seal a loan-to-buy deal for Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Toffees want to sign a striker during the January transfer window as they battle against relegation again, having scored just 15 goals in 19 games so far this season.
Now sharing an update on his Caught Offside Substack (18 January), reliable journalist Romano says that Frank Lampard’s side are looking to work on a deal with an option to make it permanent but as it stands the Serie A club just want a sale without the loan.
“Everton are prepared to approach Atalanta to negotiate for Colombian striker Duvan Zapata,” he wrote (18 January).
“Intermediaries will work on the deal with Everton open to loan with option clause proposal. Atalanta would only be open to discussing a permanent transfer for Zapata, as things stand.”
Sensible
Everton obviously need a striker and the amount of bids that are reported to have gone in this month tells you that they know it too.
But a £25m investment for a 31-year-old striker is a very risky deal, especially if he doesn’t fire on all cylinders and manage to keep us in the Premier League beyond this season.
With our financial position incredibly precarious already, a loan deal where we pay his wages and have the option to make it permanent in the summer makes a lot more sense.
Obviously Atalanta want to get as much money for him as possible, but with negotiations it seems as if there is a deal there to be done that could suit all parties.
With 80 goals and 40 assists in 174 appearances, Zapata has the pedigree to really be the answer to our problems in the second half of the season and become a hero to the fans.