Jahm Najafi can help Everton seal £22.2m+ transfer for Beto as takeover news emerges
Jahm Najafi’s potential investment in Everton can help the club secure the signing of Udinese striker Beto in the summer.
The billionaire tycoon is reportedly still in talks with Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri about acquiring a minority stake in the club [Sky Sports News, 15 February, 1.03pm], after a Wednesday (15 February) report from the Financial Times said that he is putting together a consortium to buy Spurs for £3.1billion.
A Mirror report (15 February) claims Najafi – who is chair of MSP Sports Capital – wants to buy a Premier League club with Everton of interest.
Everton were the only club to not sign a senior player in January though that wasn’t through lack of trying.
Gianluca Di Marzio reported live on Sky Sports News on deadline day (31 January, 5:15pm) that the club had made a bid of €35million [£31million] for Beto as the club scrambled to sign any striker they could find.
That offer was obviously knocked back and Everton have been left dangerously short of quality in the attacking department with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury troubles showing no signs of going away.
Obviously, Najafi bringing more financial clout to Goodison Park will help to get transfers like Beto’s over the line.
The key is not to overpay. But meeting clubs’ demands should be significantly easier with the backing of an investor who is prepared to spend.
Whatever happens, Everton need to spend big on a new striker this summer. Neal Maupay is not Premier League quality and while Ellis Simms has potential, he isn’t there yet.
Beto, 25, has scored seven goals in 22 Serie A outings this season so Everton may not be the only club interested in his services this summer.
In the event of a bidding war, the current iteration of the club has no chance of securing a deal, Najafi’s investment would change that.
It would appear that Najafi’s interest is serious, afterall he was in attendance at Goodison Park on 14 January as Everton lost 2-1 to Southampton, even if the current board members were not.
Investment from anywhere can’t come soon enough.