Atalanta ready to sell Duvan Zapata to Everton for just £10m after behind-the-scenes bust-up
Everton will be offered the chance to sign Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata for £10million in the summer transfer window after a behind-the-scenes fall-out at the Serie A club, according to the Sunday People.
Fabrizio Romano reported (19 January) that the Toffees were interested in taking Zapata on a loan-to-buy deal in the winter window – but talks eventually dried up as Frank Lampard was sacked as manager and Sean Dyche brought in as his successor.
However, the Sunday People have now shared (Sunday, 26 February, page 56) that Everton will be offered a fresh chance to sign the 31-year-old this summer, who has netted 33 goals for Atalanta over the last two and half seasons.
“Everton will be offered a fresh change to sign Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata this summer,” they wrote.
“The 31-year-old Colombia star was a January loan target for the Toffees, with an option to make the deal permanent for £15million.
“Everton, under new management in Sean Dyche, are still seeking a frontman and insiders say Zapata, entering the final year of his contract in the summer, is set to sold for around £10million after a fall-out with Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
“Much will depend on whether Everton preserve their Premier League status.”
Dip in form
Although a £10million fee for Zapata seems to be decent value on the face of things, the club must be certain his behind-the-scenes fall-out wasn’t due to his poor form in the last few months.
After scoring 19 goals in the 2020/21 season and a further 13 last term, he has found the back of the net just once this year. Although this could be due to the bad terms he is on with the Atalanta coaching staff, it could be a sign that Zapata is starting to enter the twilight years of his career.
What the Toffees don’t need is yet another forward on big wages who fails to deliver the goods in front of goal. The club have been lured into this kind of trap before, and it would be wise to asses a wider range of targets than jumping head-first into a deal which is much simpler to complete.
Dyche clearly needs attacking reinforcements in the summer, but there could be better options than this potentially divisive character who hasn’t found his goalscoring boots all season long.