George Overhill

Tue 27 June 2023 18:10, UK

It will be “difficult” for Everton to fund any sizeable transfers until upheaval at the club is settled but Rodrigo from Leeds United is a deal they can currently cover, says Paul Brown.

Tutto Mercato Web reported on Saturday (24 June) that talks between the Toffees and the relegated Whites had reached an “advanced” stage and that a deal could be on the cards for this week.

And with COPE reporting on 7 June that the Spanish international has a release clause that amounts to just €3.5million [£3million] to leave Elland Road, Brown has suggested it could be possible imminently despite the ongoing situation that has an interim board in place at Goodison.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT the former Daily Star journalist said: “Rodrigo, clearly, is the kind of signing that Everton could currently fund.

“Until new investment comes in and the board is properly reshuffled, it’s difficult for Everton to commit huge funding to any kind of transfer at the moment.

“That is an interesting one. He does have a pretty good goalscoring record in the Premier League, particularly if you compare him to Everton’s current strikers.”

Bargain

If the reported release clause is a genuine one then the Toffees shouldn’t hesitate because they have had more than enough difficulty recruiting attackers.

They missed in a big way on the only forward they have successfully signed in the past year in Neal Maupay, but Rodrigo appears much more suitable given his experience at Leeds.

Despite not being an out-and-out number nine he regularly fulfilled that role at Elland Road in the past season in place of their own injury-prone number nine, Patrick Bamford, and performed well.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s struggles stretching over another campaign Maupay was not a suitable stand in as a lone striker, but Rodrigo scored 13 Premier League goals in an admirable effort that ultimately didn’t prove enough to keep his side up.

Sean Dyche won that battle on the final day, but the sort of output that the former Valencia man produced, a full 12 strikes more than the Toffees back-up, would surely have made Everton safe far sooner.

He may be 32, but for just £3million he would still appear to be a steal as an experienced Premier League goalscorer.

The primary issue is that he may be on the brink of a move to Sevilla [Vamos mi Sevilla, 24 June], but if the door is still open there is every reason to think that Dyche would be interested in signing him up now.

In other Everton news, a strong bid is set to see the Toffees lose another weapon this summer.