Youssef Chermiti to Everton transfer could pave the way for Demarai Gray exit to Fulham amid parallel talks
Everton completing a deal to sign Youssef Chermiti from Sporting could allow Demarai Gray to leave for Fulham, according to The Independent.
The newspaper reported on its website on Tuesday (1 August) that the Toffees “will not sell” the 27-year-old winger before they add to their “slender squad”.
Talks are ongoing for 19-year-old striker Chermiti from the Portuguese giants, who Everton are set to face in a friendly on Saturday (5 August), and he would become the third signing of the summer after Ashley Young (free transfer) and Arnaut Danjuma (loan) but the first the club have paid a fee for since before last season.
Sky Sports’ Alan Myers reported earlier on Tuesday that the Chermiti deal was in line to be completed ahead of the Sporting friendly with a medical due in the next couple of days.
Myers, along with Sky colleague Rob Dorsett, had reported late Monday (31 July) that Gray’s exit was on hold until reinforcements were lined up after Everton agreed to sell him to Craven Cottage, but David Ornstein of The Athletic’s latest update on Tuesday suggested there was still a gap to close between the two clubs on the transfer fee.
Dominoes
It looks like both these moves are heading towards a completion but the incoming deal, for once, looks to be the more likely to go through imminently.
Whether a teenage striker arriving ties up with an experienced winger leaving is open to question, but with Danjuma already brought in as a wide option after his Tottenham loan it might be enough for Sean Dyche to let go of Gray.
The Everton boss still wants another senior striker, and he could probably still do with an additional supporting attacker as well, given the forward options are still far from bountiful.
Everton have already put money on the table for Chermiti, with a fee over somewhere over £12million plus add-ons expected.
While Gray only has a year left on his contract Fulham are surely going to need to offer the majority of that number to pick up the Jamaica international, in light of 200 Premier League appearances and 35 combined goals and assists in the competition.
Marco Silva’s side want £50m to sell Aleksandar Mitrovic to Saudi Arabia and have already rejected £40m, but the Serb wants to leave either way [Evening Standard, 31 July] so there is clearly cash in the offing, and a quarter of that would convince Everton to sell.
But whether Chermiti is considered attacking reinforcements enough fpr Dyche to give the Gray deal the green light likely depends on what else is in the pipeline to go through once money is brought in.
In other Everton news, Manchester United are now after another man from Goodison Park after he impressed their scouts.