Everton-linked Winsley Boteli responds to speculation around his future, 'I see myself...'

Borussia Monchengladbach sensation Winsley Boteli has responded to the recent speculation linking him with a move amid interest from Everton.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano tweeted on 6 November that the Toffees and Juventus are keeping a "close eye" on the 17-year-old, who has scored 12 goals in 12 games for the German side's U-19s this season.

When asked about his future by transfermarkt.de on Friday (1 December), the Swiss forward confirmed that he plans to remain at Gladbach next season despite the interest from other clubs in signing him.

"I see myself in the first team next year," said Boteli. “I will repay them (if he gets in the team)."

Unlikely

This doesn't seem like a deal Everton would be able to pull off at this moment in time due to the player's situation and the club's financial issues.

Boteli is much more likely to remain at Gladbach in a bid to earn more first-team opportunities after impressively massively in the U-19s side this season.

If he were allowed to leave, however, then it would be hard to compete with Italian giants Juventus as they are a more attractive proposition for European players.

It's a positive to see the Toffees are taking notice of some of the lesser-known talents around the continent, though, in a bid to find the next star for a relatively modest fee.

It's clear to see the Blues are keen to add more youngsters to their squad after the players they've been linked with recently, which is a progressive approach in a bid to operate more sustainably given the current financial constraints at Goodison Park.

In other Everton news, Jamie Carragher has shared a “huge” admission ahead of the game against Nottingham Forest.