Journalist says Everton have now made £22m bid for attacker who wins more headers than Erling Haaland
Everton have made an initial €25/26 million (£21.5/£22.3m) bid for Beto.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Toffees’ approach is likely to be unsuccessful as it remains some distance away from Udinese’s valuation.
After a successful loan spell in Italy that saw Beto net eleven goals in Serie A, Udinese coughed up less than £10m to sign the striker permanently.
He went onto bag a further ten league goals last season and quickly attracted the attention of clubs across Europe, while he had caught Everton’s eye back in January.
It was reported earlier this week that the Toffees had opened talks with Udinese and it now looks like they have made a concrete approach for his signature.
However, the Italian outfit are only open to parting ways with Beto if they receive a bid matching his release clause of €35m (£30m).
Everton’s offer is still a way off meeting their valuation and Romano believes that the club are very likely to reject the bid this weekend.
Romano’s tweet read: ‘Everton approached Udinese with initial €25/26m package for Portuguese striker Beto — he was already on Everton list last January.
‘Sources feel that’s not enough yet to convince Udinese.
‘Release clause into Beto’s contract: €35m.’
Can Everton sign Beto before next week’s deadline?
Everton are rapidly running out of time to secure a striker and their interest in Beto makes it seem like the move for Che Adams is now off the table.
The Merseyside outfit had offered £15m for the Southampton striker but now appear to have turned their attention elsewhere.
Beto could be a very strong addition for Everton, who are certainly in need of some physicality and height up top.
The 25-year-old is thought to be around 6 ft 4 – the same height as Erling Haaland, only Beto won more headers and completed three times as many take-ons in the league last season.
However, Everton are going to have to offer a lot more cash to sway Udinese, otherwise this whole pursuit will have been a waste of time.
