Everton sent ’emissaries’ to run the rule over Benfica midfielder Florentino who they are ‘in love with’, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Reinforcements needed
The Toffees failed to make any new signings in January so Sean Dyche will be in need of reinforcements regardless of whether his side avoid relegation from the Premier League.
The Portugueseâs contract with Roger Schmidtâs outfit isnât set to expire until 2027, but following some impressive performances, he appears to have caught the eye of the hierarchy at Goodison Park.
The Latest: Everton scout Florentino
According to Record (via Sport Witness), Everton are âin loveâ with Florentino and even sent âemissariesâ to watch him in Benficaâs 2-0 Champions League victory at Club Brugge on Wednesday.
The Merseysiders took âvery positive notesâ from what they saw of the 23-year-old, who has a âŹ120m (ÂŁ106m) release clause included in his terms.
The Primeira Liga giants currently have âno intentionâ of selling their talisman, but their president Rui Costa âwill considerâ entering negotiations at the end of the season.
The Toffees are âyet to makeâ an official offer but remain âhuge admirersâ.
The Verdict: Splash the cash
Florentinoâs clause would be extremely unaffordable for Everton, but should some kind of cut-price opportunity arise, Farhad Moshiri should splash the cash to get a deal over the line.
The Adidas-sponsored athlete is naturally a defensive midfielder and currently ranks in the 99th percentile most interceptions and passes attempted per 90 minutes.
The Lisbon native, however, can also operate in central midfield where he bagged two assists in one appearance, highlighting his versatility and threat in the final third.
Florentino has been dubbed a âbeastâ by talent scout Jacek Kulig and it would be a massive coup for the club if they were successfully able to land their target for Dyche.
