Everton have made contact with one midfielder’s club as they seek a £2 million acquisition before the conclusion of the January transfer window.
David Moyes has had an impressive return to Goodison Park, winning two of his first three games in command of the Blues.
Everton won 1-0 at Brighton on Saturday afternoon after losing 1-0 at home to Aston Villa and then 3-2 against Tottenham at Goodison the previous weekend. The two victories have moved the Merseysiders seven points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, with early results looking promising under their new management.
Blues fans will be eager to see new faces arrive in the current transfer window, and Ajax attacker Brian Brobbey has been connected with a move, with Everton perhaps looking to hijack West Ham’s attempts to sign him. He is said to be in London to clinch a move to the Hammers, however.
Dan Neil, a Sunderland midfielder, has also been tipped to move to Goodison Park after impressing for the Black Cats this season. He has started 28 of his team’s 29 Championship matches so far in 2024/25, recording three assists and averaging 1.9 tackles per game to help them reach the playoffs.
Everton have been in communication with Botafogo about the transfer of defensive midfielder Danilo Barbosa, according to a new report from The Sunday Mirror.
The Blues have been offered the option to sign the 28-year-old for £2 million, but Championship rivals Leeds United and Sheffield United are also believed to be interested, giving fierce competition.
Barbosa may not be a household name because he does not currently play in Europe, but he might be exactly what Everton is looking for in the middle of the park, bringing a presence to that area of the pitch.
This season, the former Brazil Under-20 international has averaged 3.7 clearances per match in the Copa Libertadores, demonstrating his off-the-ball abilities, and he has appeared in 96 Botafogo games.
Despite not playing in Europe currently, Barbosa has appeared 169 times for Braga, Nice, Valencia, Standard Liege, and Benfica.
At 28, he is also seasoned enough to fit effortlessly into Everton’s squad, even if the pace of the Premier League may take some time to adjust to, and he is still young enough to be in his prime years for a while.
With Idrissa Gueye already 35 years old and midfield reinforcements required, Barbosa might emerge as a viable alternative for the Blues, especially given his potential cost of as little as £2 million.
