Everton near £28m deal for Brazilian ace
EThe Brazilian, 25, is one of their main priorities for the summer and director of football Steve Walsh met with representatives from Sociedad this week in an attempt to structure a deal before the window opens.p
Sociedad only signed gned Willian Jose last year andnd he has scored 11 goals in n 28 appearances. His buyout clause is £33million but Everton are confident they will be able to secure his signature for £28m, which would equal the fee they y paid for Romelu Lukaku u in 2014.
Ronald Koeman wantss this to be the summer when he puts his stamp on the squad and Farhad Moshiri, Everton’s major investor, will provide the funds for the players his manager wants.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, the Swansea midfielder, is high on Koeman’s list, while Jordan Pickford, Sunderland’s highly regarded goalkeeper, is also a priority. Koeman will also reshape Everton’s defence with Sead Kolasinac a candidate for left back — although the Schalke defender may be destined for Arsenal.
Burnley’s Michael Keane has been identified at centre half and the England international, who has been shortlisted for PFA Young Player of the Year, has been the subject of positive words from Koeman.
‘He’s a young centre back with a great future,’ said Koeman, who welcomes Sean Dyche’s side to Goodison Park today.
‘If we qualify for Europe then there will be a different season than this season. You play on Thursdays in the Europa League and, of course, in thattha situation you need mormore players and a stronger sqsquad than we have now.’ LIVERPOOL’S squad will pay their rrespects to the 96 fans wwho died at Hillsborough in a private ceremony at the club’s Melwood training groground. This is the first year that Anfield will not hold theth service to honour the memory of those who lost their lives on April 15, 1989 during an FA Cup semi-final. The request was made by the bereaved families, who instead will gather at the city’s Anglican Cathedral.
There will be club representation at the service but Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool’s players will not be present. Klopp and his captain Jordan Henderson will lay flowers at the Hillsborough memorial outside Anfield.
They will then hold a minute’s silence at the training ground shortly before 3.06pm, the time when the semi-final was called off.
FOR ALL BREAKING SPORTS NEWS VISIT dailymail.co.uk/ sport