UPDATE Monday 4:45pm UK: Beto has completed his Everton medical successfully and should be announced soon. The player should be available for the Blues’ Carabao Cup Second Round game at Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday if Sean Dyche chooses to utilize him.
With no goals scored in 270 minutes of Premier League action, it’s really no surprise whatsoever that Everton have been heavily pursuing striking options. In a move that has been long overdue for at least a couple of transfer windows, the Toffees are close to sealing a striker addition now.
Norberto Bercique Gomes Betuncal, also known as Beto, is currently on Merseyside undergoing a medical having been given permission to travel by Udinese in Serie A after the two clubs hashed out a deal yesterday even as the Blues slipped to a third consecutive defeat without scoring, a record poorest ever start to a top flight campaign for the storied club.
The 25-year-old Lisbon-born player had already agreed personal terms with Everton a few days ago as the two clubs entered negotiations with the backdrop of yesterday’s game. Per a number of media sources this morning, the Toffees will not have to pay anything upfront in this financial year for Beto, a key term to getting the deal done given Everton’s lack of funding availability this season.
Beto will end up costing €25 million (£21.4m) plus another €5m (£4.2m) in potential add-ons. The player has spent two seasons in Udine, first on loan in 2021-22 from Portimonense and then making the switch permanent last summer on a four year deal for just €7m. In his two seasons in Italy, the tall centre-forward has scored 22 times in 65 games for Udinese.
With the summer transfer window closing at the end of this week, we can expect this to be a busy period for the Blues including a flurry of loan possibilities as well with the central defence and wide forward positions also needing reinforcing.
