Everton be part of race to signal Benfica midfielder Richard Rios

Everton have expressed curiosity in signing Benfica midfielder Richard Rios this summer season, based on studies through Sports activities Witness.

Regardless of beginning final season strongly with a draw in opposition to eventual league champions Arsenal and a victory over Manchester United, Everton’s aspirations for European soccer diminished as they struggled with disappointing leads to the latter a part of the marketing campaign.

The Toffees remained in competition for a top-10 end for a lot of the season, however an incapability to win any of their last seven Premier League fixtures in the end noticed them slip to thirteenth within the standings.

A number of components might have contributed to that downturn, but the scarcity of high quality and depth inside the squad gave the impression to be essentially the most vital.

Consequently, Everton have now turned their consideration in direction of reinforcing a number of key areas of the squad, with central midfield rising as one of many membership’s major priorities forward of the summer season switch window.

Citing Italian journalist Salvatore Ferrante, Sport Witness studies that Everton have expressed curiosity in signing Benfica’s Rios to bolster their midfield this summer season.

Whereas talks haven’t progressed at this stage, the Merseyside membership are carefully monitoring the Colombian worldwide forward of a possible summer season swoop, based on the report.

Bold swoop

Nevertheless, Everton should not alone within the race for Rios, with the report including that Premier League rivals Bournemouth and Fulham have additionally proven curiosity, whereas the 26-year-old can also be favouring a transfer to Italian aspect Napoli.

With 4 years nonetheless operating on his contract with Benfica, Sport Witness claims that the 38-time Portuguese champions are in no rush to promote Rios and have positioned an £87m valuation on the previous Flamengo and Palmeiras prodigy.

Everton have already added Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough this summer season and are eager to construct on that with additional additions, with Rios now being eyed.

Standing at 6ft 1in,  he’s bodily imposing and relentlessly covers a variety of floor. It’s no shock he recurrently options for Néstor Lorenzo’s Colombia squad on the ongoing World Cup.

He’s comfy dropping deeper to contest duels and shield the backline and is equally adept at receiving the ball beneath strain and carrying it purposefully by way of the center of the park.

Whereas Everton’s curiosity within the midfielder displays the membership’s ambition, Benfica’s reported £87m valuation is effectively past the Toffees’ monetary attain, so they might have to show to different attainable options.