Everton target Youssef Chermiti has recently missed training with Sporting CP to hold talks with the Toffees over a potential transfer this summer.
The 19-year-old looks to be close to reaching a deal to join Sean Dyche’s side with talks on-going this week.
That is according to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, who report that Chermiti could be Everton’s third signing of the summer.
The Toffees recruited veteran Ashley Young as a free agent and brought in Dutchman Arnaut Danjuma, who joins on loan from Villarreal.
Youseff Chermiti could join Danjuma in renewing Sean Dyche’s attacking options and could be seen as a replacement for 27-year-old Demarai Gray, who is attracting the attention of Marco Silva’s Fulham.
Chermiti is highly rated in Portugal and the iconic Luis Figo, who also graduated from the Sporting CP academy, provided a ringing endorsement for the attacker after his breakthrough in Lisbon.
Figo said: “[Chermiti] is one more product of the great training that the club has. Every youngster has his stage and his years of evolution, so it’s good that at such a young age he already has that experience and opportunity to play in the first team. [He] will certainly bring many joys to Sporting.”
Chermiti looks to be Everton bound, and will hopefully bring goals with him
With any luck, the 19-year-old will ‘bring many joys’ to Everton fans as the club looks to rebuild under Sean Dyche this summer.
With two successive relegation scraps on the bounce, this is arguably the club’s most significant transfer window in recent history, and recruitment has to be spot on.
Chermiti may be raw, but he certainly has potential and could develop into a top-class talent like many previous graduates of the Sporting CP academy.
Everton welcome Sporting to Goodison Park tomorrow for the final pre-season friendly of the summer, so hopefully the Blues can get this one over the line sooner rather than later.