Gray arrives as third Everton signing of the week Lyndon Lloyd Thursday, 22 July, 2021
Everton have completed another signing with the confirmation of the capture of winger Demarai Gray from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Blues activated a clause in the former Leicester City player s contract and have landed him in a deal with around £1.7m.
Gray has signed a three-year contract that would keep him at Everton until 2024 but there is an option for the club to extend it by a further year.
The 25-year-old, who willl wear the No. 11 jersey, underwent a medical abroad, most likely due to COVID-19 restrictions, and has flown to Orlando to join his new team-mates.
Meet up in Orlando For those TWers making the trek to Orlando, Florida for the preseason game, I have an offer.
I d like to meet up. I ve said before on a previous occasion, I will buy the first 10 TWers a beer that I meet.
I ve been on TW many years now (shocking). There s many, many people I d truly enjoy meeting. If you re going to the game and would like to grab a pint (read, a beer) then please do hit me up.
My wife (Burnley fan… seriously WTF?), my 17-year-old (who knows zilch about Everton) and my 12-year-old (who adores Everton and is a gigantic, outspoken, opinionated fan) will all be there. If you re in the mood, say hello to 4/7ths of the Crowley Clan.
âWe didnât find anyone with his knowledge and passion for footballâ Thursday, 1 July, 2021 Farhad Moshiri explains in more direct terms to TalkSport why he chose Benitez to be Everton s new manager, irrespective of opposition from many Everton fans.
âWe didn t find anyone with his knowledge and passion for football,â Moshiri said, when asked why he opted for Benitez.
âOn his computer he has maybe 3,000 players details. Name a player, he knows everything about them injuries, history and he just won t stop.
âYou can see his life is football, there is nothing else. He is an intelligent man who is obsessed with football.
Everton are reportedly keen on signing Dwight McNeil from Burnley and remain interested in Bayer Leverkusen s Leon Bailey, the latter of whom they have scouted heavily over the past couple of years.
Paul Joyce of The Times has tweeted that the Blues are eyeing McNeil who has emerged as a Premier League talent and he put his stamp on the last meeting between Everton and the Clarets with an impressive goal at Goodison Park earlier this year.
Jamaica international Bailey, meanwhile, is more of a pacy, goalscoring profile, although it s not clear if he would still be a target if his current team-mate, Demarai Gray, makes his anticipated £1.5m switch to Merseyside this month.
Bernard makes UAE move
Bernard has left Everton after signing for Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
A year after a switch to Nasar fell through, an agreement to transfer the Brazilian has been reached as first reported by Greg O Keeffe of The Athletic.
Bernard was signed on a free transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk but struggled to hold down a first-team place under Marco Silva and Carlo Ancelotti.
His move to the UAE Pro League is believed to have garnered Everton a nominal fee of around £1m as well as freeing up between £120,000 and £150,000 a week in reported wages.