Manchester City have made contact with South American club Gremio to discuss a possible summer transfer for Everton Soares.
According to The Sun, City have been previously linked with the 23-year-old attacker, who signed a new contract with Gremio in 2018.
The Brazilian ace is a standout player for his club and he has already earned four caps for his country at international level, with many experts tipping him for a bright future at the highest level.
The Sun reports that a £90 million buy-out clause was included in Everton’s latest contract at Gremio, but he could be available for a cut-price fee of around £45 million this summer due to the club’s current financial difficulties.
AC Milan were thought to be the frontrunners to land the mercurial forward’s signature earlier in the year, having made contact with the player’s agent to discuss a potential switch to Italy.
However, The Sun states that City are ready to beat the Rossoneri to the punch after opening talks with Gremio over the last few days.
Pep Guardiola already has a strong Brazilian contingent at the Etihad Stadium, with Gabriel Jesus, Danilo, Ederson and Fernandinho to call upon and they could ultimately influence Everton’s final decision.
Jesus, in particular, is the perfect advert for a South American star making a quick transition to the Premier League, with over 80 appearances under his belt for City across all competitions since his switch from Palmeiras in 2017.
Everton has already expressed an interest in playing in the Premier League, admitting in an interview back in November that Brazilian players are often targeted by English clubs for their unique qualities.
As per The Sun he stated: “We all hear rumours at some point, right?
“Let’s see what happens at the end of the season, wait until it is over, and see what’s best for both me and Gremio.”
If City are able to fight off interest from Milan and sign Everton, it would represent another major coup for the club and given his age and current price tag, a smart piece of business for Guardiola to pull off ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.
