It appears that London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal are set to miss out on the signing of a highly-rated 22-year-old defender who has lit up Ligue 1 during the 2019/20 campaign.
According to Le10Sport and reported by the Daily Star, Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton have moved into pole position for the capture of Lille’s Gabriel Magalhaes.
The youngster has been in impressive form for the French side and has played a full part in his side having the fifth best defensive record in the French top flight, per Daily Star.
Even the Toffees could yet be left disappointed, however, as the player has stated that he’s happy where he is for now.
“I’m happy because my work, and everything I’ve done, is rewarded,” the Daily Star report him as saying on a previous occasion.
“It’s not only good for me; it’s good for other people around me. But I’m happy in Lille; I’m very, very happy at the club. I love this club. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but the objective is to bring LOSC back into the Champions League again.
Clearly, the player is much in demand, and to that end it’s not inconceivable that his potential availability could spark a bidding war.
Just how much money teams will have available once the coronavirus pandemic has subsided, however, will surely dictate the price, even if selling clubs are hoping for big money.
With Magalhaes giving no indication that he wants to move either, all three Premier League outfits might find the transfer more difficult than usual to close.