Portuguese side Benfica are still confident Raul Jimenez will find a way out of the club this month. And that could be good news for Everton and West Ham.
According to Record, the Mexican striker is looking for more minutes on the pitch, and has never hidden his wish to go to the Premier League.
And as reported by Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, Benfica are already preparing themselves in case of a departure, and have several strikers on a list of possible replacements.
The biggest issue which is blocking Jimenez from leaving is his price. Even though he’s said to be wanted by rich clubs such as Everton and West Ham, Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira continues demanding €40m, which sounds too much for someone who’s been sitting on the bench.
Vieira believes the club will find a solution before the end of the transfer market, and the player is said to be keen on the transfer as well. So a sale would be good for everyone. The only problem is that no clubs seem to be convinced he’s worth all that money.
Previous reports said Benfica were actually demanding €50m from Everton, an amount which had been offered by a Chinese club during the winter market.
Now with this €10m discount, perhaps they’re realising no one will pay so much for a reserve player, and his price could still go down until the end of the transfer window.
Around €30m, a €20m discount from the original price, would be much more reasonable, and could even convince Everton and West Ham.
