Granada goalkeeper Rui Silva was a target for Everton, but they could not convince him to break a pre-contract agreement with Real Betis.
Silva is out of contract in the summer and expected to leave the Spanish club, where he has impressed since arriving from Nacional in 2017.
He already has a contract in place with Betis, who moved to secure his signature in January when he entered the final year of his deal.
That move is likely to go through, but the goalkeeper had the option of breaking his agreement should another club offer him better terms.
That led to reports about a potential move elsewhere, with reports over the last few months naming Everton as potential suitors if they decide to replace Jordan Pickford this summer.
Estadio Deportivo cover their interest today and explain that until the end of the January transfer window, Silva had the chance to break his agreement with Betis and sign elsewhere in exchange for €2m.
One of the clubs who ‘considered’ signing Silva were Everton, however, he was asking for a high signing-on fee of €5m and a ‘significant salary’ as well.
Now, it’s not stated explicitly that this is why the likes of Everton didn’t move, but it is explained how the economic situation in football around the world due to the Coronavirus pandemic played in the Heliopolitanos’ favour as they moved quickly to get him.
Thus, any move to Goodison Park appears to be off the table, with Silva, not the man they want to replace Pickford.
