Gremio’s Everton Soares unfollowed the club on Instagram at some stage this week, and once the Brazilian media realised it created a whole transfer storm.
That’s understandable to an extent, but some reports got a little carried away with themselves.
ESPN Brasil carried claims from radio in the country that Manchester City had submitted a £55m offer for the player, and that spread quickly throughout South America.
João Batista Filho, a Brazilian reporter, then looked into things.
He says those in charge at Gremio ‘vehemently deny’ having received a £55m offer from City, or any offer at all. Indeed, they’ve been clear there’s not even the slightest hint of a proposal or that one is on the way.
It’s well known Pep Guardiola’s club have been following the 22 year old, but there’s no advance on that right now.
Should that offer arrive, then Everton ‘will be sold for sure’.
There’s no way a Brazilian club could turn down such an approach, but it would likely be the same for £10m less, perhaps even more, and Manchester City are hardly going to overpay for the sake of it.
Everton has since said he unfollowed Gremio by accident, as one does.
