After being heavily linked to Sandro Ramirez for months, it seems Everton are once again close to missing out. Over the past couple of weeks, Sandro has reportedly agreed to move to Sevilla, Everton, and Atletico Madrid, but it’s stories about the latter which continue.
The player has impressed for Malaga since leaving Barcelona last summer, and his 16 goals for the club have attracted some heavy competition.
All this attention means Everton perhaps should have move faster, because according to Estadio Deportivo, Marca and other Spanish outlets, the striker is set to sign for Atletico Madrid.
Sandro’s agent Ginés Carvajal was said to be in Madrid on Monday sorting out the final details of a transfer, although a deal can’t be made official yet.
That’s because Atletico Madrid are still waiting for the TAS (Tribuna de Arbitraje Deportivo) to decide whether they can register players this summer or not, due to a sanction from FIFA for signing youngsters outside of the rules.
Atletico are reportedly working on both possibilities, but in case the transfers are allowed, there’s a huge chance that Sandro will sign for them. Estadio Deportivo claims it’s the offer that ‘seduces him more’, even though Sevilla, Tottenham, and Everton would all like to count on him as well.
Everton still have a couple of reasons to be hopeful. Firstly, there’s no guarantee TAS will reduce the sanction, and secondly, Atletico have been strongly linked with Alexandre Lacazette, and he’d surely be their main striker if that deal goes through.
It’s now up to Everton, and likely Ronald Koeman directly, to work on those doubts and try and get to Sandro, if the club’s interest has been as strong as reported.
