A small narrative battle appears to be breaking out as Flamengo midfielder Charly Alcaraz closes in on a move to Everton.
That’s at least if the latest from Gazeta do Urubu is to go by, as they cover Flamengo manager Filipe Luis and his insistence it was Alcaraz who pushed for the move.
Alcaraz is expected to join Everton today after a surprise loan deal was agreed between them and Flamengo on Friday.
After the Brazilian club announced the deal publicly, it was explained that Alcaraz was leaving after being told he was not in Flamengo’s plans. The negotiations with Everton, according to reports, had been done in secret and he only found out when Flamengo announced it.
That raised eyebrows given the club spent a record fee to sign him in the summer and the question was put to Filipe Luis in a recent press conference.
And it seems the Brazilian coach wants to tell a different story as he insisted that it was Alcaraz who actually pushed for a departure.
According to Gazeta do Urubu, Filipe Luis stated that the departure decision ‘came from the player himself’ after he received an offer from Everton.
He claims that Alcaraz sought out a conversation with him about whether he was part of the coach’s plans as he had an offer from the Premier League. Luis informed him that at the moment Alcaraz was behind other players but would still have opportunities.
After the conversation he played against Sampaio Corrêa, and even bagged a goal, but then reported the next day that he wanted to leave and go to the Premier League.
Everton had been monitoring him for some time and the negotiations then unfolded quickly, with the Toffees quickly wrapping up negotiations with Alcaraz as well. He’s now expected to complete his move on deadline day.
But it seems Filipe Luis wants it known that it was Alcaraz, and not him or Flamengo, who initiated the whole thing, contrary to the previous reports.
