Everton’s efforts to block Thomas Delaney moving from FC Copenhagen to Werder Bremen are increasingly being backed up as a really good idea.
In summer 2016, Werder Bremen agreed a deal to sign Delaney from FCK, but the midfielder would only move in the January 2017 window. Nevertheless, Everton continued to watch the Danish footbaler, and tried to step in on more than one occasion.
When covering claims from Denmark in January, Sport Witness explained: ‘Determined to have another go at signing Delaney, Everton are said to have been in repeated contact with Werder Bremen, and also speaking to the player’s agent Michael Stensgaard.
BT say that Everton eventually submitted a final offer to Werder of 43m Danish Kroner, which is about £5m. That would have seen the German club more than double their money without Delaney having ever played for them.’
The Bundesliga club weren’t interested, and Delaney quickly became an important player after his move. Settling into German football quickly, the midfielder scored 4 goals and provided an assist in 11 starts for his new club.
The summer saw Brighton & Hove Albion have a go at signing the player, and there was talk of a €12m offer arriving from the Premier League. Burnley were then added along with Brighton, and Delaney’s English fan-base was growing, but Werder Bremen insisted there’d be no sale.
Everton won’t have simply dropped their interest, and that keenness and foresight is looking all the more impressive. Brighton will probably be kicking themselves at failing to get a deal done, as Delaney has just scored 4 goals in 2 internationals.
Delaney has just turned 26 years of age, and has a long standing aim to play in the Premier League. Next summer would appear a prime time for the move to England, but Werder Bremen will expect to be compensated generously.
Everton will surely have someone watching this season, and Brighton will also be keeping an eye on Werder Bremen’s matches. Indeed, the number of Premier League scouts watching the German club is likely to grow, especially after Delaney’s Denmark heroics.
