Everton suffer setback in pursuit of PSG striker Hugo Ekitike as West Ham match bid
Everton have suffered a setback in their pursuit of Hugo Ekitike as the Paris Saint-Germain striker now looks more likely to join Frankfurt, according to Sports Zone.
The French outlet reported on August 22 that Everton had offered €35million (£30m) upfront for the 21-year-old, plus a further €5m (£4.3m) in bonuses.
However, in an update posted on Twitter on Monday [28 August], it was claimed that West Ham matched that bid and had almost agreed personal terms with the youngster.
But in a potential further twist – and in more bad news for Everton – PSG supposedly want Ekitike to join Frankfurt as a bargaining chip to land Randal Kolo Muani.
Beto over Ekitike
Just how much Everton want Ekitike is unclear at this stage.
The Toffees are closing in on a separate £30m deal to sign Udinese talent Beto, with that transfer on the verge of going through [BBC Sport].
Beto is a similar profile to Ekitike and is valued in exactly the same region, so it was always likely to be a case of signing one or the other.
It could be argued that Ekitike has more long-term potential, but Beto is more of a player for the here and now.
After all, the Portuguese is aged 25 and has scored 11 and 10 goals for Udinese in the past two Serie A seasons respectively.
Ekitike, by comparison, followed up his 10-goal Ligue 1 season with Reims in 2021-22 with just three goals for PSG last time out.
The Frenchman is almost certainly on his way out of the Parc des Princes, but Goodison Park does not look like being his next destination.
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Sources: Alberto agrees West Ham move – announcement imminent
West Ham have agreed personal terms with Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto ahead of a permanent move, sources have told Football Insider.
It is believed a full agreement and announcement could come within 24 hours with the Irons now putting the finishing touches on the deal.
Football Insider revealed back in July that West Ham were among three Premier League clubs plotting moves for the 22-year-old this summer.
Alberto has managed 10 goals and seven assists during the 2022-23 campaign for Corinthians.
His contract with the Brazilian giants is set to run until December 2027 as he only joined the club from Zenit St Petersburg in January.
The forward moved from his homeland to Russia in 2022, but that big-money move was cut short due to the war in Ukraine.
He managed six goals and four assists across 15 games in Russia – his first taste of European football.
In July 2022, Alberto returned to Brazil – where he has managed 53 goals in 174 games in spells for Santos, Corinthians and Internacional.
The forward made his senior international debut earlier this year, featuring as a substitute for the Selecao in a friendly against Morocco.
West Ham are continuing to push to improve their attack even after completing the signing of Mohammed Kudus from Ajax.
The Irons have also completed deals for James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and Konstantinos Mavropanos this summer.
David Moyes’s side sit second in the Premier League following their 3-1 win over Brighton on Saturday (26 August).
