Everton confirm transfer deal for “powerful” £26m striker ahead of Sheffield United clash
Everton splash the cash ahead of Bramall Lane trip
Everton have signed Beto from Udinese for a reported £26m fee ahead of their crunch clash with Sheffield United this weekend. The Portuguese striker, 25, has signed a four-year contract at Goodison Park and scored 21 Serie A goals in two seasons with Udinese.
Beto is the Premier League basement club’s fifth summer signing, following Ashley Young, Arnaut Danjuma, Youssef Chermiti and Jack Harrison through the entrance door. He will be elibigle to face United on Saturday as both sides look for their first point of the campaign so far.
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Everton boss Sean Dyche said: “He has impressed in a top league like Serie A for the past two seasons and scored goals. As a powerful striker who can carry the ball, hold up play, is strong in the air and works hard for the team, he has a lot of attributes that we hope can see him prove to be a success with Everton.”
Dyche’s bid to sign a proven striker was brought into sharper focus when former Blades striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was forced out of Everton’s recent 4-0 defeat at Aston Villa after sustaining a facial injury on his return to action.
Beto told Everton TV: “When a club like Everton tries to buy you in January and then comes again in the summer, you feel like, ‘OK, they want me for real’, so that made the decision easy for me as well.
“My idol, Samuel Eto‘o, played here, too, which makes it even more special. I can bring courage, I can bring confidence and I think my biggest thing is effort. I will always bring enthusiasm to the team and to our games. I feel like my style is a really good fit with Everton.”
Calvert-Lewin (cheekbone), Dwight McNeil (ankle), Alex Iwobi (hamstring) and on-loan Leeds winger Harrison (hip) remain sidelined ahead of Wednesday’s League Cup clash with Doncaster Rovers, a game in which teenage forward Chermiti could make his first start for the club.
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Everton are now set to finalise a deal for Beto.
According to The Times, the striker will complete his move to Goodison Park very soon after the two clubs agreed an initial £26 million fee for his signature.
Beto becomes Everton’s second striker signing of the summer as he arrives on a permanent transfer from Udinese.
The 25-year-old first joined the Italian club on loan in 2021 and netted a cool eleven league goals before making his move from Portimonense permanent the following year.
He went onto score another ten goals in Serie A last season as they finished in 12th place.
Everton began talks Udinese over a move for the forward last week and saw their initial bid of around £22m quickly rejected.
The Italian outfit’s demands were expected to put off the Toffees, however their desperate need for a new striker led to a further offer being accepted.
Beto flew to Merseyside over the weekend and was said to have completed his medical tests on Sunday, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that he was now set to be unveiled as a new Everton player before transfer deadline day.
Beto could make his debut in the Premier League against Wolves this weekend, with Everton still on the hunt for their first goal of the new campaign.
Beto received praise from a former Everton attacker
The Portuguese attacker has previously been applauded by former Toffees winger Gerard Deulofeu, with the Spaniard also currently plying his trade in Udine.
Speaking to The Italian Football Podcast back in 2021, Deulofeu said: “I really like Beto. I like his mentality to push on the pitch, to improve every single game. I like these types of players.
“We speak a lot because we usually play very close on the pitch. He is a really good guy and I think we will do great things together and score a lot of goals together.”
