Manchester City are leading the chase in the services of Gremio striker Everton; it has been claimed.
According to The Sun, Manchester City are in pole position to sign the Brazilian attacking prodigy, who has also courted interest from Serie A giants AC Milan.
It is believed that the Sky Blues are plotting a summer move for the Gremio striker, who could cost around £45 million.
Everton: An exciting option for Guardiola
Manchester City are undoubtedly one of the deadliest attacking teams in the world at the moment. But, that is primarily due to their excellent creative prowess, especially with players like Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and David Silva creating a plethora of chances week in week out.
And while Sergio Aguero has continued his top form in the English Premier League, the Argentine has once again struggled with frequent injuries this season. This has forced Pep Guardiola to rely on the services of Gabriel Jesus, at times.
But, with the Brazilian international struggling with both form and injuries, the addition of another striker wouldn’t be a bad idea for Manchester City as they look to maintain their dominance over English football. Hence, Everton is a viable target for the defending champions and an interesting one, too!
The Gremio striker has been scoring consistently in his native Brazil for the past two seasons, notably plundering ten goals in the Serie A last year. He has also been heavily involved in his side’s Copa Libertadores campaign this year, having been involved in two goals in four matches.
As far as his gameplay is concerned, Everton can be deemed as a modern day striker, whose impeccable control on the ball helps him take on defenders. His short stature gives him an advantage especially in retaining his balance as he can efficiently work through tightest of spaces.
However, what makes Everton such an appealing target for Manchester City is his creative prowess as the 23-year-old, aside from finding the back of the net, is also adept from finding key passes in the final third. This could ideally suit the tactical setup of Guardiola, whose team often like to operate narrowly during attacking stances, making his easier to rotate possession at a quick rate.
Therefore, the addition of someone like Everton could certainly make sense from a sporting perspective. And at the age of 23, the Brazilian is already matured enough to make the difficult transition to English football, thus making him an ideal target for Manchester City.
