Fulham are reportedly eyeing a cut-price transfer for Everton forward Demarai Gray.
The ex-England Under-21 international is set to attain the dreaded ‘out of favour’ status at Goodison Park after the arrival of Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal. He is rated at around £10m as the Toffees look to cash in on him this summer.
According to The Sun, Fulham are ready to pay £7million for securing the signing of Everton’s Demarai Gray.
Gray, 27, moved to Everton from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021 for a fee believed to be around £1.7m. Just like most of his teammates, he had an ordinary last season at Goodison Park, registering just four goals and an assist in 33 Premier League games as Everton narrowly survived the drop.
Following the loan capture of Arnaut Danjuma, Gray could be heading out of the exit door after two seasons with the Toffees.
Demarai Gray to Fulham—Right option?
Fulham manager Marco Silva has rejected a lucrative €40m two-year offer from Al-Ahli as he remains committed to the project at Craven Cottage. The west London side have agreed a deal to buy Raul Jimenez from Wolves for about £5.5m as a potential replacement for Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is closing in on a move to Al-Hilal.
Another forward is high on the shopping list for Fulham, with a player that can be deployed on the flanks and also as a No.10 viewed as the ideal acquisition. Demarai Gray, in that regard, would fit the bill perfectly at Fulham.
Gray will want to leave Everton for a genuine step up, and a move to Fulham represents that, in terms of the current form and trajectory of the clubs. The Cottagers finished in the top half of the table following their promotion last year, and they could provide Gray with the ideal platform to continue his career in the Premier League. A left-winger by trade, the Jamaican international can also play on the right or as a centre-forward, and such kind of versatility should benefit Silva’s Fulham side.
The 27-year-old has solid top-flight experience and won the Premier League title in 2016 during his time with Leicester City. Thus, in signing Gray, Fulham would potentially get a player who knows about English football and has the know-how to play in the Premier League. He can play in different attacking roles as per the manager’s demands as well as challenge players like Willian, Harry Wilson and Bobby Decordova-Reid.
Another thing that will suit Fulham regarding this potential deal is the fact that Gray is available for just £10m this summer. And for that low fee, solid experience and versatility, Silva can get an able first-team player or a backup to any of his current forwards in the form of Gray.