Why Everton should revive their interested in Sporting Lisbon’s Wendel
A report from A Bola (h/t Liverpool Echo) suggests that Everton were keen on signing Sporting Lisbon youngster Wendel back in January. However, no deal materialized and the Brazilian stayed put at Estadio Jose Alvaldale XXI.
The same source now claims that the Portuguese outfit are asking €35m for the midfielder, contrary to the €20m price-tag they had put up six months back. Wendel has been a significant member of the squad since Bruno Fernandes left for Manchester United in January and has seen his value rise within a short time.
Profile
Born in Brazil, Wendel started his journey with Tigres do Brasil before joining Fluminense’s youth system in 2015. In 41 games for the senior team, he racked up 6 goals and 2 assists and earned a €10m move to the Portuguese outfit in January 2017.
Though he struggled for regular game time, he made 21 league appearances in the 2018/19 injury-hit campaign. The following season, he became a regular member of the squad and helped his side lift the Portuguese Cup and the Portuguese League Cup.
So far, he has made 76 appearances for Sporting Lisbon and despite his tender age, he has been crucial for the squad. Thus, Everton should splash the cash for the Brazilian midfielder and add depth to their midfield contingent.
Wendel – A future star in Everton’s midfield?
Carlo Ancelotti’s men managed to finish 12th in the league standings but they have been inconsistent so far. And one of the major reasons for the lacklustre performance is the imbalance in their midfield.
Attack-minded midfielders Tom Davies, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Andre Gomes haven’t been up to the mark. Portuguese international Gomes was out of action for the majority of the campaign due to a knee injury and Davies failed to produce the goods in much-needed situations despite making an impact last season.
Iceland star Sigurdsson racked up just 3 goals and 3 assists in 38 games across all competitions. And this highlights the need for an attack-minded midfielder in the summer. Thus, reviving their interest in Wendel would be a smart decision by the club.
The Brazil U23 international has proved his worth with the Portuguese giants and could be seen as a future star in the Toffees midfield if he is able to replicate the form he has shown so far. His inclusion would definitely bring healthy competition to Davies and Gomez in midfield, whilst also adding some much-needed depth to the squad.
He has been brilliant this season, scoring 3 goals and providing 3 assists and still has a lot of room for development. He could learn under the guidance of Ancelotti and if he is able to develop, Wendel could go on to make a difference in the future.
Read more
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Verdict
With limited quality in midfield, it is clear that the Toffees are in dire need of midfielders. And Wendel could provide them with some much-needed depth, something Everton have lacked throughout the campaign. Thus, they should reignite their interest in the former Fluminense man and try to lure him to Goodison Park this summer.
