Benfica midfielder Geson Fernandes is in the crosshairs of both Everton and West Ham United. For both clubs, the deal expected to bring the 20-year-old Portuguese to the Premier League would be a 18-month loan with an option to buy at the end of this period.
Fernades’ release clause is a whopping £102-million, but Benfica are not expecting to get anywhere near that kind of money for a player who has played just 23 senior club games. In reality, a sum of closer to £40-million is rumoured to be the figure which will persuade the Primeira Liga leaders to part with their man.
Everton will perhaps be marginal favourites to sign Fernandes following the arrival of legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti. West Ham are also with a new manager, albeit a less glamorous one in David Moyes who is undergoing his second stint at the London Stadium. The latter’s pulling power is not as significant as the new boss on Merseyside.
Both clubs are in similar predicaments in the league, underperforming when they were expected to be knocking on the door of the top six at the start of the season. Both Moyes and Ancelotti will be hoping to restore hope to their fans with this signing.
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