Everton have been tracking Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis for some time and appear to be preparing an offer to sign the 24-year-old, according to O Jogo.
According to a Portuguese newspaper, Everton is preparing a second offer to bring Florentino to Goodison Park this summer after initially asking Benfica about the midfielder in January.
Sean Dyche’s team may be short on central midfielders next season, with players out of contract and additional exits rumored, and Florentino would likely fill the need following the Toffees’ Premier League survival.
According to O Jogo, even though Florentino has already played 45 matches for Benfica this season and is under contract until 2027, Everton will still make a bid that will benefit all parties involved.
Will Everton sign Florentino Luis?
Everton’s summer transfer activity is virtually completely dependent on the status of their prospective acquisition, with Farhad Moshiri seeking to sell the club to US investment group 777 Partners or another third party.
However, the fact that the Toffees are apparently preparing a bid for Florentino only days after the Premier League season ended suggests that they intend to bring the Angolan-born midfielder to Goodison Park regardless of future circumstances.
Florentino appears to be a lock for Sean Dyche’s starting lineup right now. Andre Gomes and Dele Alli are two of several players out of contract, while Amadou Onana has been linked with a £50 million exit from Goodison Park.
Idrissa Gueye and Abdoulaye Doucoure have already signed one-year extensions, and Florentino’s prospective presence at Goodison Park would bring another dimension to the Blues’ midfield alongside them.
If Benfica is willing to sell Florentino to Everton, the club should try to complete the transaction as soon as possible; solving a potentially problematic situation with a highly-rated player who could become the focal point of a squad that may look vastly different on the first day of next season.
