It seems Everton have missed out in their reported pursuit of Spanish midfielder Gonzalo Villar.
It was reported by Alicante Plaza earlier this month that Everton had been in contact with Elche regarding a deal for the Spanish under-21 star.
That report did, however, suggest interest from Italy, with Juventus, Atalanta, and Roma all named as teams keen on the Spaniard.
It seems that Roma have now won the race. That is according to the ever-reliable Gianluca Di Marzio, who stated that Villar would be present for yesterday’s derby with Lazio.
La Gazzetta Dello Sport has also reported the deal is as good as done after Roma came to an agreement with Valencia and Elche over a fee for the player.
Valencia had a buy-back option for their former player which they will now forego. The report states the total cost will be just €5 million (£4.2m) for the talented midfielder.
TBR’s View
It seems Everton have missed out on a bargain here. The midfield maestro has emerged as a top player in Spain’s second tier this season after recovering from a meniscus tear that severely impaired his 2018-19.
With Everton’s central midfield area looking weak, especially with the injuries to Andre Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Villar would have been an affordable option to help fill the void.
Now Villar is set for the Italian capital, where he will hope to force his way into first-team contention with his neat and tidy midfield displays. At just £4.2 million, in the current market, Roma appear to have bagged a bargain Everton may one day regret not clinching.