With clubs around the world able to do transfer business this month, former England striker Darren Bent has revealed the unique edge which gives Everton a decisive advantage in the transfer market.
The Toffees brought in James Rodriguez on reduced wages, with the likes of Sami Khedira and Isco also being heavily linked with moves to Goodison Park.
Equally, out-of-favour Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik is a heavily-linked striking target who could also use his past experience with Carlo Ancelotti as a major pull factor in picking Everton over other clubs.
Bent duly told Football Insider that Ancelotti’s ability to get players to accept a wage cut in order to work with him gives the Toffees a discernible edge in the transfer market, and that his ability to attract talent in a sustainable manner is testament to the attraction offered by the prospect of working under him. The 36-year-old said:
Only Ancelotti would be able to do that. If we are talking about players taking pay cuts than that reflects really well on him.
Everton’s a massive football club, you can’t say it isn’t. If players are prepared to take wage cuts to get themselves there and work with Ancelotti, then that is superb from his perspective.
The fact that the players are still hungry enough to do that is a really, really good sign for them.
It’s a positive for Everton that these players are being linked with the club anyway.
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We may soon have to declare the ‘Ancelotti factor’ as a staple of transfer business to Goodison Park. Bringing in Rodriguez at knock-down costs is a real coup, and any moves for Khedira or Isco could fit the same bill.
With Everton announcing losses of more than £130m, getting a grip on the purse strings whilst not weakening the squad must be a key objective for the Toffees hierarchy.
