Gremio president Romildo Bolzan claims that Carlo Ancelotti did call Everton Soares amid reported interest in the forward last month, Globo Esporte report.
Various reports throughout the past month had suggested that Everton were interested in the 23-year old Brazilian, with Italian journalist Nicolo Schira reporting a week before the transfer deadline that talks were ongoing.
Despite no move ever coming to fruition, Everton Soares confirmed last week (via Globo Esporte) that Carlo Ancelotti had actually called him to enquire about whether he’d be interested in a transfer, with Everton Soares saying:
He (Ancelotti) asked me how I was doing, if I was interested in playing at the club. It is a great club, a great opportunity. A great coach too, I will definitely learn a lot from him.
Now Bolzan has confirmed that this did indeed happen, before thanking God that Everton didn’t make a formal offer for the forward.
However, he did also concede that the Brazilian will almost definitely leave in the summer, as reported by Globo Esporte as saying:
This happened, but by the time he revealed it, it’s possible to say that we were expecting something to happen or not. Shall we agree? Thank God it didn’t happen.
But we know that this is a fatality, a matter of time, because playing this football he plays, the quality he has, it will be impossible for him to stay with us for the rest of his career. One day it will be his turn.
Thanks to God that until the present moment he continues with us and I hope that he continues in that first semester doing exactly what he did today there. Playing football that fills your eyes.
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Everton Soares was someone who many fans had wanted to see the Toffees sign in January, and for more than the marketability potential concerning his name.
Everton Soares scored 11 goals and assisted five in 30 league appearances for Gremio last season, earning an average WhoScored rating of 7.33.
Playing primarily as a left-sided winger (Transfermarkt), the player’s contributions for Gremio saw more than just Everton register an interest, with ESPN (via Tribal Football) claiming that Arsenal had resurrected interest, having previously pursued the Brazilian.
While his favoured position is on the left, Everton Soares is right-footed, and with Marcel Brands confirming at Everton’s AGM last month that the club are in need of a right-sided midfielder (Liverpool Echo), Soares is someone who has operated in that area before, suggesting that he could possibly do so for the Toffees if a future move materialises.
It remains to be seen how much money Everton will have to spend in the summer, but should the Blues still wish to bring in a right-winger, it isn’t hard to imagine Everton returning for Everton Soares, if both the player himself and Gremio’s president are right in admitting Ancelotti made contact.
