Everton have reportedly entered the race to sign Sassuolo’s attacking midfielder Filip Djuricic, who is also a transfer target for West Ham United.
According to a report from Italian outlet Calciomercato, Everton have become the latest team to register an interest in Serbian attacking midfielder Filip Djuricic, who is also on the radars of West Ham United and Southampton.
Djuricic, who has had quite the journeyman’s career in the game, has represented clubs like SL Benfica, 1. FSV Mainz 05, Anderlecht, Sampdoria among others, while he also spent a short spell on loan in the Premier League with Southampton. The 29-year-old has been Sassuolo since 2018 when he joined from fellow Serie A outfit Sampdoria on a free transfer.
Djuricic has grown into an important player for the Neroverdi, racking up 97 appearances in which he has 14 goals and 12 assists. Able to play as a central attacking midfielder or out wide on the flanks, the Serbian is in the final year of his contract with the Serie A club and could be on his way out in the near future, with there being no talks of a renewal as of yet.
Djuricic’s potential availability on a free transfer next year had alerted West Ham United and Southampton, with Everton also now joining the hunt for the 34-time capped Serbian international. The Toffees are on the lookout for a new attacking midfielder having seen James Rodriguez leave the club earlier this season.
In addition, Gylfi Sigurdsson is out of favour and will be allowed to leave at the next possible opportunity, leaving a gaping hole in the squad for a No. 10. And someone like Djuricic would be a good addition in that regard, considering his experience as well as his contract situation, which could allow Everton to sign him on a bargain fee as early as January.
As for West Ham, another addition in the attacking midfield area would not be unfounded considering as summer signing Nikola Vlasic has not settled in all too well at the club so far. Furthermore, Andriy Yarmolenko is out of contract at the end of the ongoing campaign while their potential advancement in the knockout phases of the UEFA Europa League would require proper depth across all areas of the pitch.
Djuricic would appeal to David Moyes & co. due to the versatility and low fee that he is likely to command in the January window. Apart from these two teams, Southampton, who had the 29-year-old on loan for a short spell in 2015, are also looking to sign him up from Sassuolo, the report adds.
It will be interesting to see if either Everton or West Ham launch a move for him in January or decide to wait out till the summer to snap him up on a free transfer. The two are also reportedly battling for the signing of Manchester United star Jesse Lingard as well, indicating that they are keeping their options open.
