Everton, Tottenham, and West Ham United are vying for Joan Gonzalez, with the Lecce midfielder likely to cost around €15 million.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, intense competition is brewing in the background for Lecce star Joan Gonzalez. The 20-year-old Spanish midfielder features on the radars of several Premier League clubs, including Everton, Tottenham and West Ham United, who will have to battle Juventus for his signature in January.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup has reached its final stages. And soon, all the attention will revert to club football action. Once the Premier League restarts on Boxing Day, there will be plenty of action on and off the pitch. In only a few more days, the January transfer window will commence. And with it, plenty of news and speculation about every club will follow.
We have West Ham United, Tottenham, and Everton eyeing the same player as they chase Lecce’s Joan Gonzalez. The 20-year-old Spanish midfielder is a crucial player for the Serie A club and has developed into a solid prospect in Italy. He is a former member of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, and the Catalan giants might regret letting him go.
Everton, Tottenham, and West Ham are all looking at various talents to improve their squad immediately and to add quality depth. Young players are usually associated with future development, and Gonzalez’s case could be similar.
Lecce have the 20-year-old Spanish midfielder locked in until 2027, and they value him at €15 million. However, the interest is not restricted to the Premier League, with Juventus also in the hunt. The Turin giants have already sent scouts to watch Gonzalez in action and remain convinced of his potential.
The interest from Everton, Tottenham, and West Ham could pique Gonzalez’s decision to move away from Lecce. And for those English clubs, paying €15 million for the 20-year-old Spanish midfielder would not pose a problem. And considering his quality, they will be ready to make a deal happen.
Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has remained keen to add players with experience, ones who could immediately improve his squad. Gonzalez does not come across as such a prospect. But he could become a future star with the proper development. Another such player on their radar is Pablo Maia.
Like Tottenham, West Ham are angling for a move for Maia, who has a similar profile to the 20-year-old Spanish midfielder. And they have competition from the Hammers for Gonzalez. That is because David Moyes is keen on a new midfielder to provide competition for Tomas Soucek.
West Ham need to add depth to their midfield, which relies heavily on Soucek and Declan Rice. Adding someone like Gonzalez could energise the position and give Moyes a different game option. West Ham have also shown interest in Adrien Rabiot.
Finally, Everton are also in the hunt for the midfielder. From the perspective of playing regularly, the Toffees could become an attractive club for a young player like Gonzalez. Everton have plenty of problems in central areas, with most of their current midfielders failing to impress. Gonzalez could provide tough competition for those players and have a great chance of cementing a place in the team.
