Everton reportedly wants to strengthen its squad by signing a Champions League striker for under £10 million. Meanwhile, Barcelona has confirmed the registration of Wojciech Szczesny, who has come out of retirement to replace the injured Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. Szczesny’s inclusion in the team positions him to compete for the starting goalkeeper role as he prepares for upcoming matches.
Everton May Land a Champions League Striker for Under £10m
Everton is said to be keen on acquiring Stuttgart winger Silas during the January transfer window.
The 26-year-old is presently on loan at Red Star Belgrade from Stuttgart, where he had a successful return last season, helping the German club qualify for the UEFA Champions League. He has seven goals and six assists in 30 matches across all competitions, notably scoring a goal and contributing to a 3-1 triumph against Bayern Munich.
Able to operate on either wing, the DR Congo international possesses excellent speed and a strong physical presence at 1.89m tall. He could give Everton an edge on the flanks, especially since Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom have not made a significant impact thus far. According to the credible Florian Plettenberg from Sky Germany, Silas has a release clause of approximately €10 million, with Everton expressing interest alongside Villarreal. He posted on X, “EXCL | #Silas might leave Red Star Belgrade this winter.”
The 26-year-old winger is contracted with VfB Stuttgart until 2026 and is currently on loan at FK CZ. However, a winter transfer for Silas is feasible due to a release clause of about €10 million, which would go entirely to Belgrade. Multiple clubs, including Everton and Villarreal, are showing interest. Stuttgart has also included a 10-15% sell-on clause in the event of Silas’s winter transfer, as he is currently playing in the Champions League.
It remains uncertain whether the club will have spending capacity in the upcoming transfer window. The Friedkin Group’s takeover is anticipated to be finalized before January, suggesting that some funds may be accessible.
Given the low-risk nature of this deal, Silas could be a shrewd deal, given that he performed strongly last season. He also ranks extremely highly for take-ons (99th percentile), non-penalty expected goals (96th), and non-penalty xG plus expected assisted goals (95th)—all of which point towards a dangerous and threatening winger that Everton is crying out for.
Barcelona Confirms Wojciech Szczesny’s Champions League Registration
Last week, Barcelona announced the signing of Wojciech Szczesny, who has returned from retirement to replace the injured Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. Although the 34-year-old couldn’t participate in the match against Alaves, the international break will give him the opportunity to regain his sharpness as he competes with Inaki Pena for the starting goalkeeper position.
Szczesny is anticipated to be ready for Barcelona’s match against Alaves. He has already registered with La Liga and has completed the same registration for the Champions League.
According to Sport, Barcelona has officially finalized Wojciech Szczesny’s addition to their 25-man squad for the league phase. He will immediately replace Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, making him eligible to compete in the upcoming match against Bayern Munich in two weeks.
As the situation unfolds, observing how Hansi Flick approaches the goalkeeper dilemma at Barcelona will be fascinating. Flick has shown confidence in Inaki Pena as the first-choice keeper. Still, Szczesny is likely to be highly motivated to seize any early opportunity to demonstrate that he deserves the starting role. The competition between the two goalkeepers could add an exciting dynamic to Barcelona’s performances in the league and Champions League matches ahead.
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