Everton striker Beto has emerged as a target for Nottingham Forest.
The Daily Mail have suggested the Reds are weighing up a move for the Guinea-Bissau international, who has spent the last three years on Merseyside.
Earlier this year, Beto had spoken of his desire to stay at Everton, but was also realistic and stated he would move on without ill feeling if the club decided to move on from him.
Nottingham Forest are weighing up a move to sign Everton striker Beto 😮
How much would it take for you to sell him? 🤔
There has been some tentative speculation throughout the year about Beto’s future.
But we now have a link to a Premier League club, and there are genuinely a few reasons Everton need to be very careful here.
Everton would be taking a risk selling Beto to Nottingham Forest
Everton would likely cash in on Beto if a suitable offer came in. After all, he only has a year left on his contract.
But Toffees officials ought to think twice about selling to Forest in particular.
Ultimately, they’re a club hell-bent on getting into Europe and have an ambitious owner in Evangelos Marinakis.
They are therefore a direct rival to Everton, and there should always be caution over selling to a Premier League rival. Especially given Everton have yet to properly strengthen themselves.
Some will turn around and say that Beto perhaps isn’t good enough, and that this should be entertained.
While he has never been prolific, Beto has shown he can be at least good enough to play as a backup to someone else, and he is very capable of being the main man once he has come into form. If Everton are going to sell Beto, it should ideally be to a team that is overseas.
Selling him to Forest is also risky in terms of what he could become there, now that they’ve brought in Oliver Glasner.
Glasner is a top manager after what he achieved at Crystal Palace.
His work with Jean-Philippe Mateta was particularly impressive, with Glasner turning him into one of the most fearsome strikers in the Premier League.
Mateta was fairly average before the Austrian arrived at Selhurst Park, but went on to score 46 goals in 108 games under him. For some perspective, he scored a combined 16 in 92 under Roy Hodgson and Patrick Vieira.
Mateta and Beto are very comparable, and there is every chance that the Everton number nine would thrive working under Glasner, just like Mateta.
Perhaps they will come in with a large bid, which will make life difficult for Everton given Beto’s contract status. But if they can help it, the club should avoid sending him to the City Ground.
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