Journalist Paul Brown has now dropped an Everton transfer claim involving Jesse Lingard.
The Lowdown: Wage demands
As per ESPN, the Toffees are among the clubs who are eager to sign the 29-year-old, along with the likes of West Ham United, and the player is searching for the right club for him to gain first-team exposure so that he can force himself in contention for a place in England’s World Cup squad later this year.
He is reportedly seeking a contract worth £150,000-per-week to move to Merseyside, which would make him Everton’s highest-paid player by far.
The Latest: ‘Dangerous’
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Brown has now claimed that it would be ‘dangerous’ to sign the 29-year-old Lingard on a ‘massive’ salary,and does not expect the Toffees to outbidding West Ham on the wage front.
The reporter said: “Everton released quite a lot of money from the wage bill by getting rid of players already this summer and I know they hope to move more on as well.
“But I don’t think that means that they’d necessarily be outbidding West Ham on the wage front. I think it would be dangerous to add a player of Lingard’s age on a massive salary.
“I think they’re probably playing in the same kind of ballpark and Lingard knows that. He just needs to decide which club he’d rather sign for.”
The Verdict: Compromise needed
There is no doubt that Lingard would be a good signing for Everton on a free transfer, as he is currently rated at £16.2m by Transfermarkt.
Hailed as a ‘special’ player by David de Gea before leaving Manchester United, he has plenty of Premier League experience and would offer Lampard another handy option in the middle of the park.
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However, he is 29 years of age now, so his best years are likely behind him. Therefore, the Toffees should not be looking to break their wage structure just to get a deal over the line for Lingard.