Everton should remain patient to engineer free transfer for wideman Brahimi

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Everton are circling Porto with designs on a cut-price deal Algerian international forward Yacine Brahimi, according to the Daily Mirror.

They report that the pacy wideman’s contract with the Portuguese outfit expires in the summer and that Everton recently sent a scout to watch him with a view to a cheaper January deal.

The Toffees apparently watched on as Brahimi netted twice in his side’s 3-1 victory over Nacional, which is only likely to have impressed.

But Brahimi’s contract situation means he is free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs over a free transfer in the summer and that is what Everton should be looking at, instead of a cut-price January swoop.

Everton boss Marco Silva has recently said that he is relaxed about the prospect of bringing players in mid-season, as to do so is an implicit admission that things did not go to plan in the summer.

And although his side is currently going through a slump, paying more than they need to in order to get Brahimi a few months early is not the answer.

After a period of heavy investment, it would also do Everton no harm to be seen as a club capable of patient negotiation in order to get the best possible value.