Reports from Italy say a high-profile swap deal between Everton and AS Roma is now dead. A bad injury seems to have killed the move. Calciomercato first reported in December that Roma were very interested in Everton striker Beto.
AS Roma and Everton Swap Deal Collapses After Striker Injury
They saw him as the right man to add some more firepower up front. The plan was to send Artem Dovbyk the other way to Goodison Park. It was an idea that started to look likely because the Friedkin Group owns both clubs.
Things changed quickly this week after a fresh update from Il Messaggero. Roma had been offering Dovbyk to a few clubs lately, including West Ham, but the Europa League changed everything.
During Roma’s game against Panathinaikos, the Ukrainian picked up a bad injury. This forced the Italians to stop all talks. Now, Il Messaggero says the chances of Dovbyk moving this month are totally off the table. The injury takes a big player off the market. It also ruins Everton’s plan to use Beto to secure a new striker from Rome.
Missed Chance or Lucky Escape?
The collapse of this deal leaves David Moyes and the Everton board with a big decision. It’s frustrating because Everton always seem to struggle for goals. Dovbyk has a big reputation in Italy and looks like he’d handle the Premier League well.
Swapping him for Beto, who is hardworking but doesn’t score enough, looked like a smart way to save money while fixing the attack. The Friedkin connection made it look easy. However, this just shows how quickly transfer plans can fall apart.
Still, you could argue the Toffees are better off. Signing a player who is already on the treatment table wouldn’t help Everton right now. Plus, Beto is a popular figure in the dressing room. His chaotic, high-energy style still gives Premier League defenders a hard time.
Transfer windows are always messy, and so keeping a fit striker might be safer than gambling on an injured one. The Friedkin Group will probably try to move players between their clubs again later. For now, Everton must look for other targets or trust the strikers they already have.
