Ben Doak to Everton: O’Rourke updates on shock ‘£30m’ deal
Liverpool will demand a £30million fee from Everton if they’re to sell Ben Doak to their arch-rivals this summer, sources have told Football Insider.
Everton are one of several clubs keen on signing the 19-year-old this summer after Crystal Palace saw a £15m bid rejected in January, with Liverpool looking to earn double that for the Scotland international.
Football Insider revealed on Wednesday (2 April) that Everton are confident of landing Doak for £30m, but given the rivalry between the two Merseyside clubs, question marks remain over any potential deal.
David Moyes is an admirer of Doak and has sent scouts to watch the wideman during his loan spell at Middlesbrough this season, but it remains to be seen if Palace will also re-enter the race to sign him.
Sources have told Football Insider that Bournemouth are also keen on the teenage winger heading into the summer window, meaning there’s still lots to do before any move across Stanley Park does happen.
Ben Doak deal a difficult one for Everton
Not only Everton will face competition from Palace and Bournemouth for Doak this summer, they’ll also face difficulty pitching a big-money move for any player swapping red for blue on Merseyside.
Gary Ablett was the last player to move from Liverpool to Everton in 1992, a year after Peter Beardsley did likewise, while Nick Barmby and Abel Xavier went the other way in 2000 and 2002 respectively.
Doak’s long-term future looks set to lie away from Anfield amid the sheer level of interest in him, and if he decides to move on this summer, Everton paying £30m for him may prove to be a difficult sell.
Everton plan transformational summer transfer window
It’s not only Everton who are keen to see a player cross the Stanley Park divide this summer, with Liverpool expected to be one of the clubs who enter the race for Jarrad Branthwaite‘s signature.
The Friedkin Group have been rebuilding Everton from the inside out since their takeover and ahead of moving into their new home on Bramley-Moore Dock, but keeping Branthwaite will be their top priority.
With Doak high on the potential arrivals list and Everton set to become one of the Premier League’s most desirable destinations though, Moyes will be increasingly confident that Branthwaite stays put to play a key role in ushering in the new era on Merseyside.