As speculation abounds over the future of Hungarian wonderkid Dominik Szoboszlai, one key factor may hamper any chances of Everton – or any other of the major suitors linked with his signature – in completing a deal.
Reports over the weekend emerged linking the Red Bull Salzburg starlet to sister club RB Leipzig. It is this relationship between the two clubs which may essentially knock any major competitors for Szoboszlai out of the race for his services.
The clubs are both owned by the Red Bull group, with the Austrian company having funded the Leipzig outfit when they were in the German fifth tier and known as SSV Markranstadt.
Keeping the business of Szoboszlai’s transfer ‘in-house’ can have major financial advantages for Leipzig, within reason. Some reports have indicated a deal of just £18m and future bonus instalments would be enough to bring the Hungarian to the Bundesliga.
Sport Bild have recently suggested that RB Leipzig could be the most likely destination for the player, although the possibility of Szoboszlai snubbing Leipzig for a move to a traditional European giant shouldn’t be ruled out.
It is not difficult to understand why reports by 90min.com have indicated that a long list of interested clubs is developing.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a steady rise to the top of European football, having scored 12 goals and set up another 18 for Salzburg in all competitions last season before contributing to 14 goals already so far this term, scoring twice in the Champions League group stage.
Valued by Transfermarkt in the region of £22.5m, the young playmaker is believed to have a release clause of a similar value. However, some suitors reportedly believe that his true market is close to double that of his valuation, which would put his likely value in the absence of a release clause at closer to £40m. Consequentially, Szoboszlai is viewed as a potential bargain buy for Europe’s elites.
Amid fierce competition with big-money suitors who could offer Champions League football – with the likes of Real Madrid, PSG, Barcelona and Bayern Munich all linked – Everton may well struggle to compete on the sporting, financial and structural fronts.
