Everton appear to have missed out on left-sided defensive target Omar Richards after Football Insider claimed that the home-grown talent has signed a pre-contract agreement with Bayern Munich.
The Bundesliga and Champions League holders have already made further moves ahead of the summer window, having recently fended off interest from the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea to sign highly-rated centre-back Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig.
Bayern have activated the Reading defender’s £42.5m release clause, and Everton target Richards could be the second piece of defensive business wrapped up before the summer window opens.
As a non-domestic club, Bayern were eligible to sign the 22-year-old for free on a pre-contract agreement in an advantage not held by other suitors including Everton, the rest of which appear to be fellow Premier League clubs.
According to Football Insider, a recruitment source close to the situation has claimed that a deal for the Toffees target is essentially complete with Bayern, bar any last-minute hitches to a deal such as the failure of a medical.
Playing in 83% of Reading’s starting line-ups in the Championship this season, Richards has been crucial in ensuring that the Royals remain in the hunt for promotion to the Premier League this year.
Read Everton Verdict
Offering a strong chance to compete for silverware and to play regularly in elite European football, few would deny that there are scarcely any more attractive suitors for Richards than Bayern Munich.
For that reason, the 22-year-old ignoring interest from Everton and other suitors is sadly a pragmatic no-brainer for the player.
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