Las Palmas centre-back Mauricio Lemos is being courted by Everton as a potential replacement to John Stones, according to Sport.
The 20-year-old Uruguayan international has just made his loan move to UD Las Palmas permanent after the club chose to activate an option to purchase once his loan deal reached an end. Las Palmas are reportedly looking to capitalise on the youngster’s rising stock after only recently paying a mere £600,000 to Rubin Kazan to secure his services.
It is thought that Everton are willing to pay up to £7.8m for Lemos, who have already rebuffed a £5.5m bid from Catalan giants Barcelona. Las Palmas club president Miguel Angel Ramirez has deemed Barcelona’s offer as ‘insufficient’ while demanding a £23.5m buy-out clause for the rising starlet to be met.
The young Uruguayan’s impressive performances in the second half of the La Liga season was enough to keep Las Palmas in the first division and may tempt Everton to make a move if John Stones is to seek new pastures.
