Sunday, December 22, 2024

Ben Godfrey to join Champions League side as Everton agree to sell defender

Must read

Everton have agreed to sell Ben Godfrey to Italian club Atalanta, talkSPORT understands.

Godfrey, who has a year left on his Goodison Park contract, is set to join the Europa League winners for a fee of around £10million.

Godfrey is on the verge of leaving EvertonCredit: Getty

The Merseyside outfit are under pressure to sell players before June 30 to deal with Profit and Sustainability concerns. 

And Everton know they will have to take a financial loss on Godfrey having signed him in a deal rising to £25m from Norwich in 2020.

talkSPORT reported earlier this month how the 26-year-old was attracting interest from Italian clubs.

Along with Atalanta, we told you how AC Milan were keen on a move to bring the two-cap England international to the San Siro.

But their Serie A rivals Atalanta have won the race against the Rossoneri, with manager Gian Piero Gasperini known to be a huge admirer.

Atalanta had Godfrey on their radar during the January transfer window, but a deal couldn’t be reached.

It is believed that the ex-Canaries man would be willing to link up with Atalanta, who will be playing Champions League football next term.

Godfrey is set to follow in the footsteps of a number of former Premier League players who are thriving at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia.

The two-cap England international is set to be playing Champions League football next term

Ademola Lookman – Atalanta’s hero in their Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen – featured for Everton, Fulham and Leicester.

Meanwhile ex-Arsenal left-back Sead Kolasinac, former Chelsea duo Davide Zappacosta and Mario Pasalic, ex-West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca and former Middlesbrough man Marten de Roon are also on Atalanta’s books.

Simon Jordan is left stunned by Arsenal’s £50 million price tag for Eddie Nketiah and claims he would be ‘lucky’ to be worth £30 million

Since joining Everton four years ago, Godfrey has made 93 appearances in all competitions.

His impressive form in his debut campaign saw him named as the club’s Young Player of the Season.

And it also earned him a place in Gareth Southgate‘s provisional Euro 2020 squad.

He featured in the warm-up friendlies against Austria and Romania, but subsequently was omitted from Southgate’s final team.

Latest article