Replacement reportedly chosen for Everton and Newcastle target Rodrigues

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Premier League duo Everton and Newcastle United have allegedly been tracking Galatasaray winger Garry Rodrigues for some time now.

Garry Rodrigues may be happy at Galatasaray for now, but the chances of the in-form winger remaining in Istanbul next season look slim with Premier League clubs circling.

According to Turkish publication Fotomac, Everton have been watching the Cape Verde international very closely of late with manager Sam Allardyce understood to be a big fan.

The Toffees, however, are almost certain to face competition from Newcastle United in the summer after Rafa Benitez’s side made unsuccessful bids in each of the last two transfer windows, Gunes claiming they offered £7 million in January.

And, in a boost to both Everton and Newcastle, it appears that Galatasaray are now becoming more and more accepting of the idea that Rodrigues will not be at the Turk Telekom Arena for much longer.

One step closer

Gunes is reporting that experienced manager Fatih Terim has identified Rodrigues’ replacement already in the Egyptian international Mahmoud Hassan, otherwise known as ‘Trezeguet’.

The 23-year-old has starred in Turkey on loan at Kasimpasa from Belgian giants Anderlecht, notching eight goals in 21 Super Lig games so far this season. And Trezeguet (far left), like Rodrigues, is a versatile winger capable of playing on either flank so his addition would make perfect sense.

The question, then, appears not to be whether Rodrigues will be leaving but who he will sign for.

After a brilliant display in last Friday’s 5-0 thrashing of Bursaspor, in which he scored one and set up two, Fotomac claimed that Gala raised the 27-year-old’s asking price to £18 million; a fee that would require owner Mike Ashley to smash Newcastle’s transfer record.

Everton, then, may have the financial muscle to blow the Magpies out the water.