Earlier this summer, it was said that Everton and Nottingham Forest wanted to bring Marcus Tavernier to the Premier League.
In fact, some sources even claimed that the Championship play-off final winners saw a bid worth £10m rejected.
The 23-year-old has shone in the Championship for Middlesbrough on a regular basis, with his efforts in England’s second tier drawing comparisons to Chelsea maestro Mason Mount.
Now, however, Fabrizio Romano has some bad news for Frank Lampard and Steve Cooper.
What’s the story?
Well, the reliable Italian journalist believes Bournemouth have completed the signing of Tavernier.
Romano claims that a deal worth £12m has been finalised, and an official announcement will be made by the Cherries “early next week”.
As a result, Everton and Nottingham Forest will need to look elsewhere.
Tavernier’s well deserved move to the Premier League comes after he made 48 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring five goals while also providing five assists.
After their Saudi Arabian takeover, Newcastle also shortlisted the Leeds-born midfielder as a transfer target, which speaks volumes about how he is viewed in English football.
Everton & Nottingham Forest miss out on a gem
In our view, Lampard and Cooper will kick themselves for missing out on Tavernier.
The England Under-20 international is a hugely reliable figure, who played the full 90 minutes in all but two of his 48 appearances last season, while completing 120 minutes on two occasions in the FA Cup.
Tavernier is an extremely fit midfielder who rarely suffers injuries, so he is expected to play a huge role in the engine room for Scott Parker in the 2022/23 campaign.
Of course, Everton and Nottingham Forest have time to find an alternative, but as the season goes on, we’re confident they will regret missing out on his signature to Bournemouth.
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