Everton have joined Premier League rivals Arsenal in the race to sign Sander Berge, with Sky Sports reporting that the Sheffield United midfielder is now available for £35 million.
Paul Heckingbottom may believe that Berge will still be plying his trade at Bramall Lane next season, but it is fair to say his confidence is not shared by everyone in the Steel City.
Recently-relegated Sheffield United are hopeful of keeping their squad together as they look to ‘do a Norwich’ and bounce back at the first time of asking.
But while the likes of George Baldock, John Fleck, Oli McBurnie and co are expected to stay, Berge is perhaps the one member of Heckingbottom’s squad with admirers up and down the land.
Liverpool, Aston Villa and West Ham United have all been linked in recent weeks, with Jurgen Klopp having labelled the 23-year-old a ‘very interesting player’ back in 2019.
And Sky have thrown Everton’s name into the frame, though Arsenal have an advantage over the Merseyside giants.
Albert Stuivenberg, the Gunners’ assistant coach, worked with Berge during his formative years at Belgian giants Genk after all.
The report adds that Berge’s release clause has dropped by £10 million following Sheffield United’s relegation, meaning the powerhouse Norwegian is now available for a knock-down fee of £35 million.
Interestingly, Berge is not the only skilful, box-to-box Premier League midfielder to be linked with a move to Goodison Park of late.
The Toffees are also keen on Brighton’s Yves Bissouma (Express), with all the signs suggesting that Everton want to fill a gap created by the injury to the influential Abdoulaye Doucoure.
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