Former Lille midfielder Xeka could still be offered a lifeline in the Premier League with Everton, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Sheffield United all mulling over the free-agent.
While Manchester United’s wing worries present an opening for eagle-eyed agents – unattached duo Oussama Idrissi and Anwar El-Ghazi allegedly offered to Erik ten Hag this week – a player of Xeka’s talent and experience is surely unlikely to remain out of work for much longer.
According to TEAMtalk, there are admirers among clubs in England’s top two divisions, as well as sides in Italy, Spain and Turkey. Everton, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Sheffield United are reportedly among those showing a ‘strong interest’, along with Southampton and West Brom from the Championship.
Four Premier League clubs eyeing Xeka deal
Xeka remains a free-agent after an injury-hit spell at Rennes came to an end.
Providing he can get back to full fitness – an ankle problem ruling him out of the last five months of 2022/23 – the Portuguese playmaker will almost certainly represent a punt worth taking. Especially for any club on the lookout for added control and guile in the centre of the park.
It is only two years, after all, since Xeka helped drag Lille to the Ligue 1 title at PSG’s expense. The former Braga enforcer played 33 top-flight games in that stellar 2020/21 season. Xeka also scored the winning goal and claimed the Man of the Match award as Lille defeated Paris Saint-Germain in France’s answer to the Community Shield a few weeks later.
A competitive, combative player – sometimes too much so – Xeka is unlikely to be a regular starter at Everton, Crystal Palace, Wolves or perhaps even Sheffield United. Gustavo Hamer and Oliver Norwood were excellent in that 2-2 draw with Everton before the international break.
But Xeka would bring valuable squad depth and vast top-level know-how.
‘Experienced and complete’
“Xeka has always been present in the matches, including a fortnight ago in the Trophee des Champions. Important player,” then-Lille coach Jocelyn Gourvenne said back in 2021.
“He is experienced and a complete player. Obviously, he is an asset.”
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