Former Everton coach Gary Brabin admits he was ‘pushing’ the Toffees to sign David Raya before the Spain international became a Premier League stalwart at Brentford, speaking to Sky Sports.
Everton fans, look away now.
In conversation with talkSPORT a few weeks ago, super-agent Kia Joorabchian rattled off a list of players who, if things had worked out differently, may now be earning a living at Goodison Park. And, presumably, achieving a damn sight more than the current rabble available to Sean Dyche.
“We offered (Everton) Bruno Guimares for £16 million. They didn’t like him,” recalls Joorabchian. “Diego Carlos, we offered him at £11 million before he went to Sevilla. Eder Militao (is another).”
Guimaraes, these days, is one of the most complete midfielders in European football at Newcastle United. Carlos won a Europa League before joining Aston Villa. Militao, meanwhile, helped Real Madrid add yet another Champions League title to their collection just last term.
Everton could have had David Raya too; the now £20 million-rated Spaniard known to Brabin from their time together at non-league Southport (The Telegraph).
Everton could have signed Brentford goalkeeper David Raya
“At the time, publicly I was telling people that he was a Premier League goalkeeper,” Brabin admits. “And that he would play for Spain. People were looking at me as if I was carried away. But I genuinely believed in him.
“I got a job at Everton working in the academy (in 2015). I was pushing them to sign him. We actually enquired about him on the strength of my recommendation but it didn’t go any further.
“When he was still at Blackburn, I went to Luton. We were after a goalkeeper. And the first person I wanted to sign was David. But he was on the radar of other teams, and Brentford ended up signing him.”
Such has been Raya’s rise at Brentford, Bees boss Thomas Frank believes he should command bids of ‘at least’ £40 million in today’s market. With his contract expiring in 2024, however, Brentford may be forced to accept half that amount with Tottenham Hotspur in hot pursuit of a new number one.
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