As Joaquin Correa puts the finishing touches on his Inter Milan contract, the Everton fanbase appear to have been split into two distinct factions – those who aren’t particularly surprised and those who aren’t particularly bothered.
With just five days left in a window during which Everton have spent less than £2 million on new signings, it always felt unlikely that they were suddenly going to break the bank on a 27-year-old who, while hardly short of talent, arguably falls into the Theo Walcott, Yannick Bolasie and Bernard camp; unplayable on his day but those days come around far too infrequently to justify an eye-watering price-tag.
Given how Andros Townsend, a revitalised Alex Iwobi and the electrifying Demarai Gray have started life under Rafa Benitez, Everton may be better served spending whatever money they have on a new right-back, a new centre-forward or perhaps a man proven in the Premier League.
Burnley’s Dwight McNeil, for instance.
Will Everton sign anyone after missing out on Joaquin Correa?
According to Alfredo Pedulla, Everton had reached an agreement with Lazio over the purchase of Correa.
But the Argentina international wasn’t exactly enamoured about the prospect of sharing a dressing room with Fabian Delph and Mason Holgate at a club who finished tenth in the Premier League last season.
Especially when Inter Milan – the club he joined today for a cool £25 million – can offer Champions League football and, providing they overcome the losses of Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi, a genuine shot at silverware.
A move to the San Siro will also see Correa reunite with former Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi, the man who came closer than anyone else to coaxing some consistency out of a man who excites and exasperates in equal measure.
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