Our view: Everton must be tempted to offer swap deal after hearing new £17.5m rumour

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Roma are reportedly keen on Everton winger Bernard.

Everton face a number of transfer decisions this summer, with their task made a little harder by the ongoing health crisis, with the opening of the transfer window now up in the air.

The Toffees need to decide whether to bring in loanee Djibril Sidibe permanently, whilst Jonjoe Kenny’s future is unclear and there are a number of fringe players who could go.

Now, a new rumour has emerged. Calciomercato report that Roma are interested in signing Everton winger Bernard, with boss Paulo Fonseca keen to reunite with the Brazilian having worked together at Shakhtar Donetsk.

It’s claimed that Bernard himself is interested in a move, and Roma could offer up around £17.5million to try and sign him this summer.

In an ideal world, Everton may want to keep Bernard, but Roma’s interest may just tempt the Toffees into attempting a swap deal with the Italian side.

Calciomercato recently suggested that Everton are interested in Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini, with Carlo Ancelotti seemingly wanting to bring his fellow Italian to Merseyside to bolster his midfield.

Pellegrini has a £26.5million release clause in his deal as things stand, and whilst Everton could maybe go and pay that immediately, offering up Bernard may just be a way to bring the cash down.

Even if conducted as two separate deals – Pellegrini to Everton for £26.5million, Bernard to Roma for £17.5million – Everton would only be giving up £9million, and such a move does make sense.

Everton need a quality midfield player, and Pellegrini is big, strong, athletic, technically strong and versatile to play in any midfield role, making him ideal for Ancelotti’s 4-4-2 setup at Everton.

Losing Bernard isn’t ideal, but Everton do have other players who can play on the left flank, such as Alex Iwobi, Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson, whilst they have also been linked with other wingers ahead of the summer.

Bernard turns 28 this year whilst Pellegrini will be turning 24 this summer, so bringing in a player of real potential in a position of need makes sense for Everton – even if it means offloading Bernard as part of a move.