The Premier League could welcome Martin Braithwaite this summer with Everton and West Ham United linked with Barcelona’s La Liga forward.
Everton and West Ham United target Martin Braithwaite will be leaving Barcelona this summer with Sport claiming that the La Liga champions have already agreed with his agent that the striker’s future lies away from the Camp Nou.
While questions were understandably raised about the manner in which Barca got their man, raiding league rivals Leganes outside of the transfer window after given special permission by the La Liga authorities, you could hardly blame Braithwaite for jumping at a once in a lifetime opportunity.
But, like Kevin-Prince Boateng 12 months earlier, the experienced Dane must have known that he was viewed as a short-term stop gap and little else.
It is no secret that Barcelona are desperate to land a new centre-forward in the summer amid relentless links with Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, meaning Braithwaite’s time in Catalonia could be cut short after a few short months.
According to Sport, the European giants already have an agreement with his agent, Ali Dursun, with Braithwaite’s Camp Nou dream set to end sooner rather than later.
A return to England appears to be on the cards with Sport adding that West Ham and Everton are interested in a former Middlesbrough forward who is valued in the region of £16 million.
The 28-year-old is hardly the most prolific forward in the game, hitting double figures just twice in a single league campaign, but he is a skilful, hard-working and versatile attacker who shone in the relatively small pond that is Leganes.
If not the go-to goalscorer, Braithwaite could prove to be a useful link-man and a valuable squad member at West Ham or Everton.
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