Everton could struggle to complete a deal for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Wendel this summer as the £18 million Toffees target does not have the work permit required for Premier League football, according to AreaNapoli.
Negotiations are usually complicated whenever Sporting are involved. Just ask Manchester United – Ed Woodward must still be suffering flashbacks with those drawn-out deals for Bruno Fernandes and Marcos Rojo fresh in the mind.
But it seems that, this time, the problem is not on Sporting’s end.
Everton coach Carlo Ancelotti has held talks with Wendel about a potential move to Goodison Park, with the 22-year-old offered a contract that would see him ply his trade on Merseyside until 2025 (ENM).
Though there is a rather substantial stumbling block which needs to be overcome before Wendel can put pen to paper.
As the former Fluminense youngster does not have a single senior cap for the Brazilian national team, it will not be easy overcoming all that red tape.
AreaNapoli suggests that more stringent legislation in the UK makes a move to Italy, specifically Napoli, more likely for an £18 million-rated midfielder.
An all-round swiss army knife of a player with a 92 per cent pass completion rate, Wendel could have been the final piece in Ancelotti’s midfield jigsaw. But, in a post-Brexit era, bringing non-EU footballers to Britain will become an even more protracted process.
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