‘Thank you’: £9m man says goodbye with Everton move imminent

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Ruben Vinagre has bid farewell to the Sporting Lisbon supporters on Instagram as he closes in on a return to the Premier League with Everton. 

Frank Lampard’s second signing of the summer owes much to Kevin Thelwell.

Everton’s new director of football was key to the decision to bring an 18-year-old Vinagre to Wolves back in 2017. And, five years later, Vinagre and Thelwell will be reunited on the blue side of Stanley Park. 

After links with both Fulham and Nottingham Forest, Everton suddenly emerged as the frontrunners for the former Portugal U21 international on Monday. Vinagre will reportedly join The Toffees on loan, with an option to buy clause included in his contract.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the attack-minded left-back has already completed part of his medical, while saying a rather brief farewell to the Sporting Lisbon supporters on social media. 

“Thank you, best of luck for this season,” the now-23-year-old writes. 

Former Wolves man Ruben Vinagre returning to England with Everton

Vinagre’s short-lived spell at Sporting was never likely to result in a blubbering goodbye; Paragraph upon paragraph of tear-stained platitudes. He made just 12 appearances as Ruben Amorim’s side lost their Primeira Liga crown to FC Porto, after all. Vinagre played a grand total of 63 minutes in the Champions League too. 

A wideman blessed with blistering pace should find game time easier to come by at Everton however.

Vinagre will provide competition for Vitaliy Mykolenko in Lampard’s starting XI. After a slow start to life in England, Mykolenko has come on leaps and bounds of late, scoring one and assisting another during the recent 4-2 pre-season victory over Blackpool. 

Niels Nkounkou may also be farmed out on loan once again. The former Marseille starlet spent last term at Standard Liege in Belgium.

“Ruben Vinagre is a hugely exciting prospect,” Thelwell said of Vinagre during their time together at Molineux, via the Premier League’s official website.