The Flamengo sporting director has sent a transfer warning to Everton as a decision nears over Carlos Alcaraz
With the end of the season approaching, it is no great surprise to see the transfer games begin. At Flamengo, they are seemingly doing what they can to make Everton think twice about messing about when it comes to Carlos Alcaraz.
The attacking midfielder joined the Blues on loan in January on the final day of the transfer window and has made an encouraging start to life on Merseyside.
Alcaraz has impressed in a number of different roles – both as a starter, a substitute and in various positions – making him an instant fan favourite. As a result, there are plenty who will be hoping to see the 22-year-old sign for the club on a permanent basis in the summer.
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Everton have the option to make the transfer permanent should Alcaraz play a high threshold of games during his loan spell, although the exact number has not been confirmed. The fee would reportedly be in the region of £15million.
There have been some murmurings in recent weeks that the Blues would potentially avoid triggering that sum in an attempt to negotiate a lower price at the end of the season.
Speaking to Torcida Flamengo (h/t Sport Witness), Flamengo technical director Jose Bota has warned the Blues that could be a dangerous move, as there are other clubs from England’s top flight who are admirers.
“I can’t predict the future, but I’m convinced he’ll stay in England,” he said. “Either at Everton or at another club, because we’ve had enquiries from other clubs since he arrived in England. He’s an excellent player for that type of game.
“I think it’s unlikely he’ll return to Flamengo, because he’ll certainly have a market in the Premier League. Then people say: ‘He’s good enough in the Premier League but not for Flamengo’. Things are not like that.
“Especially because, for me, Flamengo is much better than 70% of the teams in the Premier League. But the style of play that Flamengo has, has little to do with most of the teams in the Premier League.”
For Alcaraz, a period of stability would be helpful at this stage of his career. Despite his tender years, he has moved around frequently from club to club, with his stint at Flamengo preceded by spells at Juventus and Southampton.
The Argentina youth international moved to the south coast from Racing Club in 2023. He has already seven appearances for the Blues in all competitions, starting three games in the Premier League.