{"id":596584,"date":"2021-07-19T08:48:37","date_gmt":"2021-07-19T12:48:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=596584"},"modified":"2021-07-19T08:48:37","modified_gmt":"2021-07-19T12:48:37","slug":"everton-demarai-gray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2021\/07\/19\/everton-demarai-gray\/","title":{"rendered":"Everton to Sign Demarai Gray"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everton<\/a> are closing in on the signing of former Leicester City<\/a> winger Demarai Gray from Bayer Leverkusen. According to Fabrizio Romano<\/a>, Crystal Palace<\/a> also made a bid for the 25-year-old, but are set to lose out to the Toffees. New manager Rafa Benitez is a known admirer of the player.<\/p>\n

Benitez is set to oversee a flurry of recruitment into the Goodison Park club in the coming days, with Andros Townsend also joining as a free agent, as well as Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.<\/p>\n

Everton Close to Demarai Gray Signing<\/h2>\n

Six Month Spell at Bayer Leverkusen<\/h3>\n

Everton’s deal for Demarai Gray marks a quick return to the Premier League for a player who was on the books at Leicester City until January 2021.<\/p>\n

Gray’s former manager Brendan Rodgers was full of praise<\/a> for the winger’s attitude and work ethic in training, but allowed the 25-year-old to leave the King Power Stadium in search of regular first-team football.<\/p>\n

Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen made that offer to Gray, who made ten appearances in the second half of the season, scoring once and providing two assists.<\/p>\n

It is thought that Gray will sign a three-year contract with Everton, which will contain a buyout clause of just under \u00a32 million.<\/p>\n

Andros Townsend and Asmir Begovic Also Joining Everton<\/h3>\n

Joining Demarai Gray at Goodison Park in due course will be experienced duo Andros Townsend and Asmir Begovic. The former will arrive at the club as a free agent after the expiry of his Crystal Palace contract at the end of last season, while the latter will join from Championship side Bournemouth, also on a free transfer.<\/p>\n

Former Tottenham Hotspur winger Townsend has spent the last five seasons at Selhurst Park, but was not offered a new contract ahead of next season.<\/p>\n

Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, meanwhile, is set to return to the Premier League after recent loan spells at Qarabag FK in Azerbaijan, and AC Milan in Italy’s Serie A.<\/p>\n

Main Photo
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>