According to reports by UOL Deportes in Brazil (as relayed by Sport Witness), Ajax have rejected a £12.5m bid for reported Everton transfer target David Neres as they seek a valuation of £16.7m.
Despite this, it is ‘expected’ that the 24-year-old will be sold during the January transfer window.
The Lowdown: Neres in poor form
The winger has seen his productivity decline in recent times. During the 2017/18 league campaign, the Brazilian produced an emphatic 14 goals and 14 assists in 32 appearances for the Amsterdam club.
However, this electric form seems to have dried up for Neres since then, who has scored three goals and set up another two in 15 Eredivisie games this season, although three of those goal contributions came in Ajax’s 9-0 win over Cambuur.
This poor recent form has led to the 24-year-old being dropped from the starting line-up, and he was an unused substitute in two of the last three league games. Shockingly, Neres is ranked 18th in the Ajax squad for shots averaged per game (0.6), an extremely poor indictment for an attacking player.
The Latest: Everton interested in Neres
Previous reports have linked Everton with the Brazil international, with claims that the club are 'interested' in the player arising as former director of football Marcel Brands was a keen admirer of the Dutch league.
According to reports by UOL Deportes in Brazil (as relayed by Sport Witness), Ajax have rejected a €15m (£12.5m) bid from Shakhtar for Neres. The Dutch champions are said to value the attacker at a minimum of €20m (£16.7m), and it is ‘now expected’ that Neres will be sold this month, with the player being ‘kept on Ajax’s negotiable list’ for now.
Everton will need to move swiftly if they are to bring the winger to Goodison Park, as Shakhtar are set to go back in with another bid to try and get their man.
The Verdict: Transfer could be hit or miss
Neres has made an impression across Europe, with the prolific winger netting 47 goals in 180 appearances for Ajax. Indeed, Jose Mourinho previously awarded him the highest of compliments, saying: "As far as I am concerned, David Neres fully reflects what a Brazilian footballer stands for. For me he is the best of this new generation.”
With Everton keen on bringing in a new right winger to the club, the 24-year-old's relatively cheap price-tag could prove to be a gamble worth taking, if they are to get the player that Ajax originally signed.
However, if he produces the kind of form we've seen this season, it could be a move to earn unwanted comparison with that of Davy Klaassen, who flopped on Merseyside after moving from the Amsterdam giants for £23.6m in 2017. It's hard to predict which way a potential Everton move for Neres would go.
In other news: Goodison Park exit could beckon for Everton ace dubbed ‘one of the best in Europe’