With the Friedkin family poised to finalise their takeover at Everton, the January transfer rumour mill is already in full swing.
The latest speculation comes from AS Roma Live, which suggests a potential swap deal between the Toffees and Roma involving striker Beto and midfielder Bryan Cristante.
The report claims that Cristante’s departure from Roma, once considered improbable, is now gaining traction.
The budding relationship between the two clubs under shared ownership could facilitate a deal.
According to the website, discussions are underway for an exchange that would see Beto head to Italy, with Everton receiving Cristante and a small cash sum in return.
Roma are reportedly long-time admirers of Beto, viewing him as an ideal backup to their current frontman, Artem Dovbyk.
Meanwhile, Everton are believed to be in the market for a defensive midfielder like Cristante. With both players valued in the €15-20m range, the deal is theoretically balanced, requiring only a “slight adjustment” to meet Everton’s financial preferences.
However, this rumour appears to be running ahead of itself. Firstly, why would Beto, struggling for minutes at Everton, opt for a move to Roma only to warm the bench behind Dovbyk? It hardly seems like a step forward for the striker.
Moreover, if the Friedkins are indeed looking to facilitate transfers between their clubs, it seems unlikely they’d take a financial hit on Beto so soon after signing him, even if his first year at Everton hasn’t been particularly fruitful.
Then there’s the question of Everton’s actual needs. The Toffees’ midfield is currently well-stocked, making the addition of Cristante a puzzling priority when other areas of the squad arguably require more urgent reinforcement.
In truth, this proposed swap feels like a classic case of connecting dots where there are none.
The impending Friedkin takeover makes it easy to draw parallels between the two clubs, but the logic behind this specific deal is thin.
For now, it seems little more than speculation spun from convenient circumstances rather than genuine interest or necessity.