Source: TheGuardian
Everton paid over the odds for Richarlison, admits Marcel Brands
• Director of football Brands: ‘Maybe the market value was lower’• Brands rejects claims club overspent on agents for Yerry MinaMarcel Brands, Everton’s director of football, has rejected Manchester United claims that excessive agents’ fees were paid to sign Yerry Mina from Barcelona but admitted paying a premium to prise Richarlison from Watford.Everton saw off interest from United and Lyon to sign Mina, the Colombia international defender, on deadline day for £30.25m plus £1.5m add-ons. United officials, while defending their reluctance to sign some of José Mourinho’s targets this summer, claimed they would have pursued him but for agents’ demands which, if paid, would have distorted the market. Brands, however, insisted Everton paid only what they offered at the start of negotiations and the deal took six weeks to complete because Barcelona held out for a better offer from United that never came. Related: Richarlison has all attributes to repay Marco Silva’s faith again at Everton Continue reading......read full article
