Demarai Gray’s exit from Everton has “suddenly” been put “in jeopardy” despite the winger being set to travel to Saudi Arabia, according to Sky Sports.
The broadcaster reported in an update on their website on Sunday (27 August) that the Jamaica international’s move to Al Shabab is now “hanging in the balance” due to “changes at boardroom level” the same day at the Saudi Pro League club.
A deal had been agreed in principle for his departure from Goodison Park, with a visa already sorted, but now a rival club from the Middle Eastern nation has come into the reckoning.
Fabrizio Romano had reported earlier on Sunday that the developments at Al Shabab had “slowed down” the deal when an agreement was “almost done” between the club and Gray.
But the Sky Sports update suggests a deal was as good as complete but is now faced with a late collapse.
Gray’s move has been on the cards for weeks now and has appeared close to completion in multiple different directions already.
Everton could obviously do with the reported £12m cash for a player who has potentially been relegated to fifth choice on the wing with the arrival of Jack Harrison and Arnaut Danjuma on loan.
But at this rate they are going to have to end up keeping him, since every time he appears destined for a new club, whether it be Al Hilal, Fulham, or now Al Shabab, the pendulum swings another way.
Saudi clubs can buy players up until 20 September, giving them almost three extra weeks on Premier League sides [BBC Sport], which obviously keeps the door open on Gray heading there even after the fast-approaching European deadline.
It looks like Beto is the only man still on the cards to arrive at Goodison Park this summer, and could be the most important arrival in multiple windows.
His medical is underway after a £25million agreement was reached with Udinese, and it seems likely that the Toffees will be expecting some of the money from a Gray exit to go towards that major signing somewhere along the payment schedule.
For once it is complications at the other end that are now getting in the way of a transfer, and if it does fall through at this late stage it will be a frustration for all involved, although there would likely still be scope for a Saudi move in the next few weeks.
