Everton plot to hijack Newcastle United deal for Joao Pedro

Everton are plotting a move to hijack Newcastle United’s deal for Joao Pedro, according to the Daily Mail correspondent Craig Hope.

Pedro is the second Watford player keen to return to the Premier League after Emmanuel Dennis, who joined newly-promoted Nottingham Forest.

The Magpies had agreed a deal worth £25 million plus £5m in add-ons for the Brazilian who has already agreed on personal terms with the Tyneside club. The deal also includes a ten percent sell-on clause.

However, Everton are preparing to throw a wrench into the deal by matching Newcastle’s bid and hoping they can convince the former Fluminense man to move to Merseyside instead.

The Toffees are bracing themselves to lose starlet Anthony Gordon with Chelsea on the horizon.

Everton have already rejected a £40 million offer from Chelsea for Gordon, having insisted the player is not for sale, but the Blues are undeterred in their pursuit. 

Thomas Tuchel’s side are said to be willing to offer £50m plus £10m in add-ons which the Toffees will find hard to turn down as their initial valuation of the player was at £50m.

Gordon has informed the Everton hierarchy that he wants to join the West Londoners, but the Merseyside club are looking to sign a replacement for the young Englishman before sanctioning a deal. 

They have now set their sights on Watford striker Joao Pedro, who is on the cusp of joining Newcastle.

Watford could also lose Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr despite negotiations with Aston Villa collapsing.

Despite reaching a verbal agreement on the transfer fee, both clubs could not agree on the structure of the deal, and the Villans were also yet to agree on personal terms with the player. 

Sarr is also attracting interest from other Premier League clubs, with Newcastle, Crystal Palace, and Leeds United plotting a move for the fleet-footed forward before the transfer window closes.