Everton Face Forest Fight For Brazilian Defender: Is £12.5m Worth It?

Everton Face Forest Fight For Brazilian Defender: Is £12.5m Worth It? Everton and Nottingham Forest are both monitoring Grêmio centre-back Gustavo Martins ahead of January, according to Sport Witness , which cites German outlet Fussball.eu. The 24-year-old Brazilian wants to play in Europe, but Grêmio aren’t selling cheaply. They reportedly want £10-12.5m, almost double the £5.8m Shakhtar Donetsk were ready to pay before a minor thigh injury derailed that deal in the previous window. Grêmio also want a new three-year contract, because his current one expires in December 2027, and a renewal would strengthen their hand against English suitors. What Martins would bring Martins is 6ft 3in, is right-footed and has started 13 of his 15 appearances this year, covering 1,208 minutes. He has won 67.3% of his aerial duels, made 65 clearances and completed 90.9% of his passes, although his average FotMob rating is a modest 6.91. FotMob also lists right-back as a second position. The drawbacks are just as visible, with no goals, earlier knee and thigh injuries, and a listed weight of only 68-70kg that Premier League strikers will test. Everton sit fifth after a third straight win, 3-1 against Coventry on 6 November, yet the defence looked shaky. Jarrad Branthwaite was poor for Coventry’s goal and picked up a yellow card, while 33-year-old James Tarkowski was involved in a first-half penalty appeal. It was a contrast with the start of the season, when David Moyes’s side kept five clean sheets in their first seven games. Should Everton pay £12.5m for Martins? RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – APRIL 14: Gustavo Martins of Gremio celebrates after scoring the first goal of his team during the match between Vasco da Gama and Gremio as part of Brasileirao 2024 at Sao Januario Stadium on April 14, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images) Everton should keep the interest alive but refuse to pay Grêmio’s full price. Tarkowski is 33, and Moyes leans on him heavily, while Branthwaite’s injury record means the club needs a second centre-back it trusts week to week. Martins offers that profile, being tall, strong in the air, comfortable on the ball and proven over 1,208 minutes of regular football. The money is the problem. FotMob values him at roughly £1.7m, and Shakhtar’s £5.8m is the only real market benchmark, so £12.5m for a defender who has never played outside Brazil asks Everton to pay for potential. A January arrival would also need to handle Premier League physicality mid-season, which is a bigger test for a slim 24-year-old than the numbers suggest. The sensible approach is an offer close to Shakhtar’s figure. If Grêmio extend him to 2030, Everton should walk away. If they don’t, he enters next summer with six months left on his deal, and the buyer holds the leverage.