Everton have completed the signing of midfielder Carlos Alcaraz from Flamengo.
The Argentine, who had a previous stint in the Premier League with Southampton, initially joins on loan until the end of the season and becomes the club’s first signing under new owners The Friedkin Group.
The deal contains a mandatory purchase of an initial €15million provided Alcaraz, 22, makes an undisclosed number of league starts between now and the end of the campaign. A four-year contract is on the table should he do so. Everton will not pay a loan fee for his services but are expected to cover his wages in full. He will wear the No 24 shirt for the Premier League side.
Flamengo announced the move on their social media channels on Friday but the deal dragged on and Everton submitted a dealsheet to the Premier League on Monday night to extend the time allowed to complete the transfer beyond the set deadline of 11pm GMT. The move was eventually announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
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Capable of playing in central midfield or behind the striker, Alcaraz strengthens Everton manager David Moyes’ options in a key part of the pitch. Moyes recently saw another loanee, Orel Mangala, ruled until the end of the season after sustaining knee ligament damage in the recent 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Everton have explored other potential midfield additions this window, but now have James Garner and Tim Iroegbunam — both of whom made their own comebacks from injury in last weekend’s 4-0 victory over Leicester City — back to provide extra competition.
Alcaraz, crucially, has Premier League experience, having spent two seasons on the south coast with Southampton. Called up but never capped by Argentina, he netted eight goals in 48 games at St Mary’s before joining Italian side Juventus on loan last January. That deal also contained a £40m option to buy, which Juventus decided not to exercise.
“I am very happy to join Everton, such a great club, with a very good fanbase,” Alcaraz told Everton’s website. “I’m very happy and I’m looking forward to start training with my teammates and see the fans at the stadium.
“I am ready for any challenge with this beautiful club so that’s why I came and accepted the offer to keep fighting for my dreams. I want to tell the fans that whenever I wear this shirt, I will give my best, I will give everything I have to take Everton to the top, which is where they deserve to be.”
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Alcaraz joined Flamengo over the summer for a club-record fee of around €18m but has been allowed to leave just six months into his time in Brazil. He completed medical on Merseyside on Sunday.
Everton are now nine points clear of relegation with a game in hand over their rivals — next week’s Merseyside derby at Goodison.
(Pedro H. Tesch/Getty Images)
