Man United in transfer race to sign £17m Boca Juniors wonderkid before sending him on loan Amid strong Everton Links

Man United in transfer race to sign £17m Boca Juniors wonderkid before sending him on loan Amid strong Everton Links

Everton are competing with Manchester United, AC Milan and Benfica to sign 18-year-old Boca Juniors wonder Aaron Anselmino, according to Tuttosport.

The Italian news outlet reported on 26 March that Anselmino has a release clause set at £17.1million and that AC Milan will have to hurry to sign him or risk missing out.

He is a right-footed centre-back who, aged just 18, has already been described as a “star” at Boca Juniors and has been tipped for a call-up to the Argentina national team.

Given the level of interest in his signature from some of Europe’s top clubs, with Manchester United and AC Milan seemingly chief among them, it would surely be a tough task for Everton to convince him to make the switch to Goodison Park.

However, with Jarrad Branthwaite widely expected to leave the club this summer amid interest from Manchester United and Real Madrid, Anselmino could be seen as his successor, or perhaps the long-term replacement for James Tarkowski.

A guarantee of game time could swing the move in the Toffees’ favour, with that experience hard to come by at one of the bigger clubs, as well as the possibility that he will be able to move to a bigger opportunity in the future.

Everton’s director of football Kevin Thelwell spoke in December about a new direction for transfers at the club, as they will look to bring younger players in with potential and later sell them to make a profit – this could be the start.