“Fabrizio Romano DROPS BOMBSHELL: Everton’s £30M Bid for ‘SUPERHUMAN FREAK ATHLETE’ Beaten in SHOCK Transfer Twist!”

Everton are poised to miss out on the signing of Palmeiras midfielder Richard Rios this summer, according to reports, with Portuguese giants Benfica now leading the race.

Despite Everton’s urgent need for reinforcements ahead of the new Premier League season and submitting a formal bid, it appears they have been beaten to the Colombian star’s signature.

The Toffees have lost as many as seven senior players this window, with Neal Maupay’s £3.4 million switch to Marseille being their only significant outgoing fee.

With just three first-team additions so far, the squad is dangerously thin, and Rios was viewed as a potential key signing to bolster their midfield options.

Romano: Everton Set to Miss Out on Rios

According to Brazilian outlet Ge Globo, Palmeiras were demanding around €30 million (£26 million) to part with Rios.

Despite the hefty valuation, Everton pressed on with a formal offer for the dynamic midfielder.

However, Benfica emerged as the frontrunner and have now reached an agreement with Palmeiras.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed the deal, giving it his signature “Here We Go!” stamp, signaling that personal terms are also agreed and the transfer will be completed in three instalments.

AS Roma—also owned by Everton’s stakeholders, The Friedkin Group—had previously shown interest but withdrew, narrowing the competition for Rios.

This opened a door for Everton to make their move, though they were ultimately unable to close the deal.

Rios has a release clause of around £86 million, but the final agreed fee was significantly lower.

Analyst Ben Mattinson had previously labelled the 24-year-old a “freak athlete,” and his impressive displays at the Club World Cup in the U.S. earlier this year made him a standout candidate for Everton’s midfield rebuild.

Midfield Reinforcements Still Needed

Manager David Moyes has already brought in Charly Alcaraz on a permanent deal after his loan from last season and signed Thierno Barry to fill the void left by Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Goalkeeper Mark Travers also joins as backup to Jordan Pickford.

Despite these moves, Everton’s midfield remains understocked.

Orel Mangala has returned to his parent club after his loan expired, while Abdoulaye Doucoure has departed following the end of his contract.

That leaves Alcaraz, Idrissa Gueye, James Garner, and Tim Iroegbunam as the only established central midfield options.

Given the lack of depth, missing out on Rios is a setback for a club hoping to push for a top-half finish.

More additions will be required if Everton are to compete effectively in the upcoming campaign.