'Negotiation' - Serie A manager gives transfer update after Everton striker spotted at airport

Torino boss Paolo Vanoli has played down that he is interested in signing Beto from Everton.

The striker has been heavily linked with a departure from Goodison Park in the January transfer window. Beto joined the Toffees fro Udinese in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £26 million but has struggled to make a real impact. In total, he has played 51 times for Sean Dyche’s side in all competitions, scoring seven goals.

This season, he’s started only one Premier League game. With Armando Broja returning to fitness after joining on loan from Chelsea, Beto has dropped down the pecking order with Dominic Calvert-Lewin also ahead.

In last Saturday’s 1-0 loss against AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, the Guinea-Bissau international came off the bench for the final 10 minutes. The following day, Beto was pictured at Manchester Airport with an Everton fan, which has sparked speculation on social media that he could soon leave Everton.

Torino have been one of the clubs linked with the 26-year-old. TuttoMercatoWeb suggests that the Italian outfit are ‘pushing hard’ to sign Beto. But Vanoli, speaking after Torino’s goalless draw against Parma, was tight-lipped on the situation. He said: "Negotiation? If you say so, we're fine. Quick times? I'm not expecting anything. My job is to find solutions, the club knows this well and I have to think about a match that won't be easy.”

Beto has also been linked with AS Roma - owned by The Friedkin Group, who recently purchased Everton. The Giallorossi are reportedly keen to sign a back-up for Artem Dovbyk in the January transfer window. Fellow Italian outfit Atalanta have also been credited with an interest.

Speaking after Beto rescued Everton a point to earn a 1-1 draw against Fulham in October, Dyche said: “He has been working hard in training. The staff have been working hard with him, they deserve credit as well, doing extra bits, showing clips and various things, including myself. His development curve has been a delayed one. He didn’t come into the game professionally not so long ago in relative terms, coming into the Premier League.

“I’ve said all along he’s different, he’s difficult, especially as a striker. He continues to work hard and has got his reward tonight. I keep saying to him you don’t have to be pure when you’re a striker like you but you have to be a handful and awkward to grow. It’s a real weapon and he can find different ways to affect the opposition.

“It’s a moment in time but it reinforces the work he’s been doing and will add to his belief. [He needs] to continue learning and get to the point where we’ve got a bank of history for him when he understands the Premier League. We’ve spoken to him a lot about the defensive side, he’s still getting to grips with that as is Dom.

“Working from the front, defending from the front is forever important for the modern centre-forward. It’s not just stand up there and score, centre-forwards have to defend cutely - not tackles but getting in passing lanes to cut off the pass usually to a deep-lying midfield player. He’s got to continue to learn that side as well as scoring goals.”