CSKA Moscow chief Yevgeny Giner has confirmed that his side are planning on sealing a transfer deal for Everton’s Nikola Vlasic after impressing while on loan this season.
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder was shipped out on a season-long loan deal to the Russian side and has made an immediate impression at the Champions League side, scoring five goals, two coming in Europe, in his 16 appearances.
Speaking about the possibility of taking him on permanently, Giner insisted it had not been spoken about when securing the loan deal but that he would definitely like to secure his signing now.
He told Russia 24, as quoted by SportboxRU: “We had a conversation with Everton that we were renting it for a year or two, and did not register the options for the purchase, and did not discuss it. Are we interested in it now? “I think it would be interesting for both us and Nikole himself.”
Opinion
Vlasic might not have made the grade at Everton but he is strutting his stuff over in Russia – so have the Toffees made a mistake letting him go out on loan? As impressive as his form has been he had struggled to make the grade in England and so it is understandable as to why they shipped him out, although they may be more reluctant to do a permanent deal after seeing just how well he has got on not only domestically but on the European stage. It is not an easy feat to net a goal every other game in the Champions League group stages and while he might have looked a little off the pace beforehand, perhaps he has finally come into his own. Everton will be watching his development very closely before deciding on whether to green light a permanent exit, but if they do at least they know they will have one suitor at the minimum.