Former Premier League striker Dean Windass believes that Rafa Benitez would have been shocked at the price Everton got Demarai Gray for.
The 25-year-old signed for Everton for £1.7m according to BBC Sport from Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen, putting pen to paper on a three-year deal at Goodison Park.
Was Demarai Gray the bargain of the summer?
Yes
No
During his time with Bayer Leverkusen, Gray made 12 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing two assists. And Windass thinks that Benitez would have been shocked at the price Everton were able to land him for.
“Incredible! I think that Rafa wouldn’t have believed that he’d have got him for that. When he was a young boy at Leicester, I thought ‘this lad can play’ and it just obviously didn’t work out for Gray under Ranieri. That was the situation, and then Brendan obviously came in. £1.7million for a talent like that, wow! What would you sell him for now?” Windass told TIF.
Since joining Everton, Gray has started every Premier League fixture and has three goals and two assists to his name. Despite his favoured position being left-wing, he has also shown his versatility, as he has featured as an attacking midfielder, second striker and also as a centre-forward.
The Toffees’ only transfer fee outlay in the summer was that for Gray, as their other acquisitions of Andros Townsend, Asmir Begovic, Andy Lonergan and Salomon Rondon all joined on free transfers . Manager Rafa Benitez has got his team to gel together quickly as Everton have taken 14 points from their opening nine Premier League matches.