Ben Godfrey, a defender for Everton, is scheduled to arrive in Milan. on Friday to undergo an Atalanta medical and finalize personal terms, sources told Football Insider.
The 26-year-old is traveling to Italy to finalize his move to the Serie A side, who have agreed to a fee with the Merseysiders of £9 million including add-ons.
Everton accepted an improved offer from Atalanta as they won the competition for the center-back’s signature, and it is believed the defender is now putting the finishing touches on the deal, which will include a seven-figure signing-on package in addition to his wages.
Godfrey will join the Italian club for pre-season, before a campaign in which they have qualified for the Champions League following their fourth-place finish last season.
Ben Godfrey is leaving for Milan to complete his Everton transfer and for a medical.
Once it became evident Godfrey had no intention of staying at Goodison Park, rejecting various contract offers as reported by Football Insider [16 June], Everton made immediate moves to trade the player before the end of June.
This will enable the club to reclaim at least half of the reported £20m fee they paid for Godfrey to take him from Norwich City back in 2020, before English teams must submit their books for Financial Fair Play purposes on Sunday.
Godfrey’s age profile is ideal for a young Champions League team, but it also offers him a backup plan at a pivotal juncture in his career, as he is anticipated to ink a long-term contract in Italy.
In other news, Keith Wyness is “absolutely thrilled” by details of a £200 million move at Everton. Everton will know the capabilities they are losing given the level of interest from across Europe in the defender, and Sean Dyche will be disappointed to lose an experienced member of his squad.
However, Godfrey has played just 28 times in the Premier League over the last two seasons.
It is expected that his sale – and potentially that of Amadou Onana in the coming weeks – will contribute towards Everton’s hopes of keeping Jarrad Branthwaite on Merseyside.
