Everton confirm transfer deal for “powerful” £26m striker ahead of Sheffield United clash

Everton have signed Beto from Udinese for a reported £26m fee ahead of their crunch clash with Sheffield United this weekend. The Portuguese striker, 25, has signed a four-year contract at Goodison Park and scored 21 Serie A goals in two seasons with Udinese.

Beto is the Premier League basement club’s fifth summer signing, following Ashley Young, Arnaut Danjuma, Youssef Chermiti and Jack Harrison through the entrance door. He will be elibigle to face United on Saturday as both sides look for their first point of the campaign so far.

Spot a Blades fan you know in our fan gallery from Man City defeat

Everton boss Sean Dyche said: “He has impressed in a top league like Serie A for the past two seasons and scored goals. As a powerful striker who can carry the ball, hold up play, is strong in the air and works hard for the team, he has a lot of attributes that we hope can see him prove to be a success with Everton.”

Dyche’s bid to sign a proven striker was brought into sharper focus when former Blades striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was forced out of Everton’s recent 4-0 defeat at Aston Villa after sustaining a facial injury on his return to action.

Archer, McBurnie, no Hamer - United predicted XI v Lincoln City

Beto told Everton TV: “When a club like Everton tries to buy you in January and then comes again in the summer, you feel like, ‘OK, they want me for real’, so that made the decision easy for me as well.

“My idol, Samuel Eto‘o, played here, too, which makes it even more special. I can bring courage, I can bring confidence and I think my biggest thing is effort. I will always bring enthusiasm to the team and to our games. I feel like my style is a really good fit with Everton.”

Calvert-Lewin (cheekbone), Dwight McNeil (ankle), Alex Iwobi (hamstring) and on-loan Leeds winger Harrison (hip) remain sidelined ahead of Wednesday’s League Cup clash with Doncaster Rovers, a game in which teenage forward Chermiti could make his first start for the club.