everton Richard has become the latest Premier League team to be linked with Rios. The latest claims coming from Italy are that the race for the Benfica midfielder is increasing.
The Colombian has been one of the busiest names in the rumor market in recent weeks. Manchester United, Fulham and, most recently, Bournemouth have all been credited with interest. Napoli has consistently been described as the hardest-trying Italian club.
Now the queue has increased a little more.
Everton join the Premier League queue
According to Italian journalist salvatore ferranteEverton have joined Bournemouth and Fulham in showing interest in Rios.
Fulham's name has come up regularly Reports from Colombia, Portugal and Italy. During this time, Bournemouth emerged last week As a potential lover.
But Everton are a completely new addition to the picture, further strengthening the impression that the Premier League club are keeping a close eye on the Colombian.
Nevertheless, there is still little evidence that any English parties have progressed beyond the investigation stage.
napoli still moving forward
Ferrante's report also includes another new information. According to the Italian journalist, if Richard Rios leaves Benfica, his preferred destination would be Napoli because of the opportunity to play Champions League football.
Previous reports from Portugal suggested the midfielder was happy at Lisbon and did not want to be forced out. However, it was said that he particularly valued working under Jose Mourinho, so his managerial shift may have resulted in the appointment of Marco Silva.
Benfica also remained in a strong position throughout. They have stressed that they would only consider selling if an offer was deemed irresistible.
Ferrante's claim does not necessarily contradict that stance. Instead, it offers a glimpse of what Rios' priorities might be if he ultimately decides to leave Portugal.
Benfica still has the cards
Benfica is in complete control. The midfielder is under contract until 2030 and is protected by a €100 million (£87 million) release clause. Club officials have repeatedly been described as relaxed about the situation, believing there is no need to rush a sale.
Their original hope was that the 2026 World Cup would drive Rios' value even higher before any negotiations took place. However, this has not happened at all so far. The Colombian has spent most of the tournament on the bench and made brief appearances in the second half.
Still the interest has not ended. Everton now joins Bournemouth and Fulham in joining the Premier League clubs. And of course whether any of those clubs are willing to match Benfica's demands is another question entirely, but the list of suitors continues to grow.
