Godwin ObajeEverton Ready to Cash In: Beto Faces Uncertain Future Amid Leeds United Interest
As the summer transfer window edges deeper into its frantic heart, Everton find themselves at yet another critical crossroads — a familiar, uncomfortable place for a club still trying to navigate the financial aftershocks of years of inconsistency on and off the pitch. This time, the player at the centre of the swirl is Beto, the 27-year-old Portuguese striker whose Goodison Park career could soon be over, just two seasons after his £25 million arrival was heralded as the answer to Everton’s perennial striker conundrum.
Now, with interest bubbling up from Leeds United and others, the Merseyside club are preparing to accept a “big-money” offer should one materialise. For Everton, the motive is clear: raising funds that could be reinvested into a squad that remains under construction — and under financial constraints.
The Leeds Dilemma: A Risk Worth Taking?
On the face of it, Beto’s record for the Toffees doesn’t scream ‘must-have marksman’ — 11 goals in 60 Premier League appearances is modest for a centre-forward in the world’s richest league. But as former Leeds United and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson points out, the story isn’t quite that simple.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Robinson pulled no punches in assessing the player’s credentials through a Leeds United lens.
“Probably not a good signing for Leeds in all honesty, no,” Robinson told Football Insider.
“Beto had a resurgence under David Moyes, but Everton paid £25 million for him and he’s a bit-part player. He played 30 Premier League games last season but not many of them were starts and he scored eight goals, he made 39 appearances the season before last and he scored six goals.”
You can’t fault Robinson for raising the alarm bells about the cost-benefit ratio. Leeds, freshly promoted under Daniel Farke and desperately hoping to solidify their Premier League status after last season’s promotion push, can’t afford expensive gambles that don’t pay dividends.
“From a Leeds point of view, I’m not looking at that thinking that’s a great signing who is going to score 20-25 goals and keep us in the Premier League,” Robinson added.
“Beto has shown flashes under David Moyes, but why are Everton trying to cash in? Why are Everton looking elsewhere for another striker?”
Fair questions. Everton’s pursuit of fresh firepower this window — including reported interest in Lens midfielder Neil El Aynaoui and the confirmed arrivals of Carlos Alcaraz and Thierno Barry — suggests Beto is firmly a saleable asset rather than a core component of Sean Dyche’s new-look attack.
The Numbers Game: A Striker Who Splits Opinion
Numbers rarely lie in football, but they don’t always tell the full story either. On paper, Beto’s return looks underwhelming — but context matters. Of his 60 league appearances for the Toffees, only 24 were starts. His conversion rate, then, has been affected by limited minutes, intermittent form, and Everton’s chaotic offensive struggles more broadly.
When David Moyes returned to steady the ship after Dyche’s mid-season departure, Beto did show signs of life. A purple patch in February and March offered a glimpse of what might be possible if he were trusted as the main man in a system built for his physicality and direct running.
Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown, speaking to Football Insider earlier this year, suggested Leeds could escalate their interest after Everton secured Thierno Barry, a younger striker tipped to be the club’s next frontline option.
Still, the feeling among recruitment insiders is that the price tag will be the sticking point. Having joined for £25 million, Everton’s valuation is unlikely to drop dramatically, even with Financial Fair Play pressures. Leeds, for all their ambitions, have never been a club that throws money around lightly.
Daniel Farke’s Big Striker Puzzle
One thing is certain: Leeds need goals — and fast. Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford both have question marks hanging over their heads. Piroe’s form dipped alarmingly toward the end of last season, while Bamford’s patchy injury record remains a major worry.
For Daniel Farke, this summer’s striker search is arguably more crucial than any other business Leeds may conduct. Former Magpies striker Callum Wilson was mooted as an option, but Robinson believes that door has slammed shut.
“Beto has shown flashes under David Moyes, but why are Everton trying to cash in? Why are Everton looking elsewhere for another striker? I’ve got no doubt Beto can score goals at a certain level, that’s why Everton brought him in,” Robinson said.
“But for Leeds to pay the big money that they would have to, they should go and get a tried and tested, proven option, not somebody who hasn’t scored the goals. I think they’d be overpaying for a player who doesn’t score enough goals.”
Farke is thought to agree. According to those close to Leeds’ recruitment team, the club are weighing other targets with more proven top-flight pedigree. The German manager knows that one misstep in the final third can undo all the good work of their solid defensive spine.
Financial Reality at Everton: Sell to Buy
While the focus is understandably on Leeds’ hesitations, the Beto situation arguably says more about Everton’s state of flux than it does about the player himself.
After years of financial mismanagement and failed marquee signings, the Toffees are under no illusions: raising cash through player sales is not just prudent — it’s necessary.
Football Insider reported back in January that Everton were actively exploring ways to shift Beto to create financial headroom for reinforcements. At the time, that seemed fanciful; his form was patchy and there were few serious suitors. But with Leeds and others circling, the Toffees’ plan may finally pay off.
It’s a strategy that comes with risk, of course. Offloading a striker with potential for a resurgence could backfire if his replacement doesn’t settle quickly — or if an injury crisis bites, as it so often does at Goodison. But with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin also facing an uncertain future, Everton simply have to get their numbers right.
Goalkeeping Puzzle: Sam Johnstone on Leeds’ Radar
Leeds’ hunt for reinforcements isn’t limited to the front line. Between the sticks, Illan Meslier’s performances have been inconsistent enough for Farke to keep an eye out for a new number one.
Former Wolves keeper Sam Johnstone is high on their list, though the competition is stiff. Sunderland, frustrated by Marcin Bulka’s decision to join Neom SC in Saudi Arabia, are ready to battle the Whites for Johnstone’s signature.
According to Mick Brown, Johnstone would be open to joining Leeds. The club’s hierarchy see him as a steady upgrade on Meslier — a goalkeeper who can organise his defence and handle the relentless pressure that comes with a Premier League relegation fight.
Risk and Reward: A Familiar Story
For Leeds fans, the story is painfully familiar: the club gets linked with a big-money signing, only for pragmatism to win out in the end. This time, however, there’s an edge of necessity that might push them to take a calculated gamble.
Robinson’s caution makes sense. It would be reckless to throw £25 million or more at a striker whose numbers don’t guarantee survival. But football is rarely black and white. Sometimes it’s about the fit — the right player, at the right club, in the right system. Could Farke extract a consistency from Beto that Dyche and Moyes never could? That’s the question.
The Bigger Picture: Everton’s Summer Shuffle
As for Everton, the summer rebuild continues at pace. The new arrivals — Carlos Alcaraz, Thierno Barry — and the possible swoop for Neil El Aynaoui all point to a club that is still trying to shake off its old identity and forge something more coherent under Moyes.
Behind the scenes, there remains a nervous energy. Supporters are wary after years of false dawns and chaotic recruitment. A new takeover, once mooted as the solution to all ills, is yet to fully steady the club’s finances. So the only certainty is that tough decisions will keep coming.
“I’ve got no doubt Beto can score goals at a certain level, that’s why Everton brought him in,” Robinson concluded.
“But for Leeds to pay the big money that they would have to, they should go and get a tried and tested, proven option, not somebody who hasn’t scored the goals.”
And there it is — the risk, the reward, the question that echoes in every boardroom from Elland Road to Finch Farm this summer. Is Beto the right man for Leeds? Is the price right for Everton? Or is this simply a transfer that makes too much sense on paper, but not enough in practice?
As the window ticks on, one thing is certain: for Beto, Everton, and Leeds United alike, the next few weeks could define their seasons. A new striker always brings hope — but as Robinson’s stark warning suggests, hope alone doesn’t put the ball in the back of the net.
Godwin Obaje
