This Friday Aug. 17, Brazilian head coach Adenor ‘Tite’ Bacchi will announce his squad for Brazil’s upcoming friendlies against the USA and El Salvador.
Among those hoping to make the cut is Everton Sousa Soares, known simply as Everton, the 22-year-old Gremio forward whose recent performances have caught the attention of the Brazilian manager.
Tite was present for Gremio’s Copa de Liberatoders match-up between Argentinean side Estudiantes, in which Everton scored, as well as their quarter-final tie against Flamengo in the Copa do Brasil.
According to Manchester City fan site ‘City Watch,’ one of the club’s scouts will attend the match with Flamengo with the sole purpose of watching Everton’s performance. Manchester City, who previously scouted Gabriel Jesus and Douglas Luiz when they played in Brazil, have been monitoring the player since 2013.
Everton hopes his recent form will boost his chances of making the national squad. He has five goals and three assists from 13 appearances in 2018. and after breaking into the Gremio first team halfway through last season, has established his position as an attacking wide forward capable of cutting in from the left and scoring goals. The Gremio star has also performed well in crucial matches, scoring three goals in four games in this seasons Copa de Libertadores and netting the winning goal in Gremio’s semi-final victory against Pachuca in the 2017 Club World Cup.
“He is Gremio’s best player now. When he is out through injury or suspension, the team have been much less competitive,” journalist Rodrigo Oliveira told Goal.com. Everton began his career as a youngster for Fortaleza before joining Gremio on a professional contract three years ago. Since then his pace, clinical finishing and ability to create chances have seen him become one of Brazilian football’s brightest young prospects.
Everton will no doubt face stiff competition to break into a Brazil squad endowed with a host of world-class attacking players – Neymar, Philippe Coutinho, Willian, Roberto Firminio, Douglas Costa and Gabriel Jesus, to name a few.
Yet September’s friendlies are an opportunity to try out new players ahead of the World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign, and Everton will hope to be included in Tite’s plans for this new chapter for the national team.
Brazil will face the USA on Sept. 7 at the MetLife stadium in New York before playing El Salvador at FedExField in Washington D.C. on 11th September.
