It’s been some time now since Sandro Ramirez visited Merseyside, with the expectation that he was very close to signing a contract with Everton. However, as the official announcement is getting dragged out, speculation is beginning that this transfer is turning out to not be as straightforward as it sounded.

#ODMálaga @MalagaCF @sandroramirez9 firmará 4 temporadas con el @Everton con la opción de poder marcharse tras el primer año a otro club — Onda Cero Málaga (@OndaCeroMalaga) June 22, 2017

Translated: “Sandro will sign a four year deal at Everton that includes the option to leave for another club after the first year.”

Wow. What does that even mean?

So Everton will sign the player to a four-year deal and should the player choose, this clause will give him the option to leave the Blues after one season? To a team of his choice, one assumes? How about the transfer fees, who has the final say in that matter?

The immediate assumption is that with all the interest Atletico Madrid had in the player, this allows him to go to Los Rojiblancos at the end of the 2017-18 season when their transfer ban gets lifted. In addition, reports earlier today linked Borussia Dortmund in Germany with interest in the player.

However, this clause puts Everton in a very awkward position where they end up getting held hostage to a player’s whims. Who’s to say where the player’s head is going to be with him looking forward to a move all season? Which then leads to another question - is this clause the reason why this transfer has taken as long as it has?

The Blues have already struggled with one wantaway striker all season long in Romelu Lukaku. The last thing Ronald Koeman needs is a player who is not 100% committed to the cause in a season where the Toffees are expecting to compete on four fronts.