Juanlu Sánchez: Winter Transfer Interest from Bayer Leverkusen and Everton

Last summer, Juanlu Sánchez was at the center of one of the most talked-about transfer sagas in the market. For months, various clubs expressed interest in acquiring his services, with Napoli emerging as the primary contender and seemingly his only potential destination. “I believe he was quite interested,” acknowledged Antonio Cordón on Radio Sevilla. However, Napoli never met Sevilla’s demand of 20 million euros, a figure that Wolverhampton Wanderers appeared willing to offer. Consequently, negotiations between Napoli and Sevilla fell through, resulting in the 22-year-old remaining at Nervión.

According to journalist Juan José Ponce from Estadio Deportivo, Bayer Leverkusen and Everton are now considering Juanlu for the upcoming winter transfer window, as indicated by sources close to the player. The English side, which is currently transitioning center-back Jake O’Brien to a full-back role, had already inquired about Juanlu last summer. Meanwhile, with Lucas Vázquez facing physical challenges, Leverkusen aims to strengthen their right flank, where they have experimented with young player Arthur and wingers such as Jonas Hofmann and Ernest Poku. It is worth noting that they paid nearly 30 million euros to Sevilla for Loïc Badé last August.

In addition to Bayer Leverkusen and Everton, Napoli remains in the running for Juanlu, as they have yet to find a replacement for Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Unless there are unexpected developments, the Italian club is likely to continue its strategy, aware of Sevilla’s financial needs. The Sevillans are required to generate approximately 10 million euros in capital gains by June 30, especially if they intend to enter the January market. Therefore, they will seek to maximize their revenue, aiming for a figure close to the 20 million euros they are demanding for the Olympic champion.

Juanlu’s performance with Sevilla has declined compared to the previous season; however, he has managed to sustain his market value at 15 million euros on the specialized website Transfermarkt. So far this season, he has participated in 16 matches, 13 of which were as a starter, contributing one assist. The shift back to a five-man defense, where Matías Almeyda sometimes positions Carmona as the third center-back, favors the wing-back from Montequinto, who is gradually regaining his form, as demonstrated during his performance at the Santiago Bernabéu.