David Moyes’s Everton have failed in their attempt to hijack Eintracht Frankfurt’s move for Japanese international Ritsu Doan.
According to a report from the BILD, Everton wanted to hijack Eintracht Frankfurt’s move for Ritsu Doan. The Toffees did try to lure him to the Premier League, but they have failed to strike a deal, as the Japanese international has completed his move to the Bundesliga club.
Who is Ritsu Doan?
Doan made a name for himself while playing for SC Freiburg. During his three-year-long stint at the club, he was involved in a total of 123 matches and ended up contributing towards 49 goals. Last season, he had 18 goal contributions in his 34 league outings.
The right-winger’s impressive performances, along with his ability to feature anywhere in attack, caught the attention of Frankfurt. They have been working on a potential transfer since the start of the year. Once the 2024/25 season came to an end, the Hesse-based club stepped up their interest in him.
Premier League move fails to materialise
While Eintracht Frankfurt continued to work on a potential deal, clubs from England and Saudi Arabia tried to hijack the deal. Everton entered the race to secure the services of the right-winger with David Moyes looking for quality on the flanks.
The Merseyside outfit considered the 27-year-old an ideal fit for their system under David Moyes. While they tried to derail Eintracht Frankfurt’s pursuit, the Toffees have failed in their attempt to hijack the deal. Doan officially completed his move from SC Freiburg to Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday evening, as he penned a five-year deal.
Both clubs reached an agreement on a deal worth €22 million (including bonuses). The Japanese international turned down the opportunity to join the English club because, at the start of July, after holding talks with his close ones, the player had already given his work to Frankfurt.
Not even a lucrative offer from the Middle East could sway Ritsu Doan’s decision, with the chance to play at the highest level, being a part of an exciting project, and the opportunity to compete in the UEFA Champions League proving decisive for him.