Everton to sign Brazil international on a free transfer

Marco Silva has been hard at work this summer

Everton look set to complete the signing of Bernard from Shakhtar Donetsk on a free transfer, according to the Mail.  West Ham and Chelsea were also interested in signing the attacking midfielder, but Everton appear to have won the race for his signature, subject to work permit approval. The playmaker was also considering offers from both Milan clubs but has decided that Everton is the best move for him as he looks to make the jump from to Europe's big leagues. Bernard was highly rated as a youngster and was selected to be part of Brazil's Confederations Cup and World Cup squads in 2013 and 2014, but never truly kicked on from there. He has played for Shakhtar for five years now but he is still only 25. Marco Silva will be hoping to help the diminutive attacker reach his full potential in the Premier League. Everton have already signed Richarlison from Everton this summer, and Bernard will have to compete with him, as well as Theo Walcott and Gylfi Sigurdsson for a place in the starting line up. The Toffees have also brought in Lucas Digne from Barcelona, as the Frenchman seeks first team football having sat on the bench for Barça and before that Paris Saint-Germain for too long. Silva has recruited well this summer and Bernard would be a shrewd signing, but as last season's Everton side showed, there is no guarantee that a busy summer means success will follow. One would expect that Silva's coaching will be better than Koeman's, though, and that the team will gel more easily into a cohesive unit.