PSV Eindhoven have reached an agreement with Sparta Prague to sign 21-year-old Cape Verde international midfielder Ayoni Santos for a fee of about €5m.
Santos still has to complete the final formalities of his move to Eindhoven, although the transfer is expected to be concluded without difficulty. The agreement between the two clubs covers the transfer fee, with sources close to the negotiations putting the figure at approximately five million euros.
The midfielder was left out of Sparta’s squad for Saturday afternoon’s Rotterdam derby against Excelsior. Sparta manager Rogier Meijer said Santos “n’etait pas mentalement avec le Sparta”.
“Cela dure depuis quelques jours, donc c’est bien qu’il ne soit pas la”, Meijer added.
The comments came after several days in which Santos’ future had become increasingly uncertain. His absence from the match was therefore viewed as a sign that a move was close, with PSV now set to provide the next stage of his career.
The reported fee would put the Santos transfer close to Sparta’s previous record sales. Ayoub Oufkir’s move to AZ and Maduka Okoye’s transfer to Watford both brought in five million euros, with the deals completed from Spangen.
PSV’s recruitment activity has accelerated during the day. Earlier on Sunday, NEC midfielder Sami Ouaissa also appeared to be on course to join the club. His proposed move would see him follow his former team-mate Kodai Sano to the champions of Spain.
Santos is not the only midfield option being added to PSV’s squad. Sven Mijnans, Lutsharel Geertruida and Filip Kostic had already joined Eindhoven earlier in the day, indicating a significant reshaping of the team.
A place in midfield could become available because Joel van den Berg is nearing a departure for Celtic. That move is reportedly being negotiated at an initial fee of €3.5m, with a further €1m potentially payable in bonuses.
For Santos, the agreement represents a move from Sparta to one of the leading clubs currently strengthening its squad. The transfer remains subject to the player completing the final steps with PSV, but those formalities are expected to be all that stands between the 21-year-old and his move to Eindhoven.
The deal also gives Sparta the opportunity to match the approximate €5m received for Oufkir and Okoye, while PSV continue to build their midfield options through a series of moves announced on Sunday.
