Everton midfielder Demi Akarakiri is closing in on a move to Serie A side Cagliari after being offered a contract by the Italian club.
Akarakiri's Departure Confirmed
The 18-year-old's departure from Everton appeared to be confirmed via a post on his Instagram account, where he expressed gratitude to the club. On June 10, Everton announced they were continuing discussions with Idrissa Gueye over his future while revealing that Akarakiri, along with Melvin Matos and Rocco Lambert, had been offered new contracts. Meanwhile, fellow Under-18s players Goodness Gospel-Eze, Louis Poland, Charlie Stewart, and Kean Wren were set to leave upon the expiry of their deals at the end of June.
Pathway to First-Team Football
Akarakiri, a Londoner who joined Everton in 2024 after spending a decade in Arsenal's academy, is now seeking a quicker route to first-team football with Cagliari. The Sardinian outfit finished 14th in Serie A last season under manager Fabio Pisacane.
According to a report from Sport Witness on Friday, citing Corriere dello Sport, the player underwent a medical in Rome on Thursday and is expected to sign a five-year deal. The signing is described as a significant coup by Cagliari's new sporting director, Pietro Accardi, with the club aiming to acquire players cheaply and sell them for higher fees in the future.
Cagliari's Ambitions
Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini hinted at the signing, stating that a teenager arriving from the Premier League would not be limited to youth football. Instead, the club plans to integrate him into the senior matchday setups immediately.
Despite a controversial moment in Everton's FA Youth Cup quarter-final defeat at Manchester City in March, where his challenge led to a penalty, Akarakiri was later named as one of the standout prospects in the Blues' academy by this correspondent.
