Everton and West Ham United are in a battle to sign prolific Corinthians centre-forward Yuri Alberto, according to TEAMtalk.
The centre-forward first came to the limelight while on the books of Santos. After moving to Internacional in 2022, the Russian side, Zenit St Petersburg, trumped several clubs to sign him.
However, he struggled to settle at the club, which saw him move out on loan to Corinthians twice before the São Paulo-based outfit decided to make his move permanent in 2023.
The 24-year-old has rediscovered his form and scoring boots on his return to Brazil and has been instrumental to the club’s surge and success, most recently helping them win the 2025 Campeão Paulista trophy.
In particular, his performances in the ongoing season, where he has netted 18 goals and provided two assists across all competitions for Dorival Júnior’s side, have drawn interest from clubs across Europe looking to bolster their attack in the next transfer window.
According to TEAMtalk, Everton and West Ham have expressed interest in signing Alberto and have made enquiries with his representatives to discuss his possible transfer.
For the Toffees, the report adds that they are looking for a prolific centre-forward to aid their top ten push and are now considering a £30m formal offer to Corinthians, making them ‘frontrunners’ in the race.
On the other hand, the Hammers’ recruitment team has been in Brazil to negotiate the Brazilian’s transfer, with personal terms also being discussed, according to the report.
Prolific forward
With Corinthians currently sitting just five points above relegation places, TEAMtalk claims that the seven-time Campeonato Brasileiro Série A champions will be reluctant to sanction his departure in the middle of the season unless a firm offer arrives for the Brazil international, who is also of keen interest to Crystal Palace and AS Roma.
Everton moved up to fifth place in the Premier League table after their outstanding 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with summer signing Thierno Barry netting his first goal for the Toffees after 17 games.
West Ham, meanwhile, who face Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, are facing attacking frailties, with Niclas Füllkrug notably underperforming with only three goals in 29 games for the East Londoners since his move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2024.
Hence, a prolific centre-forward like Alberto, who is one of South America’s most prolific forwards, would be a viable option for either club ahead of the 2026 transfer window.
