Everton target Sandro Ramirez says he 'does not know anything' about mooted Goodison Park switch

Malaga forward Sandro Ramirez says he "does not know anything" about a seemingly imminent switch to Everton, despite reports suggesting a £5.2m (€5.9m) deal to bring the Barcelona youth graduate to Goodison Park is all but done.

Sandro is currently on international duty after being included in the Spain squad for the Under-21 European Championship in Poland, but is expected to be confirmed as an Everton player in the coming days after undergoing a medical over a week ago.

However, in an interview published on Tuesday (20 June) by Spanish daily El Mundo, believed to have taken place just last week, Sandro said: "I do not know anything [about a potential move to Everton]. I'm focused on the European Championship."

Sandro's attempts to play dumb are rather naive, given that there is video footage of him walking into the iconic Titanic hotel in Liverpool, where he is believed to have met Everton's director of football Steve Walsh.

Everton's interest in the 21-year-old forward has been well publicised; Ronald Koeman and Walsh flew to Malaga to cast their eye over the striker as he scored in his side's 3-0 victory over Celta Vigo in May. The pair were also pictured speaking with Sandro's agent Gines Carvajal on the same night.

Despite Sandro's claims to the contrary, Everton are expected to wrap up the deal and confirm their third senior signing of the summer in short order. The transfer window does not technically open until 1 July but that has not stopped the Toffees from conducting some ultra-early business, with Jordan Pickford and Davy Klaassen already recruited for a combined cost of £54m.

The Toffees are intent on significantly bolstering their side before the start of their season on 27 July, when they will play a Europa League qualifier. A £25m deal for Burnley's Michael Keane is in the offing while Koeman maintains a strong interest in Swansea City playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson.