Beto is set to complete a permanent transfer to Everton from Udinese. Here’s the story of the Portuguese forward who worked at KFC to make a living only a few years ago.
Beto underwent his medical with the Toffees on Sunday ahead of a permanent €30m move plus add-ons.
The Premier League side had already tried to sign the 25-year-old this past January, but Udinese were unwilling to sell back then. The Bianconeri meet Salernitana at the Stadio Arechi tonight with Italian striker Lucca expected to replace Beto.
The Portuguese joined Udinese for just €7m from Portimonense in the summer of 2022 and went on to score 21 goals in 62 appearances in Italy’s top flight.
His debut season in Italy was his best as he managed 11 goals in 28 matches. Beto had highs and lows during his time at the Dacia Arena. Unstoppable at times, dreadful in other circumstances. He scored his first Serie A goal in October 2021 against Sampdoria, adding six more in the following 12 games.
He didn’t find the net from January 2022 until March 4 of the same year when he ended his goal drought with a hat-trick in a home game against Cagliari. His season finished earlier than expected, as Beto spent the last eight games on the touchline due to a muscle injury.
The feeling is that the Portuguese striker didn’t entirely fulfil his potential in Friuli although he was Udinese’s best scorer in 2022-23 and ended his first campaign at the club with the second-highest tally behind Gerard Deulofeu, another familiar face for Everton fans.
Beto’s story, however, remains one of the most inspiring in professional football, not just in Serie A.
As revealed in an interview with DAZN in February 2022, he used to work at KFC before the beginning of his career as a professional footballer in Portugal.
“I was working at KFC and it was good,” he said at that time.
“When I return home, I always go to that KFC restaurant to visit my friends.
“I’ve always believed I could become a footballer. I wanted to become a professional football player, but my teammates didn’t believe it. Maybe just two of them. They were telling me: ‘Beto, it’s hard, it’s impossible.’ Then I joined Portimonense and they changed their mind.”
Beto spoke about his job at KFC during another interview with Gazzetta, saying that, despite his experience, he does not exaggerate with fried chicken.
“I don’t eat a lot of fried chicken,” he admitted. “It was a nice experience, but I had to wake up early and I like to sleep a lot. I love staying home and playing Call Of Duty more than FIFA.”