Hello and welcome to our Everton FC liveblog on Tuesday, September 4.
The transfer window in England may be well and truly closed but Saudi Arabian clubs can still purchase players for another two days, and that means rumours about Demarai Gray's future will persist.
We'll have all the latest on that, plus updates on investment in the club and any injury news as and when we get it.
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Keep tabs on the latest news, views and Everton FC transfer rumours below.
Gray deal 'advancing to final stages'
A deal for Everton winger Demarai Gray to move to Al Ettifaq is now reportedly advancing into the final stages.
Sean Dyche hits back at Demarai Gray
Sean Dyche has fired back at Demarai Gray in order to give Everton supporters the truth about what is going on with the winger.
Less than 24 hours after the Blues were held to a 2-2 draw by Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, Gray appeared to take a swipe at his manager when he posted a message on social media on Sunday morning.
Taking to Instagram, he wrote: "Everton fans have always been great with me. But it’s so difficult to play for someone who doesn’t show you respect as a person."
The ECHO understands that Gray, who has so far failed to feature for the Blues this season, has been left angered by Everton's refusal to sanction a move away from Goodison Park.
And now, responding to the post by Gray, Blues boss Dyche told evertontv: "It’s an unfortunate one because I try to keep our business in-house. I think on this occasion, it's right to reply."
Connor O'Neill has the full story here.
Onana makes Everton future admission
Amadou Onana insists he remains “fully focused” on Everton after being linked with a Goodison Park exit this summer.
Away with Belgium, ahead of their European Championship qualifier in Azerbaijan on Saturday, Onana told Le Soir – via Sport Witness: “It’s not at all a missed opportunity.
“Football is all about timing. You have to know how to seize opportunities when they present themselves.
“I had changed clubs every summer transfer window in recent seasons, but sometimes you have to know how to slow down and be patient. Now I am fully focused on my task with Everton.”
Sean Dyche may well have been right with what he said about Everton
Other than the shambolic display in the 4-0 thrashing at Aston Villa, Sean Dyche insists he’s encouraged by what he’s seen from Everton so far this season. But while results have been disappointing so far, just how much encouragement can be taken from the Blues’ displays?
After starting a new campaign with three successive league defeats for the first time since 1990/91, Everton came from behind to defeat the Football League’s bottom club Doncaster Rovers 2-1 in their Carabao Cup second-round tie last Wednesday before securing their first point of 2023/24 with a 2-2 draw at newly-promoted Sheffield United last Saturday. Following the game with the Blades, Dyche thought his side were good value for a share of the spoils.
The Blues boss said: “It (defeat – goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was forced to make a spectacular double save deep into stoppage time) would have been an injustice I feel, but it can go against you and it didn’t, so a point on the road and another good performance so we have got to keep believing in that and building on it and get players fit.”
Injuries have hampered Dyche’s selections in the opening month of the campaign with last season’s top scorer Dwight McNeil finally getting on for his first appearance off the bench in the final 15 minutes at Bramall Lane; five different players being picked to spearhead the attack (Neal Maupay v Fulham; Dominic Calvert-Lewin v Aston Villa; Arnaut Danjuma v Wolverhampton Wanderers; Youssef Chermiti v Doncaster Rovers and Beto v Sheffield United) while for the latter fixture, the visitors named only seven of an allotted nine substitutes.
Read the full analysis here from Chris Beesey.
Carabao Cup date confirmed
A date has been set for our @Carabao_Cup tie at Aston Villa. pic.twitter.com/Zl6ARFh0Oe
— Everton (@Everton) September 5, 2023
Rafa Benitez targeting Everton reunion
Former Everton manager Rafa Benitez is targeting a move for former Blues midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin after his release from Goodison Park.
That's according to Cadena SER, who claim Gbamin, 27, is being eyed by the La Liga outfit after his exit from Goodison Park.
Danjuma: Let's kick on
I am really happy to be an Everton player and I am so committed to the process I'm talking about. I'm happy that I'm starting to score some goals now and I'll be working to make sure there are a lot more to come.
It really is an amazing feeling to be playing in front of Evertonians - finally! As I've said before, I felt like I already had a bit of history with the Club before joining here because of my journey to get here. I'm extra grateful for the fans giving me the support they have done, I truly am. I can feel it. I buzz off it and I feed off it.
I know - as well as the rest of the group - that you have our backs, no matter what. I am very happy to give them something back for the support they have been giving and I'm only looking to give more and more as we look ahead.
Thank you for your incredible support so far. Now let's kick on together.
Everton's next six Premier League fixtures s
Arsenal (H), September 17
Brentford (A) - September 23
Luton Town (H) - September 30
Bournemouth (H) - October 7
Liverpool (A) - October 21
West Ham United (A) - October 29
Arsenal set to be without key man for Everton trip
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expects Thomas Partey to miss the Gunners' trip to Goodison Park after the international break.
Speaking after Sunday's victory over Manchester United, Arteta said: "It doesn’t look good. I believe he’ll be out for weeks. I think it’s more a groin [than a hamstring problem], but it could be something in between both.”
Everton in the market for free agent
Everton are reportedly exploring the free agent market to bolster their squad in the coming weeks following the departures are Alex Iwobi and Tom Cannon.
According to Football Insider, Everton are looking to add attacking talents to their ranks.
Spaces left on Everton Premier League bench due to concerns over academy progress
More academy players were not named on Everton’s bench at Sheffield United because of concerns their development was being stunted by fringe-work with the first team.
An injury crisis, coupled with a summer in which a glut of senior and academy players have left the club, has left Sean Dyche with limited options for his matchday squads so far this season.
That was particularly clear on Saturday - the day after three players involved across the opening Premier League games of the season departed in transfer deadline day deals.
Dyche named just seven players on the bench for the trip to Sheffield United. That included two goalkeepers, the academy midfielder Tyler Onyango, and Dwight McNeil - who Dyche acknowledged was brought back from injury earlier than normal to help strengthen the squad.
Read the full story, here.
777 Partners now 'very confident' of investment
"777 seem very confident that they will be able to buy in, so we'll have to watch what happens there. I think many people would have concerns if that group was to buy into the club.
"I know that concerns have been raided about them in the basketball world because they own both the London Lions and part of the league itself.
"I believe that has caused some issues and that there are questions inside UK sport and government circles and about this group's suitability to be an investor in sports in this country. So, there could be some difficulties there. We will see."
Latest Michael Ball column
It was a frustrating game really, again, but the positives are obviously we got our first goals and our first point this season.
But, all in all, in terms of the season so far in my column I've been asking for better levels from this bunch of players and Sean Dyche, we do well in parts but the basic play is letting us down in moments and it happened again on Saturday.
I thought we were the better side but our mentality, our confidence, is really, really low right now and when we get the goal we just seem to sit back as a team. We lost that cutting edge of closing down and started being very passive.
For many seasons we've been guilty of doing that but so far this season it has cost us.
Read the full column from Michael Ball here.
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