Hello and welcome to our Everton FC live blog for Thursday, September 7.
Everton attacker Demarai Gray is edging closer to a Goodison Park exit, according to reports.
Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq are said to be on the verge of completing a £8m deal for the Jamaica international. The Middle East outfit face a race to secure the signature with their transfer window set to close today/
Preston North End chairman Peter Risdale, meanwhile, has reiterated that the Blues "changed the goalposts" in the pursuit of attacking prospect Tom Cannon. The 20-year-old enjoyed a spell at Deepdale during the second half of last season.
Ryan Lowe's side were interested in the attacker, however he made a permanent move to Leicester City on deadline day.
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Keep tabs on the latest news, views and Everton FC transfer rumours below.
What Demarai Gray transfer means for Everton finances and cash flow after £7.4m boost
Demarai Gray’s time at Everton has come to an end after the 27-year-old winger inked a deal to join the Saudi Pro League revolution.
Gray departed the Toffees in a £8m deal on Thursday, heading to Saudi to join up with the Steven Gerrard-managed Al-Ettifaq, the club that landed former Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson during the summer.
The manner of Gray’s rather public departure may stick in the craw somewhat, with the former Birmingham City, Leicester City and Bayer Leverkusen man having left under a cloud following a rather public exit where he claimed he was shown a ‘lack of respect’ when addressing fans via social media. Everton boss Sean Dyche had addressed publicly Gray’s desire to push through a move, declaring that it would be the club that decides when a deal is done, not the player.
Gray has now left for pastures new, with the Blues able to recoup more money after the transfer window closed owing to the SPL’s window closing on September 7. His departure, while further depleting an already thin squad for Dyche, does mean that the Toffees have aided their financial picture a little more, with Gray’s sale delivering a healthy profit for the club.
Click here for the full story.
Jordan Pickford nominated for Save of the Month
The Everton No.1's fine save against Wolverhampton Wanderers has been shortlisted
The opening month of the 2023/24 @premierleague season and the goalkeeping standards are already high! pic.twitter.com/Ld4umRVkjM
— Castrol (@Castrol) September 7, 2023
Wayne Rooney eyed by Birmingham City
Former Everton forward Wayne Rooney has emerged as a possible candidate to replace John Eustace as manager of Birmingham City, according to the Mirror.
Rooney, who was named as a possible candidate to fill the Goodison Park managerial role after Frank Lampard's sacking in January, is currently the manager of MLS side DC United.
Everton transfer spend bigger than Real Madrid and Bayern Munich but new pattern emerge
Everton’s transfer net spend since 2014 has been calculated as being larger than European giants Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The CIES Football Observatory in Switzerland have crunched the numbers for teams’ buying and selling since 2014 and they reckon the Blues have made a trading loss of €391million (currently £334million) over this period. While such profligacy – majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri who took control in 2016 admitted last summer: “We have not always spent significant amounts of money wisely” – with Everton a goal away from what was almost their first relegation in 72 years after they posted the lowest equivalent points total in the club’s 135-year history in the Football League and Premier League, their figure represents a greater outlay than a couple of the continent’s biggest sides.
Read the full story, here.
Demarai Gray in his new colours
القميص يليق بك غراي #الاتفاق | #غراي_اتفاقي pic.twitter.com/cJcavCeJOa
— نادي الاتفاق (@Ettifaq) September 7, 2023
Further Sean Dyche shots from Demarai Gray
Demarai Gray says Everton fans incredible + ‘made it a privilege to wear the shirt’. “I was ready to play as much football as possible this season but it felt like this was not going to happen." Apparent parting shot from Gray to Dyche: "I am match fit + excited to get playing”
Al Ettifaq announce Gray
Al Ettifaq with a bizarre little arcade game-style announcement video for Demarai Gray here...
Demarai Gray transfer to Al-Ettifaq complete as fee Everton will receive revealed
Demarai Gray has completed his exit from Everton.
The winger's stint at Goodison Park is officially up after two years, in which he made 75 appearances, scored 12 goals and provided six assists.
Gray leaves the Blues in a deal worth £8m, signing for Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq - who are managed by Steven Gerrard - on their transfer deadline day.
Read the full story HERE.
Everton FAB chair resigns
A statement from the #Everton Fan Advisory Board@EFC_FanAdvisory pic.twitter.com/8YXpy6CfJJ
— EFC_FanAdvisoryBoard (@EFC_FanAdvisory) September 7, 2023
Andre Gomes stance
According to TEAMtalk, Everton remain hopeful of finding a new club for Andre Gomes this summer.
They claim that Sean Dyche has no plans to use the midfielder who is said to be earning £120,000 per week with one year left on his current deal.
The Blues are hoping for a permanent deal with clubs in Saudi Arabia, Greece, Russia and Qatar reportedly interested.
Tom Cannon admission
Preston North End's Director, Peter Risdale, has claimed that Everton 'changed the goalposts' as the current Championship leaders attempted to re-sign Tom Cannon on loan this summer.
The Lilywhites were back in for the striker after in impressive loan spell in the second half of last season, though eventually completed a deadline day switch to second-tier favourites Leicester City instead.
However via the Lancashire Post, Risdale now states that all was in place to sign the 20-year-old out on loan to the Lancashire club again, until the Blues changed their minds. He also explained what happened to his club's last-ditch bid a week ago today.
"As you’ve seen from this transfer window, there have been a lot of players the same clubs have tried to get. In the main, I think we’ve got the ones we wanted," he began.
"The only one we didn’t was Tom Cannon, and Tom didn’t go to one of those clubs rumoured to be in for him all the time we were. He went to Leicester, who’ve got the parachute payments and came in last Thursday. Our frustration, I suppose with Tom, was that we did a deal very early on - which was an expensive loan. Everton agreed it but said the timing would be down to them, not us. They then changed the goalposts last week, that it had to be a permanent.
"We then decided to make a bid, which was rejected. We then did another bid, which was tinkered with at their request. I have in writing, our bid being accepted by Everton and permission to talk to him. And this would’ve been four times our record transfer deal. Tom then phoned to say Leicester had come in and that he fancies going to them, with them favourites for promotion. To be honest, while it was devastating for us, we hadn’t ignored plan B and C."
Fabrizio Romano provides Demarai Gray update
Coming in fresh this morning, Fabrizio Romano believes that Demarai Gray's time as an Everton player will officially be up later today.
Al-Ettifaq closing in on Demarai Gray
Demarai Gray is in advanced talks to sign for Al-Ettifaq, according to the BBC.
They claim the Everton attacker is in discussions over an £8m deal to the Saudi Pro League, where he will sign a four-year deal.
The transfer window for Saudi Arabian clubs closes on Thursday.
Good morning!
Hello and welcome to our dedicated Everton live blog.
The transfer window is over and the international break is getting underway but there could still be room for an exit or two at Goodison Park.
