According to Alan Myers, Demarai Gray “isn’t expected to move now” despite the Saudi transfer market remaining open after Everton kept him on deadline day.
The Sky Sports journalist reacted to questions from supporters on Twitter the next morning (2 September) to give his judgement on the winger’s next step, to be “in the squad and available” despite failing to secure his projected exit, with the same also applying to Andre Gomes.
Gray, 27, appeared to be destined to leave for the majority of the transfer window, having come close to joining Fulham until Saudi teams emerged the most likely towards the end.
Gray appears to be staying after Alex Iwobi was transferred to Fulham late on Friday night for £22 million.
Gomes, 30, was the subject of a late bid to return to Lille after spending last season on loan there, but his deal appears to have fallen through due to the failure to sign Leander Dendoncker from Aston Villa on the penultimate day.
Needed
At this point, it appears that Sean Dyche cannot afford to let Gray leave because no winger acquisitions were completed on the final day, despite anticipation of a bustling end to the window.
Iwobi’s departure, combined with Jack Harrison’s injury from Leeds United earlier in the transfer window, has left the manager with little choices.
Rekindling interest in Willy Gnonto on Friday went nowhere, and Kamaldeen Sulemana was not brought in from Southampton, so Gray appears like he’ll be needed even if Dwight McNeil returns sooner rather than later.
It would be more of a surprise to see Gomes on the pitch in an Everton shirt imminently, since he has an injury too, and given his role in the team is far less defined and there are more central midfielders available.
If Saudi Arabia made a late offer after expressing interest earlier in the window, there would be logical reason to accept it, if he was willing to go.
The fact that there were a handful of departures on deadline day without any reinforcements arriving has put a damper on the conclusion of the window, and primarily means that current numbers are required as Dyche attempts to kickstart his side following a slow start to the season.
In other Everton news, a journalist believes the Toffees failed to make a proper effort to secure a late signing.
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