Everton transfer news – Dwight McNeil injury latest, Andre Gomes offer, Ramon Sosa talks

Everton transfer news, rumours, gossip and speculation including the latest on Eric Dier, Ramon Sosa, Kalvin Phillips, Michy Batshuayi, Ben Godfrey and Andre Gomes

Everton are reported to hold an interest in Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier.

The England international has struggled for opportunities under Ange Postecoglou and could be searching for a move this month. However, the Blues are claimed to face surprise competition from Bayern Munich for his signature.

The Blues are also claimed to have held talks over a possible move for Paraguay forward Ramon Sosa, according to the player’s agent.

Elsewhere, Turkish side Trabzonspor are suggested to have made an offer to Andre Gomas, who has recently returned to action after a long-term battle with injury.

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Keep tabs on the latest news, views and Everton FC transfer rumours below.

17:05STEPHEN KILLEN

All the Everton top stories this evening

Here are our top stories this evening.

Jordan Pickford’s back-up changes face of Everton’s January as Sean Dyche keeps his promise

Jarrad Branthwaite slams red card amid growing Everton concern happening ‘every game’

Everton fans write to Howard Webb in search for answers over VAR and other big decisions

Everton January transfer news as Andre Gomes could spark interesting conversation

Everton have five more reasons to be furious over Dominic Calvert-Lewin red card

16:25STEPHEN KILLEN

Ange Postecoglu response to Eric Dier transfer question

Eric Dier appears to be set to sign for Bayern Munich.

But whatever you do, don’t question Ange Postecoglu’s integrity.

The Tottenham Hotspur manager was probed by reporters last night following their 1-0 win over Burnley, and when he was asked as to why Dier wasn’t in the squad, Postecoglu reiterated the England defender was injured.

Everton have been tentatively linked with the Spurs man.

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Everton 2/1

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Man United 20/1

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10:26STEPHEN KILLEN

Everton fans write to PGMOL and Howard Webb over standard of officiating

Big move coming from Everton supporters this morning.

Everton fans’ forum have written to the PGMOL complaining about the refereeing decisions in Everton matches and the wider game.

Blues fans have highlighted seven points in their letter ranging from Michael Keane’s disallowed goal against Fulham, to Ibrahima Konate’s red card escape and the two incidents against Crystal Palace involving Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s red card and Beto’s penalty claim.

The full letter from Everton Fans’ Forum is below.

RE: Standard of officiating and decisions regarding Everton Football Club.

Dear Mr Webb,

Over the past few months, we have seen a number of decisions made by referees against Everton Football Club that we believe are not consistent with officiating seen in other matches.

We, as the Everton Fans Forum, feel that now is the right time to contact you regarding this to highlight our concems and seek responses from both yourself and the referees involved in the decisions.

When taking on your position you stated: “I am really keen to make our use of VAR consistent. The VARs at Stockley Park each weekend are recognising the incidents that are clear situations and the ones to get involved in, not the ones that could be or might not be decisions because they may have different views on what might be, but they will all recognise consistently when a decision is clearly wrong.”

We feel that the standards set have deviated significantly from your initial aspiration. We acknowledge the difficulty in refereeing football matches in such a high-profile arena as is the Premier League and FA Cup. But it is because of this high profile that we expect high standards of officiating with consistent and transparent decisions.

Although the grievances listed within this letter are from Evertonian’s, as the Everton Fans’ Forum, fans of all clubs are expressing similar issues. In essence the way matches are officiated is having a negative impact on the enjoyment and love for our game.

Below are some of the decisions we feel have been incorrect over the course of the season and are calling on you as head of the PGMOL to release the audio on these and provide an explanation on the process behind the decisions made. We also feel it is important to highlight there have been similar if not identical incidents in other games where the decisions made by the referee were not in line with the decisions made in these Everton games.

• On the opening weekend of the Premier League Michael Keane had a goal disallowed vs Fulham for challenge on the goalkeeper. A few weeks later on 28th October 2023 in the Wolves vs Newcastle game. Newcastle United were awarded a goal despite an identical challenge on the goalkeeper.

• Ibrahima Konate not receiving a second yellow card, and therefore a red card vs Liverpool 21st October 2023. However, Ashley Young received two yellow cards for similar fouls in the same game and therefore received a red card.

• Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s goal overturned at Tottenham for a foul by Andre Gomes on 23rd December 2023.

• No penalty awarded for a shirt pull foul by a Tottenham player on Amadou Onana in the same game Vs Tottenham. Yet a few days later on 28th December 2023 in the Brighton vs Tottenham fixture the same Tottenham player committed an identical foul on a Brighton player resulting in a penalty to Brighton.

• A penalty given for handball by Amadou Onana vs Man City on 27th December 2023.

Yet in the Tottenham vs Manchester United game on 19th September 2023 Cristian Romero made a similar block although not protecting his face yet no penalty was awarded.

• On 4th January 2024, Dominic Calvert-Lewin sent off vs Crystal Palace. A few weeks prior on 8th October 2023 Mateo Kovacic slid in to tackle Martin Odegaard and caught the player with his studs just above the ankle, VAR deemed this no red card.

• In the same Crystal Palace vs Everton game no penalty was awarded for a foul on Beto despite the defender having both arms around the strikers body.

As fans, all we ask for is consistency in decision making in every game, regardless of the team that is playing. With Everton we do not feel the decisions we are seeing are correct, or consistent with other decisions.

In light of Calvert-Lewin’s sending off, the media, players, managers and former players were unanimous in condemning the decision. It appears the only people who deemed the incident a sending off were the VAR officials and subsequently the match referee upon review.

As supporters, we were told that VAR would be used for ‘clear and obvious’ decisions missed by the referee. Yet in some of the instances listed above, including the tackle by Calvert-Lewin in the FA Cup this week, VAR intervened to re-referee the incident in which the match officials on the pitch had seen and cleared. This isn’t what VAR was brought in for regardless of whether our club is on the right or wrong end of these decisions.

As stated, we request you share the audio and rationale behind each of these decisions involving Everton and provide assurances that we will start to see clear trends in what is and isn’t penalised to make it a level playing field for all Premier League Clubs.

The FSA has raised these issues on a regular basis, but we are yet to see a measurable imporvement. Representatives from the Forum would be happy to meet with you and other representatives of the PGMOL to discuss further should a written response not be adequate.

Yours faithfully,

Everton Fans’ Forum

You can view the tweet below, if you’re having trouble opening the post – click here.

10:04STEPHEN KILLEN

Everton await Dwight McNeil injury diagnosis

Dwight McNeil was stretchered off during Everton’s goalless draw with Crystal Palace in the FA Cup third round.

It was another harrowing sight for an already depleted Blues side, decimated by injuries.

McNeil was brought off late on during Thursday’s controversial encounter with South London.

With the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure and Idrissa Gueye among the injury problems in midfield, Everton can’t afford any further up the pitch – especially not last season’s top goalscorer.

“Hopefully Dwight McNeil is okay. He’s calm in the dressing room which is always a sign, you know you do worry when there are that many people around him, but he’s calm which is usually a positive sign,” Sean Dyche said.

“We’ll obviously get it checked out in the next 24-48 hours. It’s his ankle but I haven’t seen the incident back.”

Dwight McNeil is stretchered off with injury during Everton’s FA Cup clash at Crystal Palac