Everton snubbed by Ernest Nuamah on Transfer Deadline Day after John Textor intervention
Ernest Nuamah’s decision to turn down a move to Everton was not due to an issue with wages, according to Alan Myers.
The Sky Sports journalist responded to a supporter via X on 31 August to indicate that the Lyon attacker simply wasn’t interested in a Goodison Park move currently.
The club did sign his teammate Orel Mangala on loan on Deadline Day, while Nuamah was expected to move to Fulham instead but the move collapsed late on [Sky Sports, 30 August].
Lyon owner and prospective Everton buyer John Textor was said to be behind the move to bring in the 20-year-old after suggesting him as the second part of a “double-raid” [TBR Football, 29 August].
Myers wrote when asked if it was a financial issue that ended the Toffees’ pursuit: “No, I just don’t think the player was up for it at this stage”.
Fulham move collapses after Everton rejected
It will have come as a disappointment to Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell to miss out on the young Ghanian since they had become involved in the pursuit.
Fulham were reportedly working on a £15million-plus add-ons transfer [The Athletic, 30 August] before they abandoned the move in favour of Reiss Nelson from Arsenal, which it would have been surprising for Everton to spend.
Textor’s presence in the equation may have helped smooth over issues of affordability, but when the club have already been penalised heavily for breaching financial rules that may have been asking for more trouble.
And the advantageous terms on the 11th-hour loan of Armando Broja from Chelsea [Liverpool Echo, 31 August] might soften the blow of missing out on Nuamah.
Ultimately the window has to be considered a qualified success when Jarrad Branthwaite didn’t leave, albeit his injury helped see off that threat, and a host of new signings were brought in.
The squad is still light in certain areas and Dyche would surely have wanted more, but in the club’s financial circumstances it could have been much worse, and in recent seasons often has been.
In other Everton news, an “audacious” Toffees move in the transfer window will cost the club nothing for weeks.
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