Friedkin Group to blame as Dwight McNeil problem emerges at Everton
Dwight McNeil can count himself lucky that he hasn’t been sold already by Everton.
With Iliman Ndiaye playing at AFCON and Jack Grealish not fully fit, Moyes has had to start McNeil for the last seven games.
He has been well short of the level that Everton need out wide, and Dan Friedkin and The Friedkin Group are letting Moyes down in the transfer market.
TFG’s inactivity in the transfer window has been costly, and Everton’s FA Cup third-round exit over Sunderland saw McNeil perform horrifically.
The former Burnley winger looks unlikely to leave due to Everton’s lack of depth in attack, and with his contract expiring in June 2027, Moyes may have a hard time getting rid of the 26-year-old.
Dwight McNeil sale could be tough to complete in the future
McNeil is hardly a player who is in good form, with his last goal coming in Everton’s 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town last May.
With just five Premier League starts to his name, Moyes clearly doesn’t trust him to be a key player, although he has reiterated that McNeil won’t be sold in January.
The problem for the Toffees is that very few clubs will be interested in McNeil, and they won’t want to buy him in the summer with just 12 months left on his deal.
| Stat | McNeil |
| Appearances | 238 |
| Goals | 21 |
| Assists | 33 |
| Minutes played | 18,374 |
This means that he could remain stuck at Everton, taking up some of the wage bill when Moyes needs better options on the wing.
As highlighted by the Sofascore graphic below, McNeil’s stats are way below where they should be.
The Toffees aren’t linked with a single wide player, and TFG’s laid-back approach is certainly preventing Moyes from clearing out some of his squad and upgrading in certain positions.
With Tyler Dibling and Carlos Alcaraz also struggling to perform, the Toffees might be overlooking the need for extra quality in attack.
Everton can’t afford to ignore their lack of depth on the wings
Of course, there is a priority to add a right-back and a midfielder in the January window, while strong links have been established with Roma striker Artem Dovbyk as Beto looks set to leave Everton.
These positions must also be addressed, but it seems irresponsible to stop there.
The transfer market at this time of year can be incredibly tough, with teams across Europe reluctant to let their star players go.
However, TFG must splash the cash, especially as the Toffees have realistic ambitions of qualifying for continental football.
If McNeil is Everton’s best back-up winger, then those aspirations will certainly be dented.