'The most important thing is he cares deeply about Everton'published at 09:55
09:55
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Football journalist Henry Winter has been speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside about Sean Dyche's impact at Everton during a difficult 18 months: "That is why Sean Dyche is so good because he will take all these things in his stride.
"He has been the voice of the club when other people maybe should have spoken up. He has been the fighter in the dressing room, he has stirred the players up, making sure they are focused and getting the points.
"In the end Everton stayed up quite easily. You have a fire going on there and you needed a firefighter. One or two people have problems with Dyche's style of football but in one of the darkest hours in your history you have this beacon of light, this strong individual. Players respond to him, fans respond to him and I just think he has been magnificent for Everton.
"I think he has always felt a little bit like [he doesn't get credit he deserves]. When he was at Burnley and I would speak to him or a player there, he would always say he doesn't get the credit he deserves and maybe it is more fashionable to go abroad.
"But, he is a very good manager. People listen to the voice and look at him and think he is a bouncer outside his beloved old club he used to go to in Manchester. But what they don't realise is if you went to the training ground at Burnley when he was there, how much it changed under him.
"There is a lot more to Dyche than perceived. He is a good manager who thinks deeply about the game, but the most important thing is he cares deeply about Everton Football Club."
Everton have already said players will need to be sold to balance the books this summer.
Some key names are linked with moves that will indeed generate cash. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is reportedly a target for Newcastle according to Thursday's Mirror.
But of the names that other teams are rumoured to be chasing, who would you rather lose? Who may be best to cash in on?
'There are other parties interested in Everton'published at 09:53
09:53
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has been discussing the current situation at Everton, as 777 Partners' takeover looks increasingly unlikely to reach completion before the deadline on Friday, 31st May.
"I think it is a challenging position for Farhad Moshiri, the club and 777 Partners," Maguire told Total Sport Merseyside. "They have all got consequences.
"From what we understand, 777's period of exclusivity to acquire Everton Football Club expires at the end of May. That also may coincide with one of the big loans to the club being due for repayment at the same time.
"How that was going to be funded and organised, Farhad Moshiri probably thought that was going to be 777's problem rather than his.
"So, it is a tricky position but it is in everybody's interests for Everton Football Club to carry on.
"I think all of the stakeholders in this situation realise that, including the Premier League who have put some fairly significant obstacles in the way of 777 Partners buying the club."
On whether the administration rumours are wholly correct, Maguire added: "I think in terms of administration, there are other parties interested in the club. I would think at least one of them has done the sums.
"If a football club goes into administration - and you buy that club from the administrators - you only buy the assets and you don't inherit any of the debt. Therefore, you could buy Everton Football Club for a price which may be cheaper than buying it from Farhad Moshiri.
"You don't have to pay MSP, you don't have to repay 777, you don't have to repay any of the other lenders - so you can see the benefits in that.
"The downsides are potential job losses, suppliers taking a significant cut to what they are owed, and the Premier League would take steps to address it.
"So there are positives and negatives to administration."
🎧 What next for Everton? Listen live from 18:00published at 16:59 29 May
16:59 29 May
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With the deadline for 777 Partners to take control of Everton set for Friday, the next few days are crucial for the future of the Blues.
BBC Radio Merseyside's Giulia Bould is hosting an hour-long programme on BBC Radio Merseyside later, alongside special guests, to discuss what happens next.
Everton looking at Phillips dealpublished at 12:20 28 May
12:20 28 May
Shamoon Hafez BBC Sport football news reporter
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Everton are interested in signing England midfielder Kalvin Phillips on a season-long loan deal from Manchester City.
Phillips, 28, joined City from Leeds United for £42m in 2022 but has struggled to make an impression and spent the second half of last season on-loan at West Ham.
The Toffees are also in talks to re-sign winger Jack Harrison from Leeds on another loan deal.
Harrison, 27, played 35 games and scored four goals at Everton last season.
Gossip: Toffees look for alternative ownership published at 07:28 28 May
07:28 28 May
Crystal Palace part-owner John Textor is stepping up his bid to buy Everton, with a proposed purchase by US-based investment group 777 Partners unlikely to go ahead. (Sky Sports, external)
Textor has held Everton talkspublished at 18:02 24 May
18:02 24 May
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Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor has expressed an interesting in buying Everton.
The American businessman has told the Financial Times Palace is no longer an ideal fit for his multi-club portfolio as he is unable to acquire a majority shareholding.
Everton's takeover by 777 Partners continues to develop in the face of fan pressure for owner Farhad Moshiri to seek alternative buyers.
Asked if he had held talks about buying Everton, Textor told The Athletic: "Yes. With the existing constituents - different groups, different lenders, different equity holders.
"I've asked them 'Is there a way to solve all this confusion and address everyone's problems'?
"I'm very open-minded to it but I don't want to come into a situation where I'm not really welcome.
"I'm watching it but 777 still has a contract. There are people that are close to the club who care a lot about it who are also investing. There's the guy running it who's still calling the shots. Maybe we're uniquely positioned to solve a lot of problems for people but we're just watching it right now because there are other people who already own pieces of that club who also want to figure it out.
"I'm looking at that but it's quite confusing and some things have to clean up."
Textor's Eagle Football group has interests in French club Lyon, Botafogo in Brazil and RWD Molenbeek in Belgium.
Quiz: An Everton end-of-season specialpublished at 16:55 24 May
16:55 24 May
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How closely have you been paying attention to the Toffees' Premier League campaign?
Check out our Everton quiz - and see if your knowledge is in order.
Iheanacho? Barkley? How do Toffees strengthen on a budget?published at 13:38 24 May
13:38 24 May
We asked you how Everton should strengthen the squad this summer on a budget.
Here are some of your answers:
Johnny: Free transfer window could boost our short term squad deficiencies. In defence Ben Johnson of West ham offers full-back cover, Wilfred Ndidi of Leicester and his team-mate Kelechi Iheanacho might prove savvy additions while Ross Barkley, Josh Brownhill and Che Adams are other options. Another loan for Jack Harrison seems sensible also.
John: Recruitment will have to be bargain bin and loans and out of contract players unless a new owner can pump some money in.
Richard: Budget strengthening can’t just be trusted pros in their mid thirties. We need to bring a couple of youngsters through. Also get the scouts out and around Europe. Players are out there somewhere and obviously a couple of choice loan players.
Jim: A new keeper, two centre-forwards and a right winger and don't sell Jarrad Branthwaite, job done. When the new players arrive, pack Pickford, Calvert-Lewin and Beto's bags and change the locks.
Gossip: Calvert-Lewin a target for Newcastlepublished at 07:40 24 May
Expert season review: 'Relentless appetite'published at 13:04 23 May
13:04 23 May
Mike Hughes BBC Radio Merseyside reporter
For a team with Everton’s rich and illustrious history, finishing 15th in the Premier League table doesn’t seem to be something to be getting too carried away with it.
But it really is worth bearing in mind that a few short weeks ago, Everton were amongst the favourites to be relegated. In the end Sean Dyche engineered a remarkable revival that saw them end the season with 40 points, even after an eight-point deduction.
Never mind the on-the-field difficulties the PSR related deductions brought about, it also cost the club the thick end of £10m in Premier League merit payments that are related to where you finish in the table. How useful would that money have been to Dyche, to strengthen the squad?
The biggest success for the club this season
It might be indicative of just how far the mighty have fallen, but make no mistake about it, avoiding relegation is without doubt the biggest success for the team and the club this season. Lesser teams and managers might well have buckled under the strain of two desperate Premier League points deductions as well as a seemingly endless catalogue of negative stories surrounding the ownership of the club.
If Everton the club has lost its way in recent years for many and various reasons, Everton the team have again showed a relentless appetite to get the job done and to make sure that the Premier League sanctity of the club is preserved.
Biggest let down and frustration
In a campaign when “A Plague On All Your Houses” visited Everton, your spoilt for choice when looking for frustration and let downs that have hampered the season. But in the end one dark and dangerous episode stands head and shoulders above anything else. Or should I say two dark and dangerous episodes ?
The Premier League and its Independent Commission’s brought football down to a new low with the way they sought to punish Everton for wanting to get better on and off the field. Of course financial rules need to be adhered to, but the League and the commission’s lack of understanding of a multi layered series of extenuating circumstances, paints them in a particularly poor light.
Quite how going into administration is worthy of a nine point deduction, but Everton’s charges and penalties were initially worth a ten point penalty, shows just how unfit for purpose PSR has proved to be. Never mind the independent commission that act as the arbiters of it.
Too much of how Richard Masters has operated during his time as the Premier League chief executive, has smacked of 'making it up as you go along'. He really should be doing much, much better.
Key Item on the summer agenda
This has to be the resolution of the farcical situation surrounding the future ownership of the club.
Farhad Moshiri wants to sell the club, but his preferred owners, 777 Partners, don’t seem to have either the financial muscle to complete the deal or the business acumen that would give you any real confidence in their ability to get the club back on a firmer footing.
Moshiri has extended his deadline for 777 Partners to come up with the money and and meet the conditions laid down by the Premier League for them to be able to complete the purchase.
That new deadline is 31 May.
If they fail to meet the necessary requirements then MSP Capital and Liverpool born businessmen Andy Bell and George Downing could step in. There are rumours of other interested parties, but only rumours.
Given that there’s a state of the art new stadium taking shape on the Mersey waterfront, Everton need new owners with vision, ambition and common sense, and not forgetting pretty deep pockets.
From Premier League struggler to European heropublished at 10:08 23 May
10:08 23 May
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When Ademola Lookman spurned the chance to equalise by spectacularly failing a panenka-style penalty with the last kick-off the game for Fulham against West Ham in November 2020 few would have predicted he would go on to become the first man to score a hat-trick in a Europa League or Uefa Cup final.
A product of the Charlton youth academy, Lookman was on loan from RB Leipzig at the time and had already had a spell at Everton. Another loan - this time to Leicester City - followed, showing the difficulty the London-born Nigeria international has endured trying to find a home at club level.
But find a home he now certainly has.
Before moving to Italy to sign for Atalanta in 2022, Lookman's best league goal scoring return was six at Leicester.
In his first season in Serie A, he scored 13 and registered eight assists. In his second he has scored nine and assisted six.
The third of his stunning hat-trick in the Europa League final win over previously unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen was his fifth European strike of the season.
Now 26 years old, Lookman has illustrated that struggling in the Premier League does not define a player's career and there are many routes to the top.
Now with an iconic performance in a European final to his name, in his words, it is "just the beginning".
Your Everton player of the season is...published at 17:08 22 May
17:08 22 May
We asked you to select your Everton player of the season from the four candidates chosen by our fan contributor.
After voting in your thousands, we can reveal the winner is... Jarrad Branthwaite!
"At 21 years old, Branthwaite has commanded Everton's backline and forced his way into England boss Gareth Southgate's plans for the Euros. If I have any wish for next season it is that we can keep hold of him!"
Season rating: 8/10. That is solely for the fight and heart the players and manager have shown in such difficult circumstances. External factors have made the season incredibly tough.
Happy with your manager? Sean Dyche has done a fantastic job in what he described as the "most difficult" in his managerial career. The way he has navigated a campaign that included two points deductions, one appeal, ownership uncertainty and a distinct lack of leadership at the top, he certainly deserves to be our manager next season.
Unsung hero: Rightly so, Jarrad Branthwaite should walk away with all the club awards and external praise after a fantastic season. One player who has sometimes been forgotten or overlooked is Vitaliy Mykolenko. If there was an award for most improved player at the club, he would definitely win it. His improvement has been more noticeable, and his importance even more evident, as the season has progressed. He is now comfortable in the Premier League.
Player you would most like to sign: At this point, it is impossible to say who we can sign and with what money. Given his recent form and with his injury woes seemingly behind him, getting Dominic Calvert-Lewin tied down to a new deal is an important job this summer. Looking back to his best and with only 12 months left of his current contract, I would be working incredibly hard to convince him to sign for a few more seasons.
Best away fans: With the vast majority resorting to poverty chanting, it is a difficult award to give. We even made our neighbour's fans turn into blue seats as the second half wore on last month, so they are out of the running. I would give a nod to Sheffield United supporters, though. Sang all game, despite already being relegated and with a hint of good-mannered humour.
England's provisional Euro 2024 squad announcedpublished at 14:06 21 May
14:06 21 May
Branthwaite in but will Southgate select Tarkowski?published at 12:30 21 May
12:30 21 May
BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on Gareth Southgate's England squad which will be announced today at 14:00 (GMT).
Peter asked: Do you think Southgate will pick the two best-performing English centre-halves in this season? On any statistical basis they are James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite. Or will he just roll out the same old names?
Phil answered: They have been a top-class pairing for Everton this season, as the statistics show, and I think Branthwaite will be an England regular in future, but I’d put money on John Stones and Harry Maguire starting for England in Germany if they are both fit.
Everton centre-back Branthwaite is expected to be in Gareth Southgate's provisional squad when it is announced at 14.00 BST.
Branthwaite was a revelation for Everton last season, making 35 league appearances. Everton won 12 matches and kept 12 clean sheets when the 21-year-old was in the side last term.
He was called up for England duty in March, but did not play.
Time running out to pick your player of the seasonpublished at 09:59 21 May
09:59 21 May
There are about 24 hours to go before Everton's player of the season vote closes.
If you are yet to make your choice, you have until 10:00 BST on Wednesday, 22 May to decide who has impressed you the most from our shortlist.
Image source, Getty Images
