What The Papers Say - Jan 25

See what today's tabloids and broadsheets are saying.

The views on this page are taken from the local and national media and do not necessarily reflect the views of Everton.

DINIYAR BILYALETDINOV is poised to end his Goodison nightmare – and give David Moyes some much-needed spending power in the final week of this month’s transfer window.

Spartak Moscow yesterday agreed a deal worth £5million to take Russia international Bilyaletdinov to back to his homeland.

The deal represents a substantial loss for Everton on the £9m they paid Lokomotiv Moscow for the 26-year-old in August 2009.

Bilyaletdinov has negotiated personal terms and will finalise the deal once his medical has been completed.

A statement from Spartak read: “Spartak have reached an agreement in principle with the English (club) Everton and 26-year-old midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov for a transfer to our club. The contract will be signed after the medical examination.”

Bilyaletdinov has proven a major disappointment during his time at Everton, scoring nine goals in 77 appearances, almost half of which have been as substitute.

Seven of those strikes came in his first season, with the winger having not netted since a magnificent strike at Wolverhampton Wanderers last April.

Bilyaletdinov has since fallen out of favour and has started only nine times this season – he was an unused substitute in Saturday’s 1-1 Premier League draw at home to Blackburn Rovers – leading to speculation of a January departure.

And after rumours of interest from Rubin Kazan and German side Wolfsburg, Spartak are now prepared to take the player from Goodison.

The funds will be handed to Moyes to facilitate any deals during the remaining week of this month’s transfer window.




JOSE BAXTER believes he is a better player for his experience at Tranmere Rovers – and hopes it can earn him a new contract at Everton.

Baxter made 16 appearances and scored three goals for the npower League One neighbours during a successful loan spell before returning to Goodison earlier this month.

The 19-year-old, who has made 14 senior appearances for Everton, is now aiming to force his way back into David Moyes’s first-team reckoning.

And with his current deal due to expire in the summer, the young attacker admits he has a significant target for the remainder of the campaign.

“It was a great experience playing week in, week out in front of a good crowd and playing for points was good too,” said Baxter.

“It’s a big thing gaining an understanding of how vital three points are at that level.

“The biggest lessons were just realising you’ve got to make less mistakes. You can’t just give the ball away like you can sometimes in the reserves and not get punished.

“At that standard if you do, when you get in the changing rooms of a team playing for points and you’ve made a mistake your teammates aren’t happy!

“So I do feel like a better player now. I feel like I’ve got a more mature head about me and I definitely think it was good for me.”




EVERTON FC hope to conclude the sale of Diniyar Bilyaletdinov in the next 48 hours – with the player’s father, Rinat, claiming his son has been anxious to leave the Blues for six months now.

Everton confirmed yesterday: “Discussions over the possible sale of Diniyar are ongoing with Spartak Moscow and we would hope to conclude these in the next 48 hours.”

Everton skipper Phil Neville reacted to the news by giving his team-mate a warm send-off on Twitter.

He tweeted: “Morning all just read reports that @Bilyaletdinov_7 is leaving us. If true he will be missed. Great lad, great attitude. My favourite Russian!”

But the player’s father, Rinat, has told Russian news network RIA Novosti that Bilyaletdinov has been desperate to secure a move in order to secure a place in Russia’s Euro 2012 squad.

“The situation at Everton has reached the point where he has to leave,” he said. “Diniyar has wanted to leave for six months.

“I don’t think he had a choice, especially with Euro 2012 coming up, where he needs to reach a point where he is guaranteed to play.”

Bilyaletdinov senior was also critical of the way Everton manager David Moyes utilised his son, suggesting that forcing him to contribute to defensive duties limited his effectiveness.

“In terms of his creativeness Diniyar has stagnated,” Bilyaletdinov said. “The same thing happened to Mikel Arteta.

“I don’t want to question Moyes’ qualifications, but if he’d got more out of his defensive players, then his creative players wouldn’t have dropped off so much in recent years.”

Meanwhile, Everton Reserves’ scheduled match at Wigan Athletic yesterday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Alan Stubbs’ side had been due to face the Latics at Robin Park yesterday afternoon, but torrential overnight rain made the surface unplayable.




West Ham are rivalling Everton for Academica Coimbra striker Eder, who is valued at £2m but could move on loan.




Everton hope to conclude the £5million sale of midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov to Spartak Moscow in the next couple of days. The Russian club claimed on Monday they had agreed a deal but that was dismissed as slightly premature by the Merseyside club, but they hope to agree a deal by the weekend.