Struggling Everton bemoan lost media money

Leeds United, Arsenal and Sunderland are all hoping to sign Everton contract rebel Francis Jeffers after the Merseyside club claimed today that finances for summer transfer moves have been revised after the collapse of a sponsorship deal with a media company.

A deal was expected today and Everton may now listen to ffers for several players.

Young England under-21 star Jeffers is rated as one of the best young forwards in the Premiership and has refused all offers of a new contract at Everton with the club reluctant to sell him.

But the set back today means Everton's financing of summer transfer moves could now see squad players sold off.

"We were an hour and 40 minutes away from a big media deal," Everton president Bill Kenwright told the club's official website.

"We were going to sign at four o'clock and the phone rang at 20 minutes past two pulling the plug on it."

"It was an extraordinary deal, it would have been a lot bigger than £23 million, and it was an extraordinary moment when it didn't happen."

"The fact is that since I took over the club in March last year there hasn't been a media deal anywhere. The bottom has dropped out of it since big money was pumped into clubs two seasons ago."

Mersey rivals Liverpool signed a £22 million deal with media company Granada in 1999 which has helped to finance their revival but with Everton looking to build anew stadium away from Goodison Park next year, there is no money for new players.

The club expect to hear next month whether if they can build a stadium at the Kings Dock site.

Everton sold Nick Barmby to Liverpool for £6 million, Don Hutchison to Sunderland for £2.5 million and defender Richard Dunne to Manchester City for £3 million last year and only the Dunne deal looks good business by Kenwright and manager Walter Smith.

Smith's replacements such as a return to the club for Duncan Ferguson, wayward midfielder Alex Nyarko and injury-prone veteran Paul Gascoigne have all struggled this season.