Dwight McNeil reacts to ‘pain’ message from Everton star Beto after update
Everton winger Dwight McNeil has reacted to a message from his teammate Beto on social media.
Having endured a torrid time since his £30million move from Udinese in August 2023 [BBC Sports], Beto enjoyed a sharp up-turn in form, coinciding with the arrival of David Moyes at the club.
Everton were aiming to offload the striker in January, but having been shortlisted for the Premier League player-of-the-month for February, those plans may have been adjusted.
Having scored five of his six league goals this season in the span of four matches, Beto joined up with his national side in the hopes of using that form to boost his side’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Beto embraces the ‘pain’ of disappointing loss
The Everton striker joined up with his native Guinea-Bissau to play against Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso, in group A of the World Cup qualifying process.
However, back-to-back losses, as Beto failed to score in either game, now leave his country with little chance of qualifying, sitting 10 points behind Ballon d’Or shoe-in Mohamed Salah‘s Egypt.
Following the disappointing results, the striker posted a number of images from the game to Instagram, captioned: “Embrace the pain with a smile, and learn from it”.
The post was then liked by McNeil, showing support for his disappointed Everton teammate.
Everton search for striker in summer transfer window despite Beto form
Football Insider Verdict
With Everton gearing up for an “aggressive” summer transfer strategy, the club have been linked with a number of strikers, including Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic.
Beto‘s recent performances have been nothing short of miraculous, especially when compared with how last season went, but there will be concerns that it is merely a “purple patch”.
Even if the striker continues to perform at the impressive level he has been, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin on his way to the exit, Moyes will want more options up-front.
| 2024/25 Premier League stats | Beto |
| Appearances | 21 |
| Starts | 8 |
| Goals | 6 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Minutes | 923 |
The club are more financially equipped than in previous years, having put to rest their battle with the Premier League in regards to profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
Moyes is expected to be armed with a transfer “war chest” to help with his development of a new-look Everton side, thanks in large part to a new financing deal on the Bramley Moore-Dock stadium, negotiated by new-owners the Friedkin Group.