Keith Wyness shares update on Nottingham Forest signing Everton star – ‘I would expect that to happen’
Sean Dyche is being backed to reunite with Dwight McNeil at Nottingham Forest either in the January or summer transfer window.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider who is expecting McNeil to leave the Toffees in the near future.
Dyche has previously managed McNeil at both Burnley and Everton, and the 26-year-old has made just one Premier League start under David Moyes this season.
Nottingham Forest will face competition from Wolves, who are also lining up a move for McNeil to strengthen their squad.
Dwight McNeil expected to make Nottingham Forest switch
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – thinks McNeil was a “key player” for Dyche at the club, so is not surprised that he wants the winger to join him at Nottingham Forest.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks the African Cup of Nations could delay McNeil’s departure from Everton.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Well, look, Sean is a very loyal manager to some of these players, like [James] Tarkowski, and we’ve seen him from the Burnley guys that have always done well for him, that understand him, respond to him, and Dwight McNeil played a very key role for him at Everton in terms of fighting for relegation, and he doesn’t get a lot of the credit he deserves for some of the performances he put in for Everton.
“He was a really key player at that time, and I think he would suit Forest very well. I would expect him to link up with Sean because I don’t think he’s been in favour with Moyes that much. And I think he just seems to click with Sean Dyche. And so I wouldn’t be surprised for him to move.
“But it’s going to be a case of when. I don’t see it necessarily being in January because of the shortage of injuries in Everton, and also the AFCON. So I think it would be the summer. But I would expect that to happen, yes.”
Nottingham Forest make James McAtee decision
Nottingham Forest will not allow James McAtee to leave on loan in the January transfer window, despite his lack of playing time.
The 23-year-old has made just six Premier League appearances this season since his move from Man City in the summer.
The decision may come down to Nottingham Forest’s European matches, and a need for Dyche to keep the bulk of his squad in a packed fixture schedule.