HALEWOOD, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) James Garner (L) and Lewis Dobbin during the Everton Training Session at Finch Farm on August , 2023 in Halewood, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)
After the official Everton transfer exit, James Garner and Lewis Dobbin sent Demarai Gray a message.
Everton stars James Garner and Lewis Dobbin sent Demarai Gray a three-word social media message following his confirmed exit to Saudi Arabia club Al-Ettifaq.
On Thursday morning (7 September), Steven Gerrard’s team announced the move of the former Leicester City star on their Twitter account, bringing an end to a long-running exit saga at Goodison Park.
The 27-year-old forward is thought to have signed a four-year contract in the Middle East for roughly £10 million, with the Toffees confirming his departure at the same time.
Gray joined the likes of Alex Iwobi, Neel Maupay, and Thomas Cannon in leaving Goodison Park, and Garner and Dobbin both commented on an Instagram post of the forward signing his Al-Ettifaq deal to bid farewell to the outgoing Everton striker.
They said, “Good luck, brother.”
I’m relieved the saga is over.
This has been a long-running transfer issue since Sean Dyche made it obvious that the forward was not in his plans for this season, despite barring his escape during the transfer window.
It is the wisest decision for all parties involved since Everton gets rid of a player who no longer wants to be a part of the club and Gray achieves his objectives to seek greener pastures elsewhere.
While Dobbin and Garner have gone out of their way to congratulate Gray on his departure from Goodison Park, both players will be relieved that the issue that had cast a tremendous cloud over the club has come to an end.
The Jamaican international made it clear that he did not want to set foot on the Goodison Park pitch again following what he perceived to be a year of harassment and “disrespect” under Dyche’s leadership, when he simply could not break into the team despite their depleted attacking options last season.
Now is the time for Everton to move on, and one player will undoubtedly take this new exit as an opportunity to make his mark on Merseyside, and that is undoubtedly Dobbin, who has already been given first-team attention this season.
This is Garner’s season to shine as well. The ball is in its respective courts.
In other Everton news, Alan Myers has spoken out on whether the club will pursue a free transfer to replace Gray.
