Youth-focused intrigue A Deadline Twist— Everton’s McNeil Exit Could Open the Door for an 18-Year-Old Star

Everton have been hit with late interest in Dwight McNeil as the transfer deadline approaches.

Nottingham Forest are pushing to secure a move for the Everton No.7 before Monday’s 5pm cutoff. According to Sky Sports, the Toffees are open to a sale — but only if a suitable replacement can be lined up in time.

That replacement, however, may already be within David Moyes’ reach in the form of highly-rated teenager Braiden Graham.

Everton appear to have unearthed a genuine gem in the 18-year-old forward. Graham once again showcased his quality on Friday night, scoring his 14th and 15th goals of the season in a convincing 2-0 victory for the Everton U21s over Tottenham.

The youngster now boasts 15 goals and two assists in 21 appearances, and his calm, clinical finish to open the scoring against Spurs underlined his growing maturity in front of goal. In our view, his consistent performances suggest the time has come for the Northern Ireland U19 international to be handed his senior Everton debut.

Graham’s fearlessness in the final third stands out, and with Forest potentially offering Everton the chance to recover part of the £20m spent on McNeil when he arrived from Burnley in July 2022, The Friedkin Group will have a significant decision to make.

It remains unclear how much Forest are prepared to pay for the 26-year-old winger, whose contract runs until July 2027.

While McNeil was criticised following Everton’s 1-1 draw with Leeds, his versatility has remained a key asset for Moyes, having featured across both wings and centrally this season.

That said, Graham also offers remarkable flexibility. He has operated on the left, as a central striker and as an attacking midfielder for Everton’s youth sides, while also featuring on the right flank for Northern Ireland’s U19s.

With McNeil registering just one assist and no goals from 18 appearances this campaign, the argument grows stronger that Everton would benefit more from investing those minutes in Graham — a precocious talent who continues to prove, week after week, that he is ready for the next step.