• Premier League

Pienaar contract talks hit dead end

ESPNsoccernet staff
October 28, 2010
Steven Pienaar could be on his way out of Everton
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Everton fear they will lose midfielder Steven Pienaar on a free transfer next summer after contract talks with the South African international hit an impasse.

Pienaar, 28, has refused to sign an improved deal - reported to be worth around £65,000 per week - and is free to enter into a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in January.

The former Ajax player joined Everton from Borussia Dortmund in a bargain £2 million deal in 2007 and has been a huge hit at Goodison Park.

Everton captain Phil Neville is desperate for Pienaar to stay but has revealed that the club have exhausted every avenue in their efforts to keep the midfielder.

"It would be a massive blow to lose him," Neville said. "He's such an influential character. But it happened to Joleon Lescott and we did not want him to move.

"You can say to Steven every minute of the day that we don't want him to leave. But at the end of the day, it's his decision. He's from South Africa, he's played for Ajax, then Dortmund. Now he's been to Everton and had the happiest days of his career, I think.

"The club wants him to stay, but there's not much else we can say. He's probably weighing up his options now and you just hope for our sake that he signs."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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