Transfer market frustrates Moyes

David Moyes admits his plans for Everton's summer recruitment drive are being foiled on two counts.

The Goodison Park boss has been given a considerable transfer kitty by chairman Bill Kenwright, the reward for finishing fourth in the Barclays Premiership last season.

But he is struggling to identify suitable targets who would be allowed to leave their present clubs.

And when players do become available, such as Chelsea's Scott Parker, Moyes is finding the competition from league rivals intense.

Newcastle are expected to clinch the £6.5million signing of Parker, meaning Moyes has missed out on a player he admires.

To date, he has only brought in Simon Davies from Tottenham, and Moyes is thought to want several more players to bolster a thin squad which could be weakened by the loss of Steve Watson, Alessandro Pistone and Alan Stubbs.

The defensive trio have yet to respond to Everton's offer of new contracts and could bid the club farewell.

Moyes said: "We are working hard to try to bring players in.

"But there isn't much around at the moment, and whenever any quality does become available there are five or six clubs chasing the one player."

Everton's bid to land Mikael Forssell from Chelsea collapsed after they raised fears over his long-term fitness.

They remain in the market for a striker but have been buoyed by young midfielder Leon Osman, whose contract was due to expire at the end of June, signing a new four-year deal.

Osman is hopeful of seeing new faces at Everton for pre-season training, but he recalls how last season the club earned a Champions League place despite boasting few big names.

"The fact we are being linked with a lot of quality players shows the leap we have made over this last season," Osman told club's official website.

"But we know that was achieved because of hard work above all and we know that if we don't go out with that same level of application and that same amount of hard work we could fall flat on our faces."