Can it get any worse for Everton?! Empty transfer window spills into February as Ayew snubs Toffees for Nottingham Forest

• Everton miss out on Ayew
• Yet another transfer failure
• No signings made in mid-season window

WHAT HAPPENED? Everton's struggles show few signs of easing with January transfer target Andre Ayew having completed a move to Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest. The Toffees held talks with the Ghana captain, but he favoured a move to the City Ground over Goodison Park - another stinging blow amid reports few players want to move to Everton right now.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The Toffees have had a tough January window and were left embarrassed when Chelsea's pursuit of midfielder Amadou Onana stalled as no Blues player wanted to move to Goodison Park as part of a swap deal.

WHAT THEY SAID?: "We worked very, very hard [to bring new players in],” new manager Sean Dyche said. “I can assure you the club worked hard because I was here, I was watching it, I was involved in it. I was ringing agents. We were doing all of the diligence, crunching all of the numbers, analytics, doing all that we could do to define the players that could help."

AND WHAT'S MORE: Ayew, meanwhile, has made it clear just how excited he is to be linking up with Nottingham Forest and manager Steve Cooper.

"It’s a great feeling to sign for Nottingham Forest," he told the club's official website. I know how big the club is and I know how much the club means to the city and the fanbase. It’s always been difficult whenever I’ve played against Forest and at the City Ground and I love the stadium."

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Dyche now faces a tricky first game in charge of Everton against Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday, while Ayew will be hoping to make his Forest debut against Leeds United on Sunday.