Neill finds a club

LUCAS NEILL is set to join Premeir League rivals Everton on a free-transfer, after having a medical on Merseyside today.

Everton manager David Moyes has been forced to move for the former West Ham captain after seeing his own skipper Phil Neville ruled out for a number of months after sustaining a knee-injury at Fulham.

Neill will seemingly offer Moyes midfield cover rathen than at right-back, as the Toffees are well covered in the area with Tony Hibbert and new-signing Johnny Heitinga.

The Australian international saw his contract expire this summer, but was unable to agree terms on an extension, despite Hammers manager Gianfranco Zola stating his wish to keep the defender.

It is thought Neill, 31, was offered reduced terms on his original contract sanctioned in January 2007 under previous CEO Eggert Magnusson. After arriving from Blackburn Rovers it was rumoured that the right-back was taking home £60K per week and it is believed that West Ham offered Neill approximately half that figure to extend his stay at the Boleyn. The offer was turned down by Neill and his advisors. An improved offer from the club failed to materialise, with current CEO Scott Duxbury intent on reducing the excesses of the previous regime.

Neill was linked with moves to Sunderland and Galatasaray earlier this summer although neither move materialized.

Lucas Neill's West Ham career:

Joined: January 2007
Previous Club: Blackburn Rovers
Fee: £1.5m
Appearances:
79 (League) 1 goal
5 (FA Cup) 0 goals
5 (League Cup) 0 goals