Last Updated: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:23
Everton have hit back at claims of complacency over the Dan Gosling affair and denied they chose not to keep him.
Gosling has joined Newcastle on a free transfer after Everton did not offer him a new written contract in time to replace his former one, meaning he was allowed to leave on a free.
Chairman Bill Kenwright has denied claims from his representative David Hodgson that they deliberately stalled on a deal because of Gosling's cruciate knee injury.
He said: "In the very long history of our club, our executive team have never once forgotten or neglected to deal properly and professionally with contractual matters.
"We place our trust in people; we always keep our side of any offered deal - and all we have ever asked is that others do the same."
Everton boss David Moyes added: "Dan came to see me and told me that he saw himself as a central midfield player rather than someone who operated in a wide position.
"I did not think at that point that he would get into the Everton team as a central midfield player.
"I was always fully aware of the handshake agreement which Dave Hodgson had with a senior club official regarding Dan's fourth and fifth years - and because of that agreement there wasn't, in my opinion, any necessity to put anything in writing.
"The first I knew of a problem was when Dave rang me to say that Dan's contract had lapsed and that he would be seeking to leave us on a free transfer."