Gibson To Join Everton?

Everton are hoping to make Manchester United's Darron Gibson their first signing in the January transfer window.

Manager David Moyes has a limited transfer budget to work with despite selling Mikel Arteta to Arsenal for £10m last summer.

The 24-year-old Republic of Ireland midfielder would cost around £2m.

Gibson is down the pecking order at United and wants regular football to boost his chances of appearing for the Republic of Ireland at Euro 2012.

Moyes had said before Wednesday's 2 -0 defeat at Tottenham he was unlikely to see any of the Arteta transfer cash because it went to the club's bankers.

Everton had to pay £1.2m of the Arteta cash to his former club Real Sociedad while it is understood around £2m has been spent on new contracts and deals such as the one which brought Landon Donovan back to Goodison Park from LA Galaxy for a short loan spell.

The deal to re-sign Donovan was set up before the window opened and Moyes has yet to make any additions to his squad since the start of January.

Moyes is hoping to persuade Gibson to make the switch to Everton after a proposed summer move to Sunderland broke down over personal terms.

The Toffees boss had been hoping to sign a striker in January but may need to pay more attention to central defence, with England international Phil Jagielka out for six weeks with a knee injury and Sylvain Distin suffering a hamstring injury at White Hart Lane.

GIBSON PROFILE
Born: 25 Oct 1987
Birthplace: Londonderry
United debut: 26 Oct 2005 v Barnet
United appearances: 60
United goals: 10
2011-12 apps: 2
2011-12 goals: 0
Previous clubs: Wolves (loan)
Rep of Ire caps: 17