Joao Moutinho keen on move to Everton

After Sporting's friendly on Saturday against Blackburn Rovers, Moutinho went public with his intention to sign for Everton while urging both clubs to agree a deal for his transfer.

"Everton already made a proposal, but Sporting did not accept it," said Moutinho. "We will now see what it happens in the next few days, but Sporting already knows my will, I have already transmitted it to the people. What is my will? With the reasons that I have, I want to leave Sporting.

"I hope that an agreement can be found and that a good solution arrives for both parties."

Moutinho, who only agreed a new deal at Sporting last year, has a £19.7m buy-out clause in his contract but this can only be exercised before June 15 each year.

If that price is met after this date then it is understood certain requirements have to be met for any deal to go through.

An unhappy Sporting responded to Moutinho's comments with a strongly-worded statement, part of which read: "The FIFA agent Pini Zahavi, with a letter of representation issued by Everton, visited the headquarters of the society and transmitted that the English club offered15 million euros (£11.8 m) for the acquisition of the sporting rights of the player Joao Moutinho, with the figure eventually adding an amount not yet determined if Everton qualify for the Champions League. The proposal was rejected outright and it was told to Mr Pini Zahavi, who acted in the dual capacity as representative of the player and Everton, it was not the intention of Sporting to transfer the player."

Moutinho, who appeared for Portugual in their run to the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 during the summer, is nevertheless now almost certain to leave Sporting.

And Everton remain confident they can negotiate a deal to make the midfielder the most expensive player in the club's history.

Funds from the anticipated sale of Andrew Johnson could help facilitate the transfer.

Johnson, who was not part of the squad to travel to the United States on Saturday, is closing on a move to Premier League rivals Fulham.

The Cottagers are understood to have bid £10.5m for the England international, and that fee could eventually rise to £12m given add-ons.

That would shatter Fulham's record transfer fee of £11.5m in buying striker Steve Marlet from Lyon in 2001.

Moyes and the majority of his squad landed in Chicago on Saturday evening to begin their 10-day tour of the United States.

Andy van der Meyde was not among the party after it emerged he suffered a serious hamstring injury early on during the 1-1 friendly draw at Nottingham Forest on Friday night.

Mikel Arteta also hobbled off during the first half at the City Ground, but fears over the Spaniard's fitness have been allayed.

"Mikel seems okay," said head of physio Mick Rathbone to evertonTV. "He got a knock on the shin which caught the nerve. His foot went numb but it seems all right now. It's just a knock. It was just unfortunate and we didn't want to take chances.

"Andy's is a significant injury I'm afraid. He's pulled his hamstring. It's quite bad so we've sent him back to the training ground for a scan.

"It's so disappointing for Andy, he's trained so hard this pre-season and he was doing well."