Spiralling costs may lead Everton to pull out of stadium move

Everton's proposed move to a new multi-million stadium at Liverpool's King's Dock is on the verge of collapse as the club's board contemplate reallocating the funds to their manager David Moyes's high-flying team instead.

The club have carried out a feasibility study into the move and will make a decision shortly about whether to proceed, but they are now likely to pull the plug.

The sheer cost of the move is worrying the club's owner, Bill Kenwright, and his allies, and any available finance may now be diverted to Moyes. Everton must find £30m in three weeks to have a 50 per cent stake in the new development, which will take around £160m to build even if it is given council agreement in the first place. To find the money would mean a long-term mortgage at potentially crippling lending rates and that would jeopardise Moyes's rebuilding. That bill could run to almost £60m in repayments.

As Everton need money to sign Joseph Yobo from Marseilles on a permanent basis and also give Wayne Rooney a contract to stay rather than cash in on him, they have to channel funds towards the players rather than a ground. Kenwright is also concerned that putting restrictions on Moyes could result in his departure.

The former Everton striker Gary Lineker hopes to make a bid to rescue his first club, financially troubled Leicester City, by the end of this week. The former England forward is part of a consortium set up to try and save his old club, and with his associates Greg Clarke and Jon Holmes believes he has attracted enough capital to help put the First Division side back on an even keel.

The former Arsenal and Everton winger Anders Limpar has announced his retirement at the age of 37. The former Swedish international, who won the league with Arsenal and the FA Cup with Everton, said: "It's time for me to stop. I must listen to my body."

Tottenham Hotspur's Simon Davies has had his first caution in the north London derby against Arsenal rescinded. The Wales international midfielder was sent off by referee Mike Riley for his second bookable offence, a tackle on Patrick Vieira, after an innocuous earlier challenge on Ashley Cole resulted in a yellow card. He still faces a one-match ban, however, for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.