Ex Everton striker branded 'diver' by Crystal Palace legend explains failed Eagles transfer

Ex Everton striker Oumar Niasse has admitted he almost completed a transfer to Crystal Palace in 2017, but that the deal collapsed at the final hurdle.

The 35-year-old is now somewhat of a forgotten figure in the history of the Premier League. The Toffees forked out £13.5 million to sign him from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2017 but it never really worked out for the forward in the top flight.

Niasse managed just 12 goals in 65 Premier League appearances but only nine of those came at Everton. The striker was loaned to Hull City and Cardiff City during his time on Merseyside, having been deemed surplus to requirements.

Ex Everton striker Niasse opens up on collapsed Crystal Palace transfer

The player also almost left Everton for Crystal Palace. The Eagles were linked with a move for Niasse in 2017 and it was reported that a fee had even been agreed between the two Premier League rivals when Frank de Boer was in charge.

Niasse appears to have confirmed that, suggesting that the transfer was almost at completion when it fell through. He told More Than A Match: “Three days before the transfer window closed, I started talking with Palace. They wanted me and they offer me a bit of better salary and stuff like that. Offered me a three-year contract.

“Then, deadline day, I went to London, did my medical, did everything I was supposed to do. Last minute, some complication happened between my agent and the club, Crystal Palace.

“It was a nightmare. So it was kind of a little bit of disrespect to the way I understood it, the way they handled the situation. So I said, you know, they just said to me, this is what they’re going to do. If you want to sign, that was like an hour before the transfer window closed. And I said to my agent, let’s go. We walked out to the door there.”

Scott Dann branded Niasse ‘diver’

Niasse didn’t sign and in November of that year, the striker went on to play a pivotal in helping Everton to take a point off Crystal Palace. The forward scored the Toffee’s second in a 2-2 draw, having also helped them to level at 1-1 thanks to winning a penalty that Leighton Baines converted.

It’s fair to say that Niasse did not endear himself to Crystal Palace supporters that night with suggestions of simulation over the way he won the penalty. Crystal Palace defender Scott Dan, who made 181 appearances for the club, said after the game: "He has conned the referee. I don't like to see people getting punished but also I don't like people diving to win penalties.

"[Niasse] probably knows he has conned them. If there was [contact] it was minimal. I haven't tried to tackle him; he has gone past me and you can see on the replays he has dived. At half-time, [Taylor] probably knew he made the wrong decision."

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