Toffees striker search begins as Moyes closes in on Spencer

DAVID MOYES is already working to improve Everton’s scoring department that has managed only 31 Barclays Premiership goals all season.

The Everton chief has agreed a fee for Oldham’s 17-year-old striker Scott Spencer, but despite travelling to Cardiff to watch England Under-21 hitman Cameron Jerome on Friday, his interest is believed to have cooled on the Welsh club’s £3million-rated front man.

With James Beattie having not scored for six games, and Duncan Ferguson unlikely to be retained when his contract runs out in the summer, Moyes needs to work hard to solve his goalscoring problems.

Spencer will cost a £225,000 down payment and could sign by the weekend, subject to a medical.

Oldham’s chief executive Alan Hardy said: “A deal has been agreed in principle with Everton, it is now down to a medical and whether the boy wants to move.”