DAVID MOYES has pointed the finger at Steven Pienaar’s agent for the hold-up that is threatening the midfielder’s permanent transfer to Everton.

The Goodison manager yesterday revealed a contract has been agreed with the South Africa international, who is approaching the end of a season-long loan from Borussia Dortmund.

Interested clubs have until the end of the month to take up an option to sign Pienaar for £2.2million from the Bundesliga outfit.

The 26-year-old is keen to stay at Everton but admitted earlier this week that he may be forced to look elsewhere if the current impasse doesn’t end within the next few days.

And it has emerged that a fee for Pienaar’s representative is the final sticking point threatening the entire deal.

“As far as I know Steven Pienaar’s contract is agreed, it’s all done,” said Moyes. “I think it’s his agent’s money that isn’t agreed.

“As far as I know everything has been done for a while, so I think it is to do with money for the agent.

“There is no problem with Borussia Dortmund, that end of it has been in place for months.

“Steven has done well for us and has been one of the reasons we have played so much better football this season.

“We needed that skill. He is not the biggest, but if you want to buy a player who is big and strong and can play good football – I suppose I’m talking about (Cristiano) Ronaldo – then you must pay top dollar.

“Sometimes you have to look a little lower, and Steven has done everything we have asked of him.”

Pienaar has proven a huge success at Everton since his arrival last summer but is a major doubt for this afternoon’s trip to Birmingham City with a calf injury.

Also struggling is Mikel Arteta, who continues to be hampered by the abdominal problem that has plagued him in recent months.

While hopeful surgery won’t be necessary, Moyes admits Everton will now attempt to nurse the Spanish midfielder through to the end of the season.

“Mikel has not trained all week and he has got a problem,” said the Goodison Park manager. “We’re hoping that we can get him to play with it, even if it might mean a reduced performance from him.

“It’s the same problem as before. I’m hoping that we can try and get him to perform for us in the remaining games.”

Moyes added: “It’s disappointing that we haven’t got to the bottom of the problem. We think probably rest would be the biggest cure. We’ve tried to give him a week here, five days there, maybe two weeks at times, but we’ve had a programme until maybe the last couple of weeks where we have been playing two games a week.

“We want to get the bottom of it and get it cleared up. We don’t think it will need surgery.”

With Leon Osman fighting to recover from a hip injury suffered in training this week, Everton’s midfield options are in danger of being stretched to the limit.

Tony Hibbert (hip) is also a doubt, while Tim Cahill (foot) and James Vaughan (knee) are sidelined for the rest of the season.

Meanwhile, reserve team manager Andy Holden has been handed a two-game touchline ban and a £500 fine by the Football Association after being red-carded during the reserves’ recent league fixture with Manchester United at Widnes.

Holden has been working more closely with the first team alongside manager David Moyes since Alan Irvine’s departure earlier in the season, but must now sit in the stands for the Premier League fixtures against Aston Villa and Arsenal.