“I've said I'll keep him no matter what, so I'm not changing that view,” said the Everton manager. “We haven't had an offer and we are not encouraging any offers for him, and if anyone did make an offer they'd need a sackful of cash because I'm happy to go with our players this year. I'm not in a rush to sell them.

“The board might need to make a decision on that, but at the moment the board aren't telling me to sell Steven Pienaar.

“He was our player of the year last year, we don't want him to go and he doesn't want to go. We've made him a really good offer.”

The failure to agree terms with Pienaar has brought into focus the financial restraints Moyes has been forced to work within during the summer transfer window.

The Everton manager has splashed out only a minimal outlay in signing Jan Mucha, Jermaine Beckford, Magaye Gueye and Joao Silva.

And a lack of funds was responsible for Moyes being unable to lure Bellamy from Manchester City this week.

It is believed the Wales international had made Everton his preferred choice after being told he would not be part of City manager Roberto Mancini's 25-man Premier League squad.

But Bellamy instead dropped down a division to play for Championship side Cardiff City, whose bid was helped by City pledged to pay part of the player's weekly wage.

“How close did we come to Bellamy? We had a genuine interest, but we just couldn't quite afford the whole thing,” said Moyes. “I don't think it was anything about City not wanting to sell to a rival.”

Everton will look to bounce back from their opening-day defeat at Blackburn Rovers when Goodison hosts its first Premier League game of the season against Wolves.

Skipper Phil Neville is doubtful with a foot injury, although Moyes is likely to make changes with John Heitinga, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Jack Rodwell and Jermaine Beckford all pressing for a recall.

However, Victor Anichebe remains absent having suffered bone bruising on his knee.