DAVID MOYES has admitted for the first time he is unlikely to have the Mikel Arteta transfer money to spend on new players – with Everton’s banks having taken the majority of the £10million fee.

The Goodison outfit have consistently dismissed suggestions that Arteta’s departure for Arsenal on deadline day in August was primarily to ease the club’s debts.

But while Moyes maintains it was his decision to sell the player, he revealed the transfer fee has already been swallowed up by Everton to service their deficit.

Asked yesterday if he would have access to the £10m in this month’s transfer window, the Goodison manager said: “I don’t think that is going to be the case.

“I think everybody knew at the time that the bank wanted the money. People knew that really.”

Moyes had originally pinpointed signing a new striker and creative midfielder on loan this month, although that focus shifted when Phil Jagielka was last week ruled out for up to six weeks with knee ligament damage.

Jagielka will be one of several players missing as an injury-hit Everton travel to Tottenham Hotspur for their rearranged Premier League fixture this evening.

While the Goodison outfit are in mid-table, Harry Redknapp’s side are challenging for the championship and victory would see them move level on points with second-placed Manchester United.

Eighteen points separate two teams who, until recently, were battling each other on a regular basis for European qualification.

And Moyes admits it is “sad” Everton have not been able to keep pace with the progress made by Tottenham.

“It is a little bit sad they are starting to pull away from us a little bit more than I would like,” said the Goodison manager.

“I think it was only three or four years ago us and Tottenham were competing neck-and-neck for European places.

“It is frustrating because all managers will tell you when you are close and competing with teams you never like to see them go away from you, but we are looking at them going away from us at this present time.

“Tottenham, arguably, might be the biggest spenders in the Premier League – they have always supported whoever the manager has been.

“They have a really good team and are title contenders. Harry has come in and done a brilliant job with them and that is why, more than likely, it might see him become England manager.

“I think it would be great for England and deservedly so because he has a really exciting team, I think a team I would probably pay to go to watch.”

As well as Jagielka, Everton are likely to be without Leon Osman (foot), Jack Rodwell (hamstring), Tony Hibbert (groin), Tim Cahill (groin) and Ross Barkley (knee), while Seamus Coleman limped out of Saturday’s FA Cup win over Tamworth with a recurrence of a thigh injury. However, Louis Saha, rested at the weekend, will come back into contention.

Martin Atkinson is tonight’s referee – his first Everton game since dismissing Jack Rodwell in October’s Goodison derby – while the official for Saturday’s visit to Aston Villa is Mark Clattenburg, ending a 131-game wait since his controversial handling of Everton’s home derby defeat in October 2007.

“I don’t pick the referees so it is not up to me and I don’t think it is right that managers should choose who the referees are,” said Moyes. “It is up to the PGMO (Professional Game Match Officials) to choose.

“It is not my job I have to go with the people who pick them, but it would be interesting to see if they got the jobs at Goodison.”