Everton winger Demarai Gray joins Saudi side Al-Ettifaq

Everton winger Demarai Gray has joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq after a public falling out with the Premier league team.

The clubs did not disclose any details but British media said Steven Gerrard's side paid a transfer fee of eight million pounds ($9.98 million), with Gray signing a four-year deal.

Everton manager Sean Dyche criticised Gray this week saying he "didn't want to train" and "didn't want to be here," after the player wrote on Instagram: "It's so difficult to play for someone who doesn't show you respect as a person".

Gray, who had not played for Everton this season, moved to the Merseyside club from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021 and played 75 times, scoring 12 goals.

"I gave my all to this club on and off the pitch through good and bad," Gray said in a statement released by Al-Ettifaq. "I was ready to play as much football as possible this season but it felt like this was not going to happen.

"It's time for my next chapter."

Birmingham-born Gray was an England youth international but switched allegiance this year to Jamaica and has five caps.

Under former Liverpool captain Gerrard, Al-Ettifaq have signed Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum, who also played at Anfield, plus Moussa Dembele from Olympique Lyonnais.

($1 = 0.8015 pounds) (Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad; Editing by Ken Ferris)