Several senior players are struggling for minutes but Sean Dyche believes Everton will need to be careful when considering any loan interest
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LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 09: Sean Dyche of Everton during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Everton FC at London Stadium on November 09, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC)
Everton boss Sean Dyche(Image: Tony McArdle/Everton FC)
Everton will assess the transfer market before deciding on whether to sanction the departures of players on loan next month.
Sean Dyche is on the cusp of having a full squad available to him for the first time this season, with strikers Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti having now overcome injuries that had kept them out since the summer.
Dwight McNeil is in an ongoing battle with a knee issue that is believed to be minor and midfielders Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner remain out but are making progress on their injuries.
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The squad situation could create chances for some senior players who have struggled for minutes to explore opportunities to develop elsewhere. Chermiti has been coveted by Dyche while out due to the impressive pre-season he enjoyed before a serious foot injury. Should Beto remain in the club’s plans then Chermiti would be one of four strikers under a manager who prefers to play with one upfront with the current squad.
Chermiti, like Nathan Patterson, attracted loan interest in January of last season but neither were allowed to leave as Everton attempted to make do with a small squad. Both players, like centre back Jake O'Brien could attract offers of a temporary switch.
Those pressures remain, meaning any senior departures will be carefully judged and will be decided on in the context of any incomings. There is a desire to improve the first team squad but Profit and Sustainability Regulations will be a constraint to any immediate ambition of the new owners The Friedkin Group.
Younger players could be more likely to earn development loans, with substantial interest in 17-year-old Harrison Armstrong, who has been a fixture of the first team squad this season.
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Looking ahead to the opening of the transfer window, Dyche said of any outgoing loan options: “We will see but we are still not carrying a big squad when everyone is fully fit. So we'll have to make those decisions and any, if we can, work in the market on incomings, and whether that will free someone up.
"But we'll have to wait and see. We certainly don't have enough depth where we're going to go: ‘Oh, well they need to go out.’
“With younger players we are always looking at that because we have still got to keep the business side of it going… we will look and see what we decide in January.”