Everton fans have given their verdict on a big summer in the transfer market and the season to come
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Everton executive chairman, and key Friedkin Group figure, Marc Watts (R) looks on next to interim chief executive officer Colin Chong during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Chelsea FC at Goodison Park. Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Everton executive chairman, and key Friedkin Group figure, Marc Watts (R) looks on next to interim chief executive officer Colin Chong during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Chelsea FC at Goodison Park. Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Everton face a transformative summer on and off the pitch as The Friedkin Group lead the club into a new era. The Blues will officially move into the Hill Dickinson Stadium in the coming months as David Moyes overhauls his squad.
Indeed, Everton are looking ahead to a busy transfer window with a number of senior players having left at the end of their contracts or loan deals.
Moyes has prioritised new contracts, with the Toffees currently in talks with Idrissa Gueye, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Seamus Coleman and Michael Keane before the expiration of their current terms.
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But he will also need to be active in the transfer market in order to have the options he needs for the current season, and in a poll conducted by the ECHO, thousands of Evertonians have given their views on the months ahead.
A huge 91% of those who voted said that Gueye's contract was the priority out of the players whose terms expire, with Calvert-Lewin next with just six percent.
And fans want new owners The Friedkin Group to splash the cash this summer, with the American group set to fund the squad overhaul. Everton will still have to be mindful of PSR rules, but the Blues can operate more freely than in previous transfer windows.
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And 34% of Evertonians want to see between £75-100m spent on squad strengthening, with 30% hopeful of a more modest £50-75m.
Sixteen percent believe the transfer spend should be upwards of £100m, with 10% expecting between £25-50m and nine percent hoping for upwards of £125m.
Of that cash, the majority want to see it prioritised on finding a new striker. Thierno Barry and Nick Woltemade are being considered by Moyes, with Liam Delap sounded out over a move before signing for Chelsea.
Sixty-two percent of supporters voted striker as the priority position, with 18% choosing winger. Full-back (11%) and midfielders (7%) were next.
While the summer remains uncertain, with much work still do be done by Moyes and his staff in the transfer market, having the Scot back at the helm has clearly given Evertonians confidence that the club is back on an upward trajectory.
When asked how Everton would fare in the Premier League next summer, an overwhelming 42% of fans voted for a top half finish, while 23% believed it would be a good league performance and a cup run.
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A mid-table finish is expected by 17% of fans, with 15% tipping the Blues to challenge for Europe. Only one percent of voters believed another relegation battle was on the cards.