The ECHO takes a look at a sample of some of the many, many names linked to Everton so far this summer
David Moyes looks on prior to the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Everton at St James' Park. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
David Moyes looks on prior to the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Everton at St James' Park. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Every transfer window is a whirl of speculation but, this summer, the rumour mill seems to have set up camp outside the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Dozens have already been linked during a close season that is still just weeks old. And so far, only two have advanced into serious talks. One, Carlos Alcaraz, was already wearing Royal Blue when the players left the pitch after that final day win at Newcastle United.
The 22-year-old was on loan when he glanced in Vitalii Mykolenko’s cross at St James’ Park and the call to make his move from Flamengo a permanent one will have been one of the easiest decisions of either of David Moyes’ stints with Everton.
Solving the longstanding problem at right back was another important job on the summer wishlist and, with the club having held talks with Fulham player Kenny Tete, they hope to take a step towards resolving that issue.
Tete was one of a quartet of right backs spoken about as candidates for that job over recent weeks. Vladimir Coufal, who will leave West Ham United when his contract expires, was an easy link given his previous success under Moyes, though he did not start the summer high on his old boss’ radar. Kyle Walker-Peters, set to leave Southampton, was another who returned to the Everton conversation - he, like Juventus attacker Timothy Weah and Leicester City midfielder Wilfried Ndidi - seem to get linked to the Blues every six months. All three have again over recent weeks.
One of the more interesting themes of the window so far has been the willingness to suggest Everton as the next destination for those with questions over their Manchester City futures. Kyle Walker was the fourth right back candidate to be named as a possible target for Everton following his stint with AC Milan. The ECHO reported last week that, at the time, he was not thought to be a priority. His teammates Jack Grealish and James McAtee have also been mooted as possible future Blues.
Both could well leave the Etihad. While Moyes is not afraid of a marquee signing this summer, City are expected to want to recoup a chunk of the £100m they spent to bring him from Aston Villa and try and secure his exit on a permanent basis. Should Everton embark on a pursuit of Grealish it would most likely be on loan and, even then, given the numbers involved, the club may have to wait until later in the window before City are interested in a deal that suited them.
McAtee, currently at the European Championships with England’s Under-21s is a far more compelling target. A young, talented, creative player, he would fit into the type of exciting, developing squad that Everton would like to build and could well be the subject of hardened interest in the coming weeks.
As for John Stones, another City player linked to Everton, he sought to dampen claims he is set to leave when, earlier this week, he said: “I’m here, I want to stay here, I love it. I’m here to help the team, and I don’t know what’s been said or speculated, but I hope that kind of shuts it down.”
Sunderland is another squad filled with players linked to Everton. Moyes remains a big believer in mining the Championship for future stars and had the club all over the second tier during the second half of the season. The price tag for the Black Cats’ starlets will have risen with their promotion to the Premier League, however.
So too has the incentive to stay, with right back Trai Hume suggesting he is keen to remain at the Stadium of Light. Midfielders Chris Rigg and Dan Neil continue to be linked.
Sunderland overcame Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final and links to Blades star Gus Hamer have followed. Elsewhere, Tom Fellows of West Bromwich Albion was tracked by the outgoing recruitment chiefs at Everton and it remains to be seen whether he continues to be of interest. Everton need options on the right of the midfield and one name that can be linked with certainty is Ben Doak, the teenage Liverpool winger who was on loan at Middlesbrough. Moyes is known to be a fan.
The Scot also likes Sean Longstaff, who could help to beef up his central midfield. A move for the Newcastle player was explored in January and, with Longstaff out of favour in the North East, Moyes could well take another look. He also likes Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall but does not expect the Chelsea midfielder to be available, while he holds admiration for Tomas Soucek after their work together at the Hammers. As desperate as he is to improve set pieces, he did not enter the transfer window with James Ward-Prowse high on his agenda.
The Blues boss desperately wants to bolster the creativity of his side and there has been interest in Thierno Barry of Villarreal, who is at the Euros U21s with France, and Nick Woltemade, who has lit up the tournament with Germany.
Liam Delap was of clear interest as Everton ended the last campaign in a very public pursuit of the Ipswich Town forward. They were unable to land the forward, who opted for Chelsea after conversations with Everton and others.
But while the move failed, it was a statement of ambition heading into this rebuild. Whether Everton seriously chase another forward may, in part, depend on what happens with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who will leave next week unless the final days of his contract produce a development.
The early signs of the summer were that Evan Ferguson, the Brighton and Hove Albion forward who ended last season on loan at West Ham, would not be at the top of the list should such a chase unfold. Moyes was also clear on his thoughts of bringing Richarlison back from Tottenham Hotspur when asked late in the campaign.
That is just a selection of the names linked with Everton - a small sample of the links so far.
The reality is many more will follow, given the Blues have so much to do and so many areas to fill. Add in the regulatory and financial progress wrought by new owners The Friedkin Group and far more appears possible than previous fraught years of ducking and diving through the market.
Another reality is the caveat that anything could happen. With so many gaps to plug, the window could take Everton down any number of pathways depending on who signs where, and for what.
And with a new leadership team in place, incoming figures will have their own views on who would be suitable - views which may differ to the ones previously expressed and reported above.