LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 21: Iliman Ndiaye of Everton (L) celebrates with Idrissa Gueye of Everton (C) and Beto of Everton (R) after scoring their 3rd goal during the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Speculation surrounds the future of a number of Everton players, including Iliman Ndiaye, Idrissa Gueye and Beto (Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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The World Cup may be in full swing but attention will soon return to Everton. The Blues will be back in pre-season training at the start of next month ahead of their opening friendly away to Dundee two weeks on Saturday.
As it stands Everton will have no new signings in their squad that travels to Dens Park, although the club continues to negotiate with Middlesbrough over the Championship Player of the Season Hayden Hackney.
With the Premier League season not starting until August 22, when Crystal Palace visit Hill Dickinson Stadium, and the transfer window open until September 3, there is still plenty of time for deals to be done.
But as our squad audit shows, a lot of work is required...
Goalkeepers
The most stable area of the Blues' squad is between the posts. Jordan Pickford is the club's undisputed No.1 with Mark Travers the England star's back-up and Tom King third-choice.
Providing Republic of Ireland international Travers or Wales international King do not push for moves in search of first-team football, both should be kept to provide cover and competition for Pickford, who committed his future to the club in October when he signed a new long-term contract.
Defenders
It would appear unlikely that Everton will be searching for a new centre-back this summer given James Tarkowski and Michael Keane, like Pickford, have penned new contracts. The bigger question facing David Moyes is whether the experienced duo will start in his side next season.
Jarrad Branthwaite is one of the first names on the team sheet when he is fit, which sadly has not been the case anywhere near enough in recent times. But with the England international looking poised to return in time for the start of pre-season, everyone at the club will be hoping he can enjoy an injury-free campaign.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Jake O’Brien if the club finally sign a right-back. O'Brien has done well in the role since Moyes' return in January 2025, but toward the end of last season it became clear that for his good, and the team's good, he needs to play in his natural position as centre-back.
But for that time to happen, the Blues must actually sign a right-back. The desire one for a specialist in that position has been pressing for far too long now but with the legendary Seamus Coleman having called time on his playing career at the club, Moyes simply needs one now given it would be the right decision to sell Nathan Patterson, who was already attracting suitors before he appeared in every match for Scotland at the World Cup.
Another left-back could also be required. While Vitalii Mykolenko is staying after signing a new contract, there appears little point keeping Adam Aznou if he is deemed not ready for first-team football. For his own development, Aznou needs to be playing, so a loan move away would suit all parties.
Midfielders
James Garner, the club's Player of the Season, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who pushed the new England international close for that honour, are two players who will definitely be retained. And having triggered the £18m clause to make Merlin Rohl's move permanent, he will be staying too.
But uncertainty remains over the other four players who can also play in central midfield.
Idrissa Gueye's importance to the team was underlined by how much he was missed in the final four games of the season. However, with his contract expiring this week, and no progress on talks expected until after Senegal exit the World Cup, his future remains up in the air. There is a strong argument to keep Gueye, but the pursuit of Hackney, and links to the like of his Senegal team-mate Pape Gueye and Parma's Mandela Keita, suggests change is coming.
Tim Iroegbunam showed enough at the end of the campaign, when stepping up to replace his veteran team-mate, particularly in the 3-3 home draw with Manchester City, to suggest he is a player Everton should keep. But with real interest from the likes of Hull City and Ipswich Town, they could be tempted to sell at £20m.
Carlos Alcaraz fits into the same category as Iroegbunam as a player Evertonians would not want to see leave. But the Argentinean, who has been linked with to a return to his homeland with River Plate, does not seem to have fully won the trust of Moyes and with just a year left on his contract, he could be sold to raise funds.
Then there is Harrison Armstrong, the club's most promising young talent. Blues supporters would love the 19-year-old to become a permanent fixture in the starting XI, but if he is to spend more time on the bench than on the pitch, a full season on loan, at the top end of the Championship, or even abroad, could be good for him and for the club.
Wingers
When Everton make the trip to Dundee, their wide options could comprise Tyler Dibling and Dwight McNeil, given Jack Grealish and Tyrique George have returned to their parent clubs and given Iliman Ndiaye will be having time off after his excursions at the World Cup.
That shows that, along with securing a right-back, strengthening the wide positions is a priority.
The Blues should keep Grealish, if a new deal can be done with Manchester City and if he proves his fitness after the season-ending injury he sustained in January, and there is a strong argument to suggest that they should do the same with George.
However, that now appears unlikely after they decided against triggering his £25m purchase option in his Chelsea contract.
There remains the possibility they will attempt to negotiate a new deal, but would George returning impact the minutes of Dibling, the player Everton have invested a significant amount of money in?
If the Blues are to keep the £35m signing, and not send him out on loan, Dibling needs game time.
McNeil, meanwhile, was given the green light to leave for Crystal Palace in a loan-to-buy £20m transfer in January only for it to collapse on the final day of the window. With just 12 months left on his contract, it would make sense to sell the former Burnley man this summer. But given the lack of wide options currently available to Moyes, McNeil may need to stay.
Especially so with speculation swirling around star man Ndiaye, who is currently enhancing his reputation at the World Cup.
With three years left on his contract, Everton hold all the cards, but with the Senegal international having reportedly turned down the offer of a new deal, and having made his ambition to play in the Champions League clear, if a huge offer comes in for Ndiaye this summer, the club could have a decision to make.
Strikers
There is also uncertainly over the striking situation. Beto's return of nine goals and Thierno Barry's return of eight goals in the Premier League last season was creditable. But neither truly made the centre-forward position their own and question marks hang over their futures.
Beto, like a number of his team-mates, has just a year remaining on his contract, and if the Blues are going to sell, this summer feels the time to do that.
However, Barry is the subject of interest from RB Leipzig, and should that interest be followed up on with a bid, the ECHO understands the club's football leadership group will decide how to proceed.
While Moyes would appear happy to go forward with two striker options, he needs to keep at least one, and if the other is sold, another new signing up front would be required.