With the Premier League return looming, a lack of fresh reinforcements leaves David Moyes relying on last season’s core and unproven talent to fill glaring squad holes.
Everton’s summer transfer window is far from over, I hope…
The Toffees have secured three new additions in the window so far, but only one of those is a new body.
Merlin Rohl’s loan deal was automatically turned permanent this summer following Everton’s survival in the Premier League.
Tyrique George was signed on a permanent transfer following his temporary spell with the Toffees last season, which saw him start just one Premier League game.
The new addition is, of course, Hayden Hackney, but there’s even an argument to suggest he might not be coming in as a guaranteed starter right now.
That shows that Everton’s squad is far from complete. There are still far too many holes as we head towards the start of the 2026/2027 campaign.
The Premier League returns in under a month, and the Toffees would likely line up with a starting XI who were here last season if the campaign got underway tomorrow.
If we’re being honest, nothing is going to change as of right now.
Jordan Pickford will be between the sticks, as expected, and that’s obviously not an area we need to be worried about this summer.
Jake O’Brien and Vitalii Mykolenko are the current starting full-backs, and there’s little chance that’s going to change unless a new arrival comes through the door.
James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, if the latter is fit, would be the starting two centre-backs.
Movement is needed in the defence.
Some might be expecting Hackney to come into this position, but I just can’t see it.
As it stands, it’s likely to be James Garner and Tim Iroegbunam. The latter was just a squad player last season, but given Hackney’s preference to operate in more advanced areas, it feels like Iroegbunam would be David Moyes’ pick right now.
There’s a small chance Hackney might be ahead of Iroegbunam, but if I’m trying to sit in the mind of Moyes, it’s going to be a Garner and Iroegbunam midfield for now.
As of right now, this picks itself.
It’s likely to be Iliman Ndiaye, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Tyrique George if no new signings are made.
In reality, that’s not going to change unless someone else comes in. Ndiaye is competing with Tyler Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall has Charly Alcaraz and Hackney as competition, and that leaves George as the only left-sided option.
As we saw last season, this is a toss of a coin. Personally, I’d like to see Thierno Barry be the main man and prove himself this campaign.
Either way, we’re likely to see both him and Beto switching in and out throughout the season.
A difficult one to predict, but nothing's changed either way.
Starting XI: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Iroegbunam, Garner; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, George; Barry.
Subs: Travers, Keane, Aznou, Hackney, Rohl, Armstrong, Alcaraz, Dibling, Beto.
In summary, a lot of work to do. Get a move on, Everton.