Fans love flair and dynamism but all teams need some solid, unspectacular signings to bolster the squad. Christian Nørgaard is a better player than many might consider and ticks many boxes following the departure of Idrissa Gueye.
At 32 years of age and with just seven Premier League appearances to his name last season, Christian Nørgaard isn’t the most exciting of prospective signings, particularly at a time when many Evertonians are hankering for just that — excitement.
2025/26 ended in crushingly disappointing fashion under a manager who appeared to revert to type just when it felt as though he had evolved to the point where he could exceed the parameters of the stabilisation job he was brought in to do and sneak Everton into Europe.
The search for a right-back continues to drag on without conclusion — a bid for Celtic’s Alistair Johnston is reportedly imminent, however — left-back remains a cause for concern and a saga is brewing over the future of Iliman Ndiaye, the most entertaining player on the club’s books, who either wants to depart the Blues for pastures new or categorically isn’t going anywhere, depending on who you believe.
All teams need some solid, unspectacular but experienced players who can be relied upon to anchor the team and do the bread-and-butter things when called upon, though. It’s why Arsenal signed Nørgaard from Brentford in the first place last year, and while the Dane wasn’t required by Mikel Arteta all that often in what was, eventually, a successful tilt at the Premier League title, he did feature six times in the Champions League and made another three appearances in the FA Cup.
Everton were known to be looking for a primarily defensive midfielder this summer, regardless of whether Idrissa Gueye left. The veteran Senegalese’s departure at the end of his contact has merely heightened the urgency, not least because, together with Séamus Coleman, he represents an enormous loss of experience from David Moyes's side.
Nørgaard adds back some of that much-needed Premier League know-how and longevity, together with a big changing-room presence. Having played 116 times in the Danish league for Brøndby, the Copenhagen-born midfielder made 181 league appearances for Brentford, establishing himself as captain and one of their most influential players in the process.
Importantly for Moyes, he would add height to the Everton squad and a threat from set-pieces as a result, while also taking a mean free-kick himself. He is efficient, if not world-beating, on the ball and can certainly contribute in the final third with smart distribution and the odd goal.
Christian Nørgaard metrics, 2024/25
Metrics for Christian Nørgaard's final season with Brentford (2024/25) where he was in the top 80th percentile in the Premier League
His attraction to the Blues’ boss, however, is probably what he does on the other side of the ball. Nørgaard is physically strong and robust, covers plenty of ground, is tenacious and effective in the tackle, positionally astute and reads the game very well. Once back in control of the ball, he usually uses it intelligently to get things moving and would be a good foil for James Garner and Hayden Hackney who are of a similar inclination.
At the reported £7m Everton have agreed with Arsenal, Nørgaard represents excellent value for money. There is unlikely to be much, if any, resale value at the end of what will likely be a two- or three-year contract but, based on his form in England to date, he will likely repay the outlay in his usefulness, versatility and availability (he retired from international football in March) without too much trouble.
His impending move to Bramley-Moore Dock will pave the way for Arsenal to sign Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle and could open the door for Tim Iroegbunam to leave should a suitable offer come in for him before the transfer deadline.
While he might not be quite at the level of either Gareth Barry or Granit Xhaka, Nørgaard’s proposed move to Everton feels as though it could be similarly impactful. Neither of those players were expected to pull up many trees at Everton and Sunderland respectively, but they emerged as indispensable leaders in the middle of the pitch. The same was true of veteran acquisitions like Peter Reid and Paul Power in the 1980s.
If Christian Nørgaard, who ticks a number of boxes for the Toffees and is a better player than many might consider, can come close to emulating those players who arrived with low expectations but made out-sized impact, it will be £7m very well spent.
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