Everton’s transfer search took another turn on Thursday, with Gabriel Jesus emerging as a target and Timothy Castagne becoming the latest right-back under consideration.
Plenty was happening away from the transfer market too.
We took a detailed look at Everton’s position under the Premier League’s new Squad Cost Ratio rules, updated the club’s injury and fitness picture and examined the increasingly frequent occasions on which Everton and newly-promoted Ipswich Town have crossed paths this summer.
There was even time for Everton’s social media team to inadvertently send the Richarlison transfer detectives back to work.
Here are Thursday’s main Everton stories and talking points.
Everton make contact over Gabriel Jesus
The most eye-catching name of the day was Gabriel Jesus.
Everton and Ipswich Town have both reportedly made contact over the Arsenal forward as his future at the Emirates comes under scrutiny.
Jesus would represent an ambitious addition to Everton’s attacking options, although any potential deal would inevitably depend on the finances involved and Arsenal’s willingness to sanction a departure.
Ipswich’s presence provides another interesting element.
The newly-promoted side have repeatedly found themselves looking at some of the same players as Everton this summer — something which has become a theme of the window.
Read more: Everton join newly-promoted Ipswich in move for Arsenal forward
Castagne becomes latest right-back option
Everton’s long-running search for a right-back continues.
Fulham’s Timothy Castagne is the latest player to come under consideration, adding another experienced Premier League option to a position Everton have been trying to strengthen throughout the summer.
The Belgian would offer versatility as well as top-flight experience, having played on both sides of the defence during his career.
Whether Everton’s interest develops remains to be seen.
What is clear is that the right-back search is still active as the final stages of the window approach.
Read more: Everton weigh up move for Premier League right-back as search continues
Everton and Ipswich keep crossing paths
Jesus is not the first player to attract interest from both Everton and Ipswich this summer.
Far from it.
The two clubs have repeatedly appeared alongside each other in transfer reports, creating one of the more unusual themes of Everton’s window.
Rather than treating every instance as a separate coincidence, we looked at the players who have brought the two clubs into the same conversation and what might be behind the overlap.
There is no grand conspiracy here.
But after enough transfer collisions, even coincidence starts to become noticeable.
Read more: Everton keep running into Ipswich this summer, and let’s not pretend it’s fun
Grealish shirt number sparks another talking point
Jack Grealish’s future remains unresolved, but there was another small development at Manchester City.
The winger has been handed a squad number despite continuing to be linked with a return to Everton.
On its own, a shirt number tells us very little about what will happen before the transfer deadline.
It does, however, provide another reminder that Grealish remains a City player while Everton wait to see whether circumstances allow them to bring him back to the Hill Dickinson.
His successful loan spell last season ensures every development will continue to attract attention until his future is settled one way or the other.
Read more: Everton ‘loanee’ handed shirt number as Man City future stays unresolved
How much can Everton actually spend?
With Everton continuing to pursue additions, the obvious question is how much room they have under the Premier League’s new financial system.
Our new Squad Cost Ratio tracker attempts to provide an answer.
Independent PSRwatch modelling currently estimates Everton’s SCR at around 102%, putting them above the Premier League’s 85% green threshold but below the 115% red line.
The same model estimates around £28m of annual squad-cost headroom before Everton reach that higher threshold.
That should not be mistaken for a £28m transfer budget.
Transfer amortisation, wages, agents’ fees, contract lengths and departures all affect the calculation, while increased revenue from the Hill Dickinson Stadium should also become increasingly important.
The tracker will be updated as Everton’s transfer business and financial position change.
Read more: Everton Squad Cost Ratio tracker: How much can the club spend in 2026/27?
Injury picture updated ahead of Palace
Attention will soon have to turn from transfers to Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace.
Our injury and fitness tracker has been updated with the latest position across the Everton squad ahead of the game.
With the transfer window still dominating the headlines, availability can easily become secondary at this stage of the season.
For the coaching staff, it is anything but.
The tracker brings together the latest information on players working their way back, those carrying fitness concerns and the options available for the next fixture.
Read more: Everton injury & fitness tracker: Pre-season 2026/27
Everton ask a question – Richarlison detectives get to work
And finally, something rather less serious.
Everton’s social media team asked supporters to name their favourite player to have enjoyed two spells at the club.
Perfectly innocent.
Except this is August, and Richarlison continues to be linked with a return to Everton.
It did not take long for the question to be interpreted as a possible hint about the Brazilian.
There is absolutely no evidence that it was anything of the sort. Everton registered an interest in bringing Richarlison back earlier this summer, but that does not turn a social media engagement post into a transfer announcement.
Still, Everton asked the question.
The transfer window did the rest.
Read more: Everton fans spot Richarlison clue as transfer talk continues
What it all adds up to
Thursday offered a fairly good snapshot of where Everton are with the transfer deadline approaching.
They are still looking for a right-back. They continue to explore attacking options. Grealish and Richarlison remain somewhere in the background, while Gabriel Jesus has added another intriguing name to the conversation.
There are financial limits to consider, as our new SCR tracker illustrates, and Saturday’s meeting with Crystal Palace means the football itself is about to demand attention again.
For now, though, Everton’s summer business still feels unfinished.
There is time left to change that.
Everton ask innocent question – Richarlison transfer detectives get to work
Everton ask innocent question – Richarlison transfer detectives get to work
Everton injury & fitness tracker: Pre-season 2026/27
Everton injury & fitness tracker: Pre-season 2026/27