Everton manager David Moyes
Premier League - Everton v Arsenal - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - December 20, 2025 Everton manager David Moyes looks dejected after the match REUTERS/David Klein
Everton had agreed a deal to sign Manchester United striker Ethan Wheatley in the days before the deadline, before pulling the plug at the last minute.
The Toffees will have to make do until at least the January transfer window with just one senior striker at the club.
Everton allowed Beto to leave in the summer to join Serie A side Fiorentina, and were hoping to bring in Folarin Balogun as a replacement.
A move to sign Balogun fell through at the final hurdle, with the American international opting against joining the club after the deadline.
That left Everton with no choice but to head into the season with just one striker at the club.
Had Everton kept Beto, then David Moyes would have had two striker options, but the Toffees opted to offload the centre-forward before securing a replacement.
Folarin Balogun's Everton Transfer Collapsed
Folarin Balogun's Everton Transfer Collapsed
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Everton did have a deal agreed to sign a striker in the days leading up to the deadline.
It's claimed that Everton had a deal in place to sign Manchester United youngster Wheatley, but they pulled the plug late on.
In the final hours of the transfer window, Everton then made a last-ditch move to sign another Manchester United player, Joshua Zirkzee.
Neither deal went through, leaving Moyes with just one striker option for the 2026/2027 season, unless they add another body in the January window.
The Toffees decided against completing a deal for Wheatley due to focusing their finances elsewhere, despite the youngster costing just £2m.
Wheatley not Premier League ready
wheatley-united
Even if Everton secured the signature of Wheatley in the summer, there's little chance he would have been a first-team regular.
The 20-year-old has struggled while out on loan from United, so coming to Everton and being a second-choice option might have been a step too far.
The Toffees were likely looking to bring Wheatley in and send him out on loan, or allow him to play for the U21s.
Either way, Wheatley would certainly have been a better option than having no backup striker, but that's the hand Moyes has now been dealt.