Brennan Johnson
Brennan Johnson
Everton’s recent summer transfer window was seen as a complete failure, with David Moyes failing to receive the proper backing needed to secure success in 2026/27.
Angus Kinnear oversaw the recruitment during the aforementioned window, and has since received huge criticism over the lack of fresh faces through the door on Merseyside.
A deal for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun fell apart at the 11th hour on Deadline Day and pretty much summed up the entirety of the summer window for the Toffees.
Folarin Balogun of the U.S. looks dejected after Belgium's Hans Vanaken scores their third goal
Folarin Balogun of the U.S. looks dejected after Belgium's Hans Vanaken scores their third goal
However, one of the deals that was completed has already proved to be a complete disaster, which no doubt will ramp up further pressure on Kinnear in the months ahead.
Why Brennan Johnson has been a failure for Everton
Moving Dwight McNeil out of the door was seen as a success for Everton this summer, with his subsequent transfer seeing winger Brennan Johnson move in the opposite direction.
The Toffees were seen to have got the better end of the aforementioned deal, but supporters have already started to question whether it was the right call to sign the Welsh international.
brennan-johnson-everton-spurs
The 25-year-old has featured in all but one league game for Moyes’ side this term, but is yet to register a single goal or assist within his 384 minutes of action.
His underlying stats also showcase his struggles within attacking areas, further demonstrating why the club made the wrong call in signing off a deal for the former Spurs talent.
Johnson’s measly tally of just 1.1 shots per 90 this campaign ranks him in the bottom 15% of all attackers in the division this term, with every other forward in the senior ranks averaging more.
His lack of cutting edge in attacking areas is further evident in his tally of 2.1 line-breaking passes per 90 and pass accuracy rate of just 73%, with 85% of players in England’s top-flight registering more.
The Welsh international has only completed an average of 0.2 successful dribbles per 90 in 2026/27, which like his aforementioned figures, has seen him place below 90% of wingers in Europe.
Why one Everton star has been a worse signing than Johnson
A club like Everton going 31 years without a trophy is nothing short of unthinkable, but the club have spent a pretty penny in recent years to put an end to such a drought.
Since the summer of 2020 alone, the Toffees have invested over £410m in new additions, but as seen with Johnson, not all of their investments have met expectations on Merseyside.
In the last decade, the hierarchy have spent £25m or more on 14 separate occasions in an attempt to inject the top-level quality needed to secure silverware.
One of the players who arrived during the aforementioned period is centre-back Michael Keane, who joined the club from Burnley for a reported £30m in 2017.
The now 33-year-old was seen as a transformative addition during the opening few years of his time on Merseyside, but he’s since found himself dropping down the pecking order in recent years.
keane-everton
He’s racked up 268 appearances for the Toffees since his subsequent transfer, but only 56 of his outings have come in the last three seasons in the Premier League.
This season alone, Keane has only featured once in England’s top-flight, which has seen him be an unused substitute in each of the last three outings in all competitions.
Many would argue he played a huge part in keeping the club in the Premier League, but there’s no denying he’s not proved to be worth the big-money spent on his signature.
Michael Keane - Everton stats
Season
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
2025/26
2026/27*
Total
The deal for his services has certainly been made a whole lot worse when delving into his own finances, which has seen him pocket £4.2m a year for the last seven seasons.
As a result, the defender has earned a total of £39m in wages alone during his seven years on Merseyside, taking the total cost of his transfer to a staggering £69m.
With his contract set to expire next summer, it’s highly likely that Keane will depart on a free transfer - which further showcases the disappointing deal, as they will fail to get a return on their investment.
Johnson’s disappointing start to life at Everton has been there for all to see, but there’s no reason why the club can’t break even on their investment if they were to sell him this winter.
However, the same can’t be said about Keane, who has undoubtedly failed to live up to the money spent on his signature - with his deal a stark reminder of the money that can be wasted in the market.