Newcastle United v Everton - Premier League 2026/27
Photo by Ben Roberts - Danehouse/Getty Images
David Moyes has been praised for one of the trademarks of his Everton recruitment, and it could be exactly where the Toffees look again in January.
Former Tottenham manager and scout David Pleat, who also recently revealed why Spurs passed on James Tarkowski, has been speaking on the Last Word On Spurs podcast about where the best value can be found in the transfer market. And he used Moyes as a perfect example.
David Moyes’ signings have all had time to settle in at Everton, but who has impressed the most?
What an underwhelming window. Quite like George and Rohl, Hackney will come good but Everton needed starters
He’s been good when playing, just not given enough chances by Moyes so far
Veteran scout praises David Moyes’ Championship recruitment
“Where did [Michael Olise] come from? He came from Reading. Where else do some of these players come from? They don’t always come from the biggest clubs,” Pleat said.
“Look at what David Moyes buys at Everton and keeps their head above water. Good players in the Championship… There’s two players in the Championship who could play Premier League football. Not many, very few, but if you leave it too long, everyone’s interested in those players.”
Keeping their head above water might be underselling things slightly, with Everton sitting sixth right now, but the point still stands. David Moyes has a long history of finding gems in the second tier. In his first spell, he signed Tim Cahill from Millwall for just £1.5million, Joleon Lescott from Wolves for £5million, and Phil Jagielka from Sheffield United for £4million. All three obviously became key players.
He’s gone back to the second tier again this time around, bringing in Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough in the summer after he was named the Championship Player of the Season. Although the 24-year-old hasn’t quite nailed down a starting berth, there’s been enough signs that he’s a tidy player.
Everton should be looking at the Championship again in January
It’s definitely an underrated area of recruitment, and there are some interesting options out there. There’s some real value to be found.
Middlesbrough’s Will Lankshear is a perfect example. Everton clearly need another striker, and he’s banging in the goals, so much so that Duncan Ferguson has already tipped him for a move to the club. Andri Gudjohnsen at Blackburn is another. Could he make the jump?
If Everton want competition for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall — which the Kevin De Bruyne links suggest they do — Jack Moylan could be an interesting option, having majorly impressed for Cardiff this season. And there might be a smart left-back pickup available too, someone like Callum Styles from West Brom, for example.
As long as Moyes is in charge, expect Everton to keep going back to the Championship. And with The Friedkin Group reportedly unwilling to spend big, it might be the smartest place to look.