Everton have work to do in the transfer market this summer.
David Moyes deserves all the plaudits for his hard work since taking the reins in January, but The Friedkin Group need to build a lasting era of success and that can only be achieved with precision and guile.
The Premier League will house the Toffees once again next year, but how high will Moyes' vision stretch? Much depends on the summer transfer window, with plenty of stars approaching the culmination of their contracts.
Everton's summer plans
The Athletic report that 15 Everton players are set - as things stand - to depart at the end of the season. Angus Kinnear, incoming Director of Football, has his work cut out for sure.
However, not all will go. Moreover, some of these players are currently out on loan - Neal Maupay and Mason Holgate being two cases in point - while Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom are both loanees, neither pulling enough weight this season to justify permanent extensions.
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Everton have the tenth-highest wage bill in the Premier League, per GIVEMESPORT, and while that will drop following expected departures of players such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Michael Keane, Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman (35-year-old Idrissa Gueye may be handed a short extension), there's one player earning above all others who must leave for the greater good of the club.
Everton need to axe high-earning star
As Everton step into a new era at Bramley Moore, there's little question that Moyes is going to need to oversee a flurry of activity. In fairness, though, The i Paper report that TFG are willing to hand him significant transfer powers - with the promise of big investment.
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Wage Burners
Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.
It's indeed going to be a case of out with the old and in with the new. Abdoulaye Doucoure very much falls into that bracket.
The experienced attacking midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and given he's pocketing more in earnings than any of his teammates, it makes sense to part ways.
Everton - Top Earners 2024/25
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Data via Capology
Everton signed Doucoure from Watford for a £20m fee in 2020, and you'd have to say - for the most part - they've received bang for their buck. Even so, earning £140k per week, he's been quite the costly figure, actually taking over £20m in earnings since first arriving.
However, every dog has his day and all that. Doucoure is now 32 years old and perhaps not providing the same kind of sharp attacking presence as before. Everton writer Ell Bretland has even claimed that he "can't start games," suggesting that the Blues are a more fluent and purposeful outfit when he is reduced to second-half cameos.
Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure
The Malian midfielder has started 24 Premier League matches this term but there are clear signs of regression. As per Sofascore, he's won just 36% of his ground duels, also scoring just twice.
With Charly Alcaraz only five games away from seeing his loan deal become permanent, Everton have to part with their veteran ace.
It's time to shake things up at Everton. Doucoure has earned over £20m in wages across his near-five-year stay; couple that with the £20m figure, and he's cost a pretty.
There are no regrets over his time on Merseyside, but it's the right time to go.
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[Not Harrison: Everton have their new Bilyaletdinov in "frustrated" flop](https://www.footballfancast.com/not-harrison-everton-have-found-new-bilyaletdinov-in-lindstrom/ "Not Harrison: Everton have their new Bilyaletdinov in "frustrated" flop")
Everton may have found their new version of Diniyar Bilyaletdinov & it is not Jack Harrison.