Everton have had a strong focus on the Championship over recent months
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David Moyes looks on prior to the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Everton FC at Craven Cottage on May 10, 2025
(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Everton have paid close attention to the Championship over recent months in preparation for a summer overhaul. David Moyes has enjoyed success when plucking talent from the second tier - signing future club star Tim Cahill in his first stint and repeating the trick with his move for Jarrod Bowen at West Ham United.
He still believes the league can be a source of real potential - a view backed up by the impact the likes of Morgan Rogers and Adam Wharton have recently had in the Premier League after securing moves.
Rogers joined Villa from Middlesbrough and Wharton moved to Crystal Palace from Blackburn Rovers - both having since enjoyed success. Both were players he was disappointed he was unable to take to West Ham during his time there.
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He is determined to prevent Everton from losing track of upcoming stars in the Championship and tasked the club’s network with gathering information on who might suit his plans.
His hope that the league offers potential comes as he continues work to plan for a busy summer. The desire is to find young, hungry talent that can grow with the club to complement those with wider experience who will offer a foundation to build around.
There will be competition and Sunderland’s late victory over Coventry City in the play-off semi-final may offer a challenge. The Black Cats have a number of youngsters that have attracted attention, including midfielder Chris Rigg. Everton are one of a host of clubs to have taken a look at the teenager.
Should Sunderland overcome Sheffield United in the play-off final then targeting the club’s starlets would become more complicated - and more expensive.
Fifteen senior Everton players are on deals that are coming to an end and, while some will be kept on, discussions remain live and a major summer of recruitment lies ahead.
Moyes is confident he will have money to spend, at least when the new football financial year begins on July 1. He has spoken with owners The Friedkin Group about the coming months and has been in dialogue with new chief executive Angus Kinnear, who started in his role on Monday.
On the plans for the summer, Kinnear said this week: "There's a huge restructure to be done in terms of the squad. I think it's pretty unprecedented at Premier League level. But I think David and I see that as an opportunity to take the team on to the next level, to build on all his good work and fundamentally to have a team which is looking up the table.”