Everton are leaving Goodison Park this weekend; David Moyes will lead the Toffees out to play against Southampton on Sunday afternoon, and it will be the final time the Men's team play competitively at their historic stadium.
It's fitting that Moyes should have returned in January to steer Everton through the final months of his long chapter, but it's also apt that he should lead the club into a new era on the Bramley-Moore Dock.
Having steered the struggling side away from the Premier League's relegation zone, Moyes has been handed the keys to the transfer chest by new owners, The Friedkin Group, ahead of the summer window.
Everton manager David Moyes before the match
But before we look at who's been earmarked as the 2024/25 campaign draws a close, let's first look at the overload of first-team stars set to depart when their contracts expire at the end of the season.
The players Everton might retain
Everton are expecting an exodus. Many contracted players will not survive the drive to a new home. Some, however, have played excellent seasons and should be offered new deals.
Idrissa Gueye might be 35, but he's definitely one of them after his brilliant season in the centre, anchoring Everton's midfield. A few weeks ago, Football Insider published a report that he is in talks over an extension.
Premier League 24/25 - Top Tacklers
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Stats via Premier League
Elderly right-backs Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman might not earn reprieves, and that's probably for the best. However, Michael Keane's performance at Fulham last weekend, as he scored in the 3-1 win, suggested there's more in the tank from him.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucoure, who earn a combined wage of £230k per week, may also leave.
Right-sided loanees Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom have failed to cover themselves in glory this season, but Charly Alcaraz has shown much promise, with the Flamengo player's permanent clause, worth £15m, sure to be activated.
Everton midfielder Charly Alcaraz
Alcaraz, 22, has ebbed and flowed since arriving in January, but his talent is unquestionable, with one goal and three assists from just six Premier League starts, and the Toffees could benefit from having his attacking talent in their squad once again when next season kicks off.
He's been a dynamic addition to the midfield, and now Moyes is looking to bring in another to fuse excitingly with the Argentine prospect.
Moyes lining up former favourite
It's important that Everton retain a few valuable signatures and that several more are relinquished to make way for new talent. Doucoure, 32, is Everton's highest earner and is no longer justifying the wage.
That's why Moyes is determined to replace the Malian with a former favourite in Tomas Soucek, an instrumental part of the Scotsman's success at West Ham United but at odds in the new system, led by Graham Potter.
Tomas Soucek scores for West Ham
As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, for The Boot Room, Soucek has been told he can leave the London Stadium. Despite the Irons' struggles, the 30-year-old has enjoyed a strong season, and it's felt a £20m bid would convince West Ham to sell, with Leeds United also keen.
The reporter claims that five Premier League teams have opened talks with the Czechia international, including the Toffees and Leeds, ahead of the summer transfer window.
Why Tomas Soucek would be a shrewd signing
With Alcaraz providing a degree of attacking relief from attacking midfield areas, typically central or tilted to the left, Soucek could be an excellent partner when making those bursts into the danger area from the centre.
Soucek isn't the most creative midfielder on the block, but he's effective at what he does: providing a physical presence and a consistent attacking threat. He's been called a "machine" by former West Ham correspondent Tom Clark
West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek
This season, the Czech Republic international has scored nine goals across 33 Premier League appearances this season, also providing two assists.
As you can see from the table below, Soucek certainly knows how to score a goal, with his consistent prolificness across the five years spent in East London seeing him nestle into fifth place on the Hammers' all-time midfield scoring charts.
West Ham United's All-time Top Scorers (midfield)
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Data via Transfermarkt
Though he'd add an attacking dimension to Everton's set-up, Soucek has plenty more in his locker. As per Sofascore, the £90k-per-week midfielder has also averaged 5.2 duels won per game, denoting a combative and industrious approach.
But the goalscoring is and always will be his flashiest metric. FBref have recorded that he ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues this season for goals scored, the top 4% for touches in the box and the top 1% for aerial battles won per 90.
Tomas Soucek for West Ham
The 6 foot 3 star might not be the slickest on the ball, which is why Potter wants rid of him, but that hardly matters when Moyes is at the Everton helm. Especially so when his contrasting ability could weave against Alcaraz's to create something balanced and layered behind the frontline.
Alcaraz's impressive assist record this season has been created through a consistent focus on his playmaking, not just relying on his passing but also his ability to win back possession and start transitional sequences. He's made six big chances in the Premier League, one per start, averaging 1.1 key passes per game.
It's perhaps exciting that Alcaraz has yet to really get going, either, and with a pre-season behind him and Soucek added to the mix, this could be a real treat for Everton fans next season.
Soucek, after all, featured more prominently than any other player for West Ham across the span of Moyes' reign, with the manager's trust in the rangy veteran something that could help advance his tactical implementation at Bramley-Moore next season.
Everton manager David Moyes with Everton's Carlos Alcaraz
This truly is a signing that Everton need to see over the line. Soucek would help spark a new level of goalscoring quality for Everton while concurrently upholding Moyes' strong defensive values.
He's tried and tested in the tactician's system, and could help Alcaraz come into his own by using his physicality to allow the former Southampton man to thrive in possession.
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