David Moyes addressed transfer progress and injury updates ahead of Everton's first Premier League game at Hill Dickinson Stadium against Brighton & Hove Albion
Everton manager David Moyes speaking in his pre-match press conference to preview the first Premier League game at Hill Dickinson Stadium
Everton manager David Moyes speaking in his pre-match press conference to preview the first Premier League game at Hill Dickinson Stadium
David Moyes believes Everton are getting closer to bringing in more new faces before the transfer window shuts. Last month, the Blues boss declared in New York that his team needed “nine or 10 players before the start of the season.”
But on the eve of the club’s first Premier League game at Hill Dickinson Stadium against Brighton & Hove Albion, they currently have seven, two of which are understudy goalkeepers.
Asked if he felt there had been progress on further deals, Moyes said: “I think I’d like to say yes. That yes might mean you’ll push me for more answers and questions over what it might be.
“I’d have to say, I think we’re trying to make a way to get more players in. We’re trying to do so.
“We’re disappointed that we’ve missed out on a lot of other players who have chosen not to come and for different reasons, have not been able to make it.
“I think there’s quite a few managers saying the same thing in the Premier League but yes, I think we’re trying to make progress at the moment – will it come off? - I couldn’t guarantee that, but we’re definitely trying to move on.”
After being hamstrung in recent windows by PSR restrictions, Everton now have new owners in the shape of The Friedkin Group and when it came to the club’s transfer ambitions, Moyes said: “We’ve got money to spend. And we're trying to spend it.
“We’re in there and we’ll be competitive. We’re finding it very difficult to spend the money.
“You ask me why the players aren't coming in, and I think a lot of them are looking for Europe.
“We’ve found now we’ve really gone for some top players, and unfortunately, we've not been able to get a lot of them.
“We might be finding ourselves coming a little bit down the ladder to find players because we’re so short of numbers, generally.
“Maybe this is always going to be a year where we keep steady and keep ourselves correct, and do all the right things in the Premier League.”
Everton, who were beaten 1-0 at newly promoted Leeds United in their opening fixture on Monday, are set to be without several of their defenders for the historic visit of the Seagulls, confirming centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite and left-back Vitalii Mykolenko are definitely out of Sunday's visit of Brighton.
Moyes said: “Jarrad’s on the way but not fit and neither is Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson is not fit either. Those three are not available.
“(Adam) Aznou has trained today for the first time, so we’ll see how he goes.”