David Moyes has been speaking about the reasons behind Everton's transfer frustrations ahead of their game with Brighton & Hove Albion
David Moyes believes he has not been able to bring in as many of the players as he would have liked this summer because Everton are not competing in European football. The Scot enjoyed continental competition during his final three seasons in charge of previous employers West Ham United, steering the London club to their first major trophy in 43 years when they lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2023 by defeating Fiorentina 2-1 in Prague.
Asked what he thought was the barrier stopping him from having made moe recruits, Moyes said: “Absolutely, Europe – European football.
“I’ve had a chance to manage at a club (who have qualified). If you’ve got European football, you attract a different level of player, you’re more attractive.
“We’ve got to build up an awful lot of trust with players and maybe agents and different things to show that we’re a club moving in the right direction and positive. I think our ownership have come in and helped us.
“Obviously, they’ll give us a chance to spend more money and look as if we’re going to build. But I believe the better players want European football, most of them, or a lot of them do.”
One big name who Moyes has been able to land is Jack Grealish, the first £100million English footballer, who has joined on a season-long loan from Manchester City. The 29-year-old made his Everton debut as a substitute, coming on for the final 20 minutes of the 1-0 defeat at Leeds United on Monday.
Asked how he felt his new recruit got on, Moyes said: “I thought his glimpse was okay.
“I liked his glimpse. Let’s see where it goes from there.”
The 62-year-old is looking forwards to the Blues finally playing their first Premier League game at Hill Dickinson Stadium and he paid tribute to the vision of the club’s late chairman Bill Kenwright – who first appointed him Everton boss in 2002 – when it came to relocating from Goodison Park.
Moyes said: “We’re all really looking forward to the new stadium. It’s something that’s been on the horizon for so long, and it's now here.
“We hope we can get used to it as quickly as we can. Everyone knows a new stadium is never that easy, but it’s something we're really excited about now.
“I think Bill (Kenwright) would take more pride than anybody. It’s really sad that he’s not here because he put so much work into it.
“For many generations, we’ve got a lot to be thankful for, and Bill Kenwright played a big part in getting that going.”