PRAISE: For Leeds United from Everton boss David Moyes, above.placeholder image
PRAISE: For Leeds United from Everton boss David Moyes, above. | Cody Froggart/PA Wire
David Moyes has battled hard for Everton this summer but what transfer business is he still hoping to pull off before the deadline?
Everton will be hoping to kick off the Hill Dickinson Stadium era with a win against Brighton even if David Moyes will be attempting to do so with one hand tied behind his back.
The Toffees manager has struggled to get the players that he wants this summer with the immediate priority being to get newer signings like Adam Aznou and Jack Grealish up to speed and Thierno Barry adjusted to the pace of the Premier League. If the defeat against Leeds Utd proved anything, it’s that a fresh approach is needed.
Moyes is still missing a few players in the squad but Jarrod Branthwaite won’t be seen until after the international break. The experienced duo of Michael Keane and James Tarkowski can be trusted to navigate the defence in the meantime. The return of Vitaliy Mykolenko has been delayed which means that James Garner might have to fill in at left back again, however, there are still issues throughout the rest of the squad.
David Moyes opens up on Everton transfer plans
The squad isn’t just short of depth as the smallest in the Premier League, it also needs more quality in specific areas after losing several players at the end of their contracts or through others who were only at Everton on loan.
Speaking ahead of the eagerly anticipated Hill Dickinson curtain raiser, Moyes was asked about possible new faces with the Everton boss trying to be positive.: “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,” the boss said about potential new arrivals.
“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.”
What are the latest Everton transfer rumours?
Everton were reported to have bid for Malick Fofana but the Lyon winger has yet to move from France and is said to prefer a move to a Champions League club. Another winger who a bid has been made for is Tyler Dibling but with a £50m price tag and interest from Spurs, it looked like they would miss out unti a late development on Friday night.
The two priority positions are said to be right back and right wing, something that most Everton fans will already be aware of and a quick look at the squad list explains. There are three right backs available, two of whom can’t stay fit and one who can do a job but who is t of the standard required.
As the interest in Fofana and Dibling suggests, right wing is also an area of concern and it could be that Everton leave it late to take advantage of clubs who need to move players on and get them off the wage bill. If the likes of Jason Sancho and Raheem Sterling are still without a club on deadline day, Moyes’ inability to get his top targets over the line might actually be a blessing in disguise.
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