Even if the coming days are quiet they will still require some decisions to be made by David Moyes and those around him
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 10: Harrison Armstrong of Everton warms up prior to the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 10: Harrison Armstrong of Everton warms up prior to the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)
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The final days of the January transfer window are upon us and, as ever, every corner of the world of football will end up beset by a network of talks and deals.
The extent to which Everton will be involved in that web of discussions remains to be seen - 12 months ago David Moyes’ arrival prompted conversations with clubs from the Premier League to the Gulf and ended with Carlos Alcaraz arriving from Brazilian side Flamengo.
This month has been a quiet one for the Blues so far - but even if the club keeps it powder dry, there will still be some big calls to make by 7pm on Monday. Here is an overview of the main outstanding issues.
What to do with Harrison Armstrong?
The call that cannot be avoided is over Harrison Armstrong and whether the teenager will remain at Everton or return to Preston North End, the club he spent the first half of the campaign with on loan.
The 19-year-old excelled during his second taste of the Championship but with Moyes facing a selection crisis brought on by injury, suspension and the loss of Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye to the Africa Cup of Nations, he felt there was little choice but to exercise his option to bring the midfielder back to Merseyside as soon as the new year began.
Since then, Armstrong has made an impression. He was one of few players to emerge from the home FA Cup defeat to Sunderland with credit and then excelled in the win at Aston Villa.
Armstrong then started the draw with Leeds United on Monday - keeping his place while the more experienced Merlin Rohl missed out. The return to availability of Gueye, second half substitute Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carlos Alcaraz will make the battle for a midfield spot more congested for the rest of the campaign, however. James Garner is a mainstay while, aside from Rohl, there will also be competition from Tim Iroegbunam when he returns from injury.
Moyes has suggested he would, in an ideal world, send Armstrong back to a place he can be expected to start most matches, while Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom has hinted towards a belief Armstrong will return to Deepdale.
But the injury to Jack Grealish - something that could drag the likes of Garner or Alcaraz out wide to replace him - may force Moyes to reconsider.
Moyes set out the dilemma he faced ahead of Leeds, stating: “We'll see what comes around but I think the big thing for me is Harrison [might] get a chance to probably play another 20 games for a club that are probably going to be in the play-offs in the Championship.
“That for a 19-year-old is really, really big and important. If you look at the player's development, we've got to watch that we don't make the wrong decision because we are saying ‘let's have him around here’. I don't really want him sitting on the bench for me when I think he could be playing.”
Will Everton want Jack Grealish cover?
The severity of Jack Grealish’s injury could play a role in Moyes’ thoughts not just on Armstrong but also on whether to seek another wide option before the deadline.
The Blues boss said on Monday he was still waiting to learn whether the 30-year-old would require surgery on the stress fracture he suffered to his foot, with that call set to determine whether he is likely to play a role of any significance in the second half of a season he started with such promise.
If he is not, then Moyes will have to consider how to cover him. The return of Ndiaye offers him one star winger in his ranks and he does have options, with Tyler Dibling, Carlos Alcaraz and Dwight McNeil all being genuine wide options and James Garner and Merlin Rohl also having the ability to help. Alcaraz, though, is best in the middle while Dibling and McNeil have both struggled to make an impact this season. Adam Aznou’s substitute appearance in the FA Cup defeat to Sunderland suggested the left back could also provide an option at left wing, but Moyes has been reluctant to call on him so far since his summer arrival from Bayern Munich.
This could be the time for Moyes to give Dibling the sustained run in the side he might need to properly settle at Everton but if he has any reservations over a drop off in quality in the absence of Grealish, he only has a few more days to make a move.
Will the dominoes start to fall up front?
The same is true of Moyes’ striker situation. Thierno Barry’s surge in form has been a welcome boost this month and, having started the year wondering who could be relied upon for goals, just weeks later Moyes has every reason to place faith in the 23-year-old who provided another clever finish on Monday night against Leeds United.
While Barry has found a hot streak, speculation has only grown around the future of his only competition and cover, Beto. The forward does appear to have attracted interest but it is tough to see Everton sanctioning his departure unless they can get a replacement in.
While Everton might be minded to consider such a move, time is running out to source an alternative, particularly given some of the forwards they have had an interest in do not look likely to be available. Talks over Fenerbahce striker Youssef En-Nesyri appear to have drawn a blank, Tammy Abraham has signed for Aston Villa, and Callum Wilson now appears set to stay at West Ham United.
Right back was the priority but can it wait… again?
One of the priorities for this window - if a deal could be reached that suited a club that would rather wait until the summer to embark on the next stage of the squad rebuild - was right back. The return to fitness of Seamus Coleman, who Moyes hopes can still have an impact on the pitch, and the solid run Nathan Patterson is putting together since his recovery from injury, have offered support on that side and created the opportunity for Jake O’Brien to move inside to deal with the three game ban Michael Keane has now completed. But this is still an outstanding area of concern and the Blues have looked at Brooke Norton-Cuffy of Genoa, though have not moved forward on any interest as yet.
Does anyone else head out?
Finally, there are the decisions that may need to be made over some of the wider squad players. Moyes started the month by conceding that a loan move for Aznou might be something he would be willing to explore. The Grealish injury paired with the positive impact the teenager had against Sunderland might now prevent that but even when Moyes moved to wing backs against Leeds, the attack-minded Aznou did not get a look-in.
With Branthwaite offering potential cover at left back, thought may need to be given to whether Aznou’s progress would be better served elsewhere. Tim Iroegbunam made several important performances in the absence of Gueye but has been the subject of interest this month. If Moyes opted to retain Armstrong it would be interesting to see where Iroegbunam fits into his plans given the amount of competition there will be for a midfield role going forward.
In the academy, the plan has been to try and get Reece Welch and Eli Campbell loan moves, though both have been held back to help the first team squad. Martin Sherif could yet get a second stint of senior football following his recovery from the injuries that hampered his spell at Rotherham United while others, including young forward George Morgan, have been the subject of interest.