In part 1 of our squad assessment, we looked at a fairly solid position group in the goalkeepers. This second part is a little less straightforward.
The defensive unit for Everton is a bit of a complicated mess. There are players there, yes, and the club could theoretically play a match tomorrow with the players still under contract.
But, as the end of this past season indicated, it isn't the strongest group as presently constructed, although some of that comes down to the utilization of players as opposed to the players themselves.
There are big needs here, to be sure, but some shifting of current assets will help a great deal, too.
Who's Here
The squad currently has four first-team center backs in Jarrad Branthwaite, Jake O'Brien, James Tarkowski, and Michael Keane. Branthwaite will be coming off an injury, but should be ready for the start of the season, and O'Brien has been deployed at right back for several months now.
But the honest truth is that the Branthwaite/O'Brien pairing has to be the way going forward, pushing the older Tarkowski and Keane to the bench. Reese Welch is the lone U21 player who has seen time, albeit limited, with the first team.
At fullback, Seamus Coleman's retirement means the club is down to just three senior fullbacks (not counting O'Brien) in the form of Vitalii Mykolenko (who might be nearing a contract extension) and Adam Aznou on the left and Nathan Patterson on the right.
Roman Dixon, who spent time on loan with Stockport County last season, and George Finney, on loan at Ayr United last year, could be options down the road, but certainly not for next year.
Summer Outlook
The club needs two right backs that David Moyes feels comfortable playing, whether that be two starting options who can compete for the job or a rotation. Patterson has one year left on his contract, and a sale at the right price this summer wouldn't be shocking.
There have already been links with the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka from West Ham and a reported rejuvenated interest in Sporting's Georgios Vagiannidis, with the pairing expected to cost about €20 million together.
Mykolenko is adequate at left back, but after seeing what Aznou can do in his brief showing on the pitch, the feeling is that Moyes needs to put up or shut up regarding the Moroccan.
If he's still not ready, he should be loaned out (which should have happened last season), but he needs a shot to prove he can usurp Mykolenko.
Center back is tough because the club already has four options there, and anybody worth signing isn't going to join as a fifth option. Convincing someone to be a third option and demoting either Tark or Keane would be ideal, but it's unlikely for 2026/27.
But another season cannot go by without upgrading at fullback, especially on the right side. It has to be priority number one for this summer window.
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