Plenty of work left for Everton this summer - key areas that need new signings | OneFootball

Everton, facing an unprecedented squad rebuild, managed to tick two items off their to-do list this month. Thierno Barry was signed from Villarreal for £27m to lead the frontline while Mark Travers arrived from Bournemouth for £4m to provide competition to Jordan Pickford in goal.

Any signs of relief, though, are far from apparent as the Blues continue to scour the market to add players to David Moyes’ heavily depleted squad. The arrivals of Barry and Travers take Everton’s squad to 20 players, 18 of them seniors. “I’m hoping to make more additions in the coming weeks,” Moyes has said repeatedly.

Business has been slow so far. Several changes have been made to the backroom staff following the arrival of chief executive Angus Kinnear, and the recruitment team only started to take shape by the end of last season.

There are several gaps across a wide range of positions as the Blues still need wingers, additions to midfield, and cover for the full-backs. At the bare minimum, Everton need to sign at least five players in the remaining weeks of the transfer window to field a competitive team with proper depth in their first season playing at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Let’s look at the profiles that the club desperately needs to address in order of priority and the players (also from the academy) who could fulfill those roles.

What are the key areas that need new signings?

Right winger

Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom returned to their respective clubs following the end of their loan spells. However, the right wing was a cause of concern even last season, with Harrison and Lindstrom contributing to just four goals combined all season. Neither winger was convincing during their loan spell and both failed to provide meaningful offensive output.

Dwight McNeil and Carlos Alcaraz can play on the right, but they are better suited to other areas on the pitch. As such, the Blues need to sign two right-wingers to cover this position. A potential Jack Harrison return has been rumoured, but it would represent a step backwards.

The Blues have been associated with several names like Takefusa Kubo, Omari Hutchinson, Ben Doak, and Tom Fellows during this transfer window.

Players currently linked: Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Omari Hutchinson (Ipswich Town), Ben Doak (Liverpool), Tom Fellows (West Bromwich Albion)

Academy player: Isaac Heath, Justin Clarke

Left-back

Vitaliy Mykolenko is the only recognised left-back in Everton’s first team at the moment. Under Moyes, he was often tasked with pushing forward last season and contributing to the attack while Jake O’Brien tucked inside when deployed as a makeshift right-back.

The departure of Ashley Young has left a gaping hole and the club needs to sign a left-back, preferably someone comfortable with going forward and providing crosses, final balls and assists.

Argentine World Cup winner Nicolas Tagliafico has been linked with a move for a while but recent rumours suggest he could end up extending his contract with current club Olympique Lyon.

Players currently linked: Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon)

Attacking midfield

Carlos Alcaraz was signed on a permanent basis after making a strong impression during his six-month loan spell. Despite limited minutes, Alcaraz’s tidy footwork, relentlessness and sparks of intelligence breathed new life into an Everton midfield otherwise bereft of creativity.

David Moyes may look to shore up that position and former player Tomas Soucek, of West Ham, has been mooted as an Abdoulaye Doucoure replacement. The Czech can perform in multiple midfield roles but, at 30, would be a stop-gap signing. Manchester City’s James McAtee  has been strongly linked with the club and would represent a more exciting and creative addition

Players currently linked: James McAtee (Manchester City), Tomas Soucek (West Ham United)

Central midfield

Idrissa Gana Gueye’s new deal has probably saved the club an exorbitant sum to address their midfield issues. Gana Gueye was the standout player of the last campaign and was voted Players’ Player of the Year. However, at 35, he’s no spring chicken anymore.

It would be smart for the club to actually sign a player who could fill his shoes in a year or two and/or provide a greater balance and defensive acumen to the midfield than James Garner usually does. Douglas Luiz of Juventus has been strongly linked and the former Aston Villa player also has a ton of Premier League experience.

Academy graduate Harrison Armstrong is another strong candidate for the role. Returning to the club following an encouraging loan spell at Derby County, the 18-year-old was one of the brightest sparks in the 1-1 draw with Accrington Stanley. If he manages to impress during the pre-season, he could help the club save money on this role and look for players to fill elsewhere.

Players currently linked: Douglas Luiz (Juventus), Neil El Aynaoui (RC Lens), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City)

Academy player: Harrison Armstrong

Right-back

Everton have needed a new right-back for a long time now. With captain Seamus Coleman in the twilight of his career and struggling with injuries and Nathan Patterson, deemed to be his long-term replacement, not living up to that responsibility, David Moyes deployed Jake O’Brien as a makeshift right-back for the final months of last season.

While all three players are expected to contribute at right-back next season, the overwhelming feeling is that they aren't appropriate for the role in the long term.

The Blues had personal terms agreed to sign Fulham’s Kenny Tete as a free agent before he changed his mind and signed a new deal with the Cottagers.

Brazil’s Wesley Franca has been tracked by Everton for a while now, but they could face competition from sister club AS Roma for his signing.

Reader Comments (26)

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Mike Allison 1 Posted 18/07/2025 at 14:09:44

Assuming we all agree that we need a new right back (despite having 2 already and O’Brien and Garner who can play there) then we need 6 players: RB, LB, CM, AM/LW, RWx2

I had expected us to use the free transfer market, given Roma have done so in recent years, but this seems not to be happening. You’re allowed to loan four players but I think it’s imprudent to loan more than two. So two loans, probably scope for two serious signings - this leaves us looking for a couple of bargains or unexpected youth promotions.

I’ve given up guessing what we’ll do. I’ve said before: I think there are fans on this website who were better prepared for this transfer window than the club were. Let’s see if they can get it all in place. After all, 6 players needed, 6 weeks of the window left. It should be doable, but at what cost to future PSR considerations?

Robert Tressell 2 Posted 18/07/2025 at 14:14:06

Mike it seems unlikely we’ll get 6 players. Maybe 3 or 4.

Moyes will then have to juggle a small core squad and use versatile players like McNeil, Garner and O’Brien to cover injury gaps.

It will probably take two more summer windows before we have 2 players of decent quality for each position.

Sam Hoare 3 Posted 18/07/2025 at 14:22:08

Dream window looks something like: Wesley at RB, Kubo at RW, Luiz at CM with a few cheaper players and loans (Brownhill, Lindstrom etc) to fill in.

A less aspirational but perhaps pragmatic window looks like: Soucek at CM, Fellowes at RW, Maitland-Niles at RB with a couple more squad players to fill.

Reality will probably be somewhere in the middle. But I'd be surprised if we don't get at least 4 more players including loans.

Hugely successful window according to me could be something like this:

Incoming:

1. LB - Tagliafico. From an offensive pov we will be better on left.2. RB - Wesley Franca or the Greek lad. We have good cover in that position3. Douglas Luiz on loan with an option to buy. OR Neil Aynaoui from RC Lens4. RW - James Mcatee and Tom Fellows both to sign.

Isaac Heath & Baiden Graham from reserves with few cameos on the wing for depth.

Outgoing -

Chermiti (loan) - Loan to a good club in championship or other leaguesPatterson - 6-7 million if anybody wants himArmstrong - Loan to a good club in championshipMartin Sheriff and Omari Benjamin can be sent out on loan

Craig Walker 7 Posted 18/07/2025 at 14:58:14

New stadium. New owners. New structure. New optimism but some things don't change. We are always slow to do our business. We continually get linked with players and then the rumours just peter out. We end up starting the season slowly and are playing catch-up around October. We'll be hoping to do some last-minute business on deadline day. Rinse and repeat.

Why can't we scout players in the way that the likes of Brentford or Brighton seem to do?

I know it's July and we shouldn't get too down but Moyes' teams traditionally started slowly during his first tenure. We used to think we didn't do our business early so Bill could save on the wages.

Sean Mitchell 9 Posted 18/07/2025 at 15:04:48

Expect Harrison back. He’d be thr interpreter and back up tea lady.Coufal (what’s his dead ball like?) and Soucek (could be useful with the other big lads for a corner or free kick).

Questions have to be asked if that happens. Especially with these players being linked.

It’ll be lack of funds, or we’re simply not attractive. Despite the new stadium.

Please prove me wrong.

All 4 of these players pictured would transform the first team.

Ryan Holroyd 12 Posted 18/07/2025 at 15:11:50

Would be nice Robert but zero chance

Si Pulford 13 Posted 18/07/2025 at 15:15:27

Have Brighton and Brentford signed more players than us this window?

Seems to me we’re doing lore business than most but still being destroyed on TW.

Brentford are about to loose Wose’s, Mbeumo and have lost Noorgard who they’ve replaced with Henderson. They’ve also lost their manager.

Remind me why we are doing so much worse than these teams in this window.

Eric Myles 16 Posted 18/07/2025 at 15:20:27

Sean #9, talking of Coufal's dead balls I just read Charlie Adams saying that the reason he failed at Everton was 'cos McNeil was injured and he's the only dead ball specialist we have.

Si, considering Brighron and Brentford finished so far above us maybe they just don't need to improve their squad as much as we do? And by so many signings?

Sam Hoare 17 Posted 18/07/2025 at 15:27:28

Robert@8, I love Diallo. That's a player i'd rather spend £40m on than Hutchinson. Sadly I doubt he'd be available but a conversation worth having. Garnacho more likely to leave.

Eric Myles 18 Posted 18/07/2025 at 15:28:18

Ryan, now he's let the cat out of the bag everyone is going to add £20 million on to every player we ask about.

But then, if he knew what he was talking about why is he quoting Travers as our only signing?

Doesn't he read the papers he writes for?

James Hughes 21 Posted 18/07/2025 at 15:37:55

What they sell beer at Greggs, do you have to buy the sausagre roll each time

Si (13), mostly because they haven’t lost 12-13 players like we have. They’ve already got a squad and their objective is to maintain or improve it.

We had 12 players at one point. Our objective is to have a squad at all and without 5 more incomings we’ll have failed.

This is why I can’t understand those calling for Harrison and Chermiti to go on loan - unless we sign replacements in addition to the 5-6 we already need then we can’t afford to lose them and should be looking to use them.

Christy Ring 25 Posted 18/07/2025 at 15:50:39

We've been linked with so many players, the one which has me worried is Harrison, after his performance last season, let's hope Moyes leaves him at Leeds.

Billy Bradshaw 26 Posted 18/07/2025 at 15:54:51

Dave @ 5, Bramley-Moore for me all day long, the only ones I've heard calling it dicks dock are the r/shite supporters trying to take the piss out of us.