Everton January 2025 Transfer Thread

[Zatara]

The under 21 option is a horrible way to build mate, yea bring in players to the academy to develop but not signing a load of kids as starters unless they are already exceptional and already playing at a good level in which case they are gonna be in huge demand.

The key she range is 21-24, players who've developed already but still with the potential to improve. You supplement those with some more experienced players who add experience and discipline into the side - professionalism so to speak.

Look at the side Kendall built and it was pretty much spit on along those lines.

We have as of now the following.

Pickford (30), Tarkowski (32), Beto (26), McNeil (25), Mykolenko (25), Harrison (28), Mangala (26)

Branthwaite (22), O'Brien (23), Garner (23), Ndiaye (24), Lindstrom (24), Patterson (23), Broja (23), Iroengbunam (21).

Chermiti (20) Armstrong (18)

Players OOC this summer

DCL (27), Gueye (35), Keane (32), Doucoure (32), Coleman (36), Young (39)

Assuming certain things now just for the purpose of our team next season, say all players I the last year of the deal leave, say all loans leave (besides Lindstrom because he's boss and affordable). And assuming we sell Beto as basically we clearly are.

Then of our side right now 9/11 of the players aged 26 or over will not be here next season - Leaving just Pickford (a keeper so kinda not a normal position she wise to look at) and Tarkowski.

The only players under 26 leaving would be Broja and for arguments same keys say Patterson too as it honestly looks like he will never be favoured and he has done value as a sale still (recouping fees seems a priority for Thelwell).


We'd have
4 players aged over 24 (one the keeper)
8 guys aged 21-24
2 aged below 21

The veteran players would be Pickford, Tarkowski, McNeil and Mykolenko.

Fir me that's lacking in experience and the right type of mentality/grit you need, not enough players who would guide the younger ones and you need that in the side.

We have the balance I'd say about right, but as we clearly need to add between 8-10 players from now until the summer, you need o try to maintain that balance, so you'd want to add 2-3 in the older range, 4-5 in the middle range and 1-2 you get players.

Then it's about getting the right type of older players in, you want ones who are good pros, have the right mentality abd if possible are driven. Get it wrong and you get guys after a last retirement payday, get it right it's a player with a point to prove who can really drive progression on the less experienced players.

Two examples of doing it the wrong way are us and United recently who haven't thought about building a team but just buying individual players with zero thoughts of the whole.

Huge post I know, and yeah we get want us to sign a host of 21yo prospects, but it's be an absolute recipe for disaster in this league - it can work in a weak league for a dominant team like PSV, Ajax etc but not here mate.

So when we are linked with a KWP or Richarlison type the thought needs to not be he's too old etc but rather how does he fit into the idea of building a proper team.

So, if you looked at the bottom sides in the premier league who would most likely be relegated you'd probably pick out Dibling as a standout young English player.

Perhaps if you take a look in the championship you see Rigg and think he's going to be a superstar.

Likely neither comes in to start under Moyes but both come into the squad to develop and force themselves into the team.

If we could sign them, or players like them, we should.

Why wouldnt we want 2 potential superstars to come into the squad that make the other players think "wow" ?

 

[Jebus_lives]

Numbers don't equate to quality. We have 4-5 decent CM's in the squad.

We have 1 left-back who is crap, no actual good RB, and only 2 fit strikers who can't score.

Don't care what numbers there are for those positions it's not the same and if you can't see that then... yeh.

Precisely my point.

We also scored 3 goals in 45 minutes on Sunday.

We have an on loan player who is OK. A 35 year old DM, an unknown in Iroegbunam, Garner and Doucoure.

We routinely have around 30% possession, we almost never control games of football against opposition in and around us. We struggle hugely to create chances from open play and our attacks stall because we have no link between defence and attack.

If you can't see that then... Yeh.

 

[brieverton]

I can understand the conflict between a horses for courses approach in signing players now, to get us over the line safely, or a more purist one which waits until the sumner when we have less constraints.

But we should be able to do both really. It's important Moyes' finds himself with 2 or 3 more options by February 1st.

Yesterday was great but we have to give ourselves a margin of comfort and the options off the bench weren't there.

The squad is weak and fragile as it was before Spurs. Obviously you don't buy for the sake of it but they have to get bodies in. It's too much of a gamble not to, when there should be leeway.

 

[Mr Happy]

So, if you looked at the bottom sides in the premier league who would most likely be relegated you'd probably pick out Dibling as a standout young English player.

Perhaps if you take a look in the championship you see Rigg and think he's going to be a superstar.

Likely neither comes in to start under Moyes but both come into the squad to develop and force themselves into the team.

If we could sign them, or players like them, we should.

Why wouldnt we want 2 potential superstars to come into the squad that make the other players think "wow" ?

Keep banging that drum lad. I don't disagree but we won't get them. Move on.

 

[Jebus_lives]

The question is more do we look to recruit now for cm or wait until the summer.

In the summer we definitely need at least 1 more likely 2 in, and that's assuming we re-sign Gueye on a one year deal which I think is likely.

Comes down to simple availability and if we have players we know we can get now compared to knowing they can only be got in the summer.

Right this second it's not the biggest need we have, come summer though that needs is maybe the single top priority.

If Gueye did leave, Mangala loan expires we are left in the centre with Garner whose shown worrying signs of picking up pretty long term injuries and Tim - whose only played a handful of senior games and similarly has just had a long term injury himself.

Yep. If there is a CM available we should get them now. I would prioritise a RW and LB. Then see what else is available.

 

[Nymzee]

Precisely my point.

We also scored 3 goals in 45 minutes on Sunday.

We have an on loan player who is OK. A 35 year old DM, an unknown in Iroegbunam, Garner and Doucoure.

We routinely have around 30% possession, we almost never control games of football against opposition in and around us. We struggle hugely to create chances from open play and our attacks stall because we have no link between defence and attack.

If you can't see that then... Yeh.

Are you saying the strength of our centre mid "group" is the same as our full-back or wing or striker group?

 

[chippy1722]

Yes we do have a number of players as you say but the quality is so poor.

I think the issue we have and always have is we find it hard to actually get rid of players, I can’t see the club sanctioning midfielders until we have managed to get rid of some.
And the truth is if they aren’t good enough for us then we will struggle to move them on at the wage we pay.

 

[bluestevon]

So, if you looked at the bottom sides in the premier league who would most likely be relegated you'd probably pick out Dibling as a standout young English player.

Perhaps if you take a look in the championship you see Rigg and think he's going to be a superstar.

Likely neither comes in to start under Moyes but both come into the squad to develop and force themselves into the team.

If we could sign them, or players like them, we should.

Why wouldnt we want 2 potential superstars to come into the squad that make the other players think "wow" ?

If we sign those types of players mate then with our finances and needs then the money we'd pay they'd have to come in and be ready now.

We can't drop best part of 50m minimum on players to develop who won't be nailed down starters.

That's hopefully for a future Everton side to have the nice situation with.

 

[bluestevon]

Are you saying the strength of our centre mid "group" is the same as our full-back or wing or striker group?

Could argue we almost met spurs grab a point due to having zero depth there though, as last twenty we were goosed. Asking a 35yo to play a full 90 every game and Mangala whose having to do more work than he's used to doing tells badly on us later in games

 

[Nymzee]

Could argue we almost met spurs grab a point due to having zero depth there though, as last twenty we were goosed. Asking a 35yo to play a full 90 every game and Mangala whose having to do more work than he's used to doing tells badly on us later in games

Garner and Tim are back in training mate and Doucoure can drop in there if needs be.

We can get through to the Summer with the CM's we have at the club, we cannot get to the Summer with the forwards we have.

Dom scored his first goal in 17, Beto can't score, Chermiti is still nowhere to be seen, Broja is out basically all season.

Not arsed if we scored 3 goals past a Spurs side that will not defend. One win seems to have warped everyone's minds. The below very much stands:

We've scored 18 goals in 21 games. 7 of those in 2 games. So 11 in 19 games.

We need forwards.

 

[Mr Happy]

Garner and Tim are back in training mate and Doucoure can drop in there if needs be.

We can get through to the Summer with the CM's we have at the club, we cannot get to the Summer with the forwards we have.

Dom scored his first goal in 17, Beto can't score, Chermiti is still nowhere to be seen, Broja is out basically all season.

Not arsed if we scored 3 goals past a Spurs side that will not defend. One win seems to have warped everyone's minds. The below very much stands:

Take off the 4 in Bournemouth and Villa games abd it's even worse. 7 in 17 is blurgh

 

[pfim]

Could argue we almost met spurs grab a point due to having zero depth there though, as last twenty we were goosed. Asking a 35yo to play a full 90 every game and Mangala whose having to do more work than he's used to doing tells badly on us later in games

We have 5 players there, it's not that we don't have depth it's that we're using it because we have injuries.

 

[Neiler]

Thing is mate, I don't buy the limited market thing as much as it's made out, I think it's more like clubs are on much tighter budgets during the January window.

Fir example there's loads at Chelsea right now who are available who now want to move for more game time, same at City and likely around a lot if the top clubs with huge squads, throw in the guys who've got six months left so clubs are looking to try to recoup anything, those on 18 months that clubs don't want entering the last year with the big value depreciation and chance they'll leave on frees.

On top players which have fallen out of favour at clubs, and players at any club who financially just can't turn down solid offers for players.

Yeah some players simply won't be available due to a club needing them in a race for Europe or relegation fight etc, but there's also a whole host of players in the above category or who are at this teams who aren't really fighting for anything even at this stage.

Just look at our own squad, would we turn down any decent offer for say Doucoure, DCL, Patterson, Beto, Keane? Yeah a few of those are junk but DCL, Patterson and Beto definitely have value for some teams.
If we were say at comfortably mid table I'd suggest a lot more we'd listen to offers for etc.

You don't see anywhere near the signings for a good few reasons more than simply availability. A good majority of teams have spent up in the summer and have nothing really left - with PSR especially, some have managers on the edge so aren't throwing good money after bad, for the bigger teams in Europe a lot of their targets will be cup tied so the value they bring to the team is massively reduced, some teams are sat mid table and not in any danger but not gonna be able to push on to Europe so it's a case of why really bother spending in that situation, and all that adds up to less transfers meaning less money going into the market setting off chain reaction purchases.

But if you want to add players and quality ones too then the options are clearly there it's just you need to choose the ones you can get.

For example any club with the finances and pull who really really wanted to add KWP, Mcatee this January likely could get them, same for a lot of other players in the league, it's arguably the best time to buy from south America right now rather than mid season for them.

I'm not closed minded to it at all mate, i just think there are traps everywhere in the Jan and its limited.

One trap is we are certain position - we could sign players now - who is six months time we dont want like say a Walcott - big player out of favourite a big club - there are loads of them at Chelsea. We could sign Chilwell lets say, but can we rely on his for the next 3-5 years, good player sure, wrong age and a questionable injury record. Its a trap.

So with the competing needs in the squad of needing immediacy and also planning for the future - it suggests somewhat of a compromise in terms targets. So you are into your KWP here - steady PL players who are a decent squad option, going forward. A maybe if you can do a deal - but lets be honest despite his contract Saints will want to be compensated for his extraction mid season. So tough market, tough decision.

Then you are into the up and commers, your McAtee's, Diblings, Riggs, Fellows - players for the next 3-5 years you are looking to develop and build around going forward. Are any of those coming in and commanding a starting spot day one and leading the challenge Day 1, id suggest not, with each i think there would be an adjustment periods, mins of the bench until the proved themselves.

So tough market, touch contest in my opinion.

Personally id want more of category 3 then category 1 or 2. For want of better expression id prefer a Fellows type over a Chilwell or KWP - if you get my illustration.

 

[Bluebonic]

Mykolenko and McNeil should unless a stupid offer vibes in not being sold, as it stands right now we as you say need to add between 8-10 new players that's saying say we keep Lindstrom too.

Ideally both those should stay simply to prevent having to bring in even more, both are settled, both we can guarantee a certain level of performance from (yeah it's not amazing - but it is guaranteed - it's also a reason I think if he still is playing the same way end of season we may give Gueye a one year extension, all three provide experienced - senior reliable cover/depth)

It's like if your roof collapses and wrecks half the house, it's probably not the wisest time to decide to start landscaping the garden at the same time.

Perfect time to start landscaping the garden mate, count how many plant pots we have in the squad!

 

[MikeH72]

I suspect that we aren’t going to do anything without sales. I wish they’d just tell us that going into the window though.