Carlo Ancelotti is believed to be calm about Everton's transfer plans this summer despite claims he has become frustrated by the lack of signings.
The Blues have so far added teenage left-back Niels Nkounkou to the ranks but no senior targets have been captured.
Everton are expecting to have to be patient in landing the players on their wish-list with a growing belief that most Premier League clubs may only start doing most of their business in the final two weeks of the window.
Ancelotti asked the club to sign £15m-rated Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton but the midfielder had his heart set on a switch to Spurs and sealed the move earlier this month.
Everton also decided to walk away from talks over a deal for Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes after
refusing to match the French club's valuation of €25m plus add-ons.
But Ancelotti has not become exasperated by the lack of signings and is
understood to be confident in the plans he and Marcel Brands have drawn up.
The Premier League transfer window opened on July 27 and closes on October 5.
The Blues had made headway in negotiations over Gabriel before the Covid pandemic - with Ancelotti also an admirer of a player who has been on the club's radar before his appointment in December - but had to try and renegotiate terms on the purchase of the Brazilian.
At this stage,
Everton are unlikely to pursue the signing of a left-sided centre-half with the
club's focus on strengthening their midfield options.
Ancelotti wants Napoli's Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure from Watford but the noises coming out of Goodison are that such deals
will only happen if the price is right - and it is expected at this stage that the bulk of the Blues' business may not come until late September.
It is not yet known which other midfielders are being considered by the club.
All of Everton's transfer business done so far this summer
Napoli have reportedly set their asking price in the region of £30m while Watford are asking for a similar amount for Doucoure, but it seems unlikely that Everton would be prepared such fees.
Ancelotti and director of football Marcel Brands have been working "diligently" -
according to chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale - on the club's transfer plans but it remains vital for fringe players to be moved on first.
Everton then intend to pursue targets to revamp their midfield.
Ancelotti only had Gylfi Sigurdsson - who has made no secret of his struggles in adapting to a deep lying role - and Tom Davies, as regular first-team midfielders, at his disposal for Saturday's friendly with Blackpool.
Mo Besic, back after a loan spell with Sheffield United, came on for the final half an hour but he is expected to leave the club this summer.
Jean-Philippe Gbamin continues his recovery from an Achilles problem while Andre Gomes missed the game with a minor knock, the club said, while Fabian Delph is not being rushed back after a calf problem saw him miss the final nine matches of last season.
The Premier League transfer window closes on October 5.