Analyzing Everton’s summer transfer window: How did the Toffees fare?
If one looks at how the Premier League clubs have fared in terms of their respective summer businesses, Everton look rather well-structured with a defined plan.
Despite finishing 8th, Everton endured a season of mediocrity in the previous campaign. As a result, Sam Allardyce was sacked and replaced with Marco Silva. Although Allardyce had succeeded in saving the Everton ship, he bore the brunt of the responsibility for playing an uninspiring and dull style of football.
Ultimately, Big Sam was shown the door at the end of the season and the dynamic Marco Silva was brought in. Silva is yet to taste success in the Premier League so far but his attacking style of football makes him the perfect man to take charge of Everton’s reins.
As far as the transfer window is concerned, the Toffees have done wonders to rectify the mistakes of last summer. Under Ronald Koeman last year, they signed three players for the No. 10 role, spent haphazardly on unknown commodities and lacked a clear transfer policy.
Under Silva, Everton have solved the imbalance by offloading the deadwood and pumping fresh and dynamic blood into the team.
The likes of Wayne Rooney, Kevin Mirallas, Ashley Williams, Davy Klaassen and Ramiro Funes Mori bid adieu and in came the likes of Richarlison, Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina, Bernard and Andre Gomes.
As soon as Silva joined Everton, he brought in Richarlison from his former club Watford. Richarlison, who joined Watford last summer for £11.5m from Fluminense, signed a five-year contract in a potential £50m deal. The young Brazilian has certainly hit the ground running, as evidenced by his display during the 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Meanwhile, Leighton Baines has started ageing and is a mere shadow of the player he used to be. So, it was necessary for Everton to bring in a long-term replacement and they signed Lucas Digne from Barcelona on a £20m deal. And if these deals excited the Everton fans, the surprise that came on deadline day simply blew the roof!
Everton confirmed a deal for Brazilian attacker Bernard on a free transfer, following the expiry of his Shakhtar Donetsk contract. Bernard was followed by the likes of Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes – both of whom joined from Barcelona.
Mina, the Colombian star in the recent World Cup, joined the Merseysiders on a five-year deal for an initial €30.25m plus €1.5m in add-ons, while Gomes secured a season-long loan spell at Goodison Park.
With sky-high expectations from Silva and his new-look Everton side, the Toffees have certainly made all the right noises with their systematic and efficient planning.
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Of course, things did not work out for the club the last time out but with Silva at the helm, Everton could certainly compete for a top-six spot this season.