03/01/2024 23comments  |  Jump to last

Sean Dyche has confirmed the prevailing consensus that Everton are unlikely to be involved in much, if any, transfer activity this month.

The Blues had a summer of tight wheeling and dealing that involved an initial outlay of just £3m as they worked within the constraints of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules and battled cash-flow problems while Farhad Moshiri prepared to sell his majority stake.

It saw Everton raise close to £50m in sales but that left Dyche with a slender squad that has been tested to the limit in recent matches as the gruelling winter schedule has taken its toll.

The team is particularly light on defensive midfield options but whereas the January transfer window usually offers the possibility of bolstering numbers for the second half of the campaign, Everton have no budget for signings.

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Any incoming players would have to be loans or free-agent acquisitions, that is unless Kevin Thelwell can raise additional funds through further sales.

“To do any deals, the club has to be in a situation to do the deals,” Dyche explained in his press conference ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. “Kev certainly had to work hard to construct deals that could work in the summer.

“We managed to do that, we managed to rebalance the squad; we had to lose to some players as well.

“The situation [now] is similar but different. You never know with the twists and turns of football how deals present themselves but at this moment in time it’s very likely to be quiet.”

On the prospect of players leaving this month, particularly those being eyed by other clubs like Jarrad Branthwaite, the manager said:

"That would be down to the powers that be. The squad is showing signs of progress so you don't want to take that to pieces, certainly not mid-season, but the club might view that differently."

Contrary to media speculation, likey driven by agent talk, Everton have not made any contact with the representatives of former Manchester United player, Jesse Lingard, who is a free agent after leaving Nottingham Forest last summer.

 

Reader Comments (23)

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Gerry Quinn
1 Posted 03/01/2024 at 19:25:30
Won't expect anything astounding player-wise, but I am not confident at all for the next few games — fingers, legs and whatever else crossed...
Mark Taylor
2 Posted 03/01/2024 at 19:41:54
What are we going to talk about in January now that a Riquelme-style arrival is not going to happen?
Rob Jones
3 Posted 03/01/2024 at 20:05:54
This is a genuinely new experience for us: Everton Football Club being honest with the fanbase.

We have no money, and for a change, rather than bullshitting us, they're being direct. The squad is sufficient to keep us up. Let's not sell on the cheap this month, unless we're getting shot of Dele (who'd take him?) or replacing Danjuma with a better person for our needs (on loan).

Mark Andersson
4 Posted 03/01/2024 at 21:36:25
No surprise, we are in for another nail bite till the end of the season.

The nightmare continues...

Derek Knox
5 Posted 03/01/2024 at 21:45:09
Mark @ 4,

This is what is so frustrating, we the fans are the ones doing the nail-biting. The ones who got us into this situation, probably don't even bat an eyelid!

Michael Connelly
6 Posted 03/01/2024 at 22:16:14
There's probably one or two they're interested in, but sensible from the club to dial down the hysteria. And no harm to make vendors think we have little to spend, whether it's true or not.
Mike Gaynes
7 Posted 03/01/2024 at 22:35:51
Barring a massive blitz of injuries, we've already got enough depth in the squad to stay up and then some.

There are players who have barely seen the pitch. Seamus, Beto, Godfrey, Chermiti, Danjuma, Dobbin, Gomes and Keane all have plenty of minutes to contribute.

And we were never gonna get anybody better in the window.

We're in a bit of a slump now, which was to be expected, but we'll weather it and be just fine.

Stu Darlington
8 Posted 03/01/2024 at 23:11:05
Agree Mike, with the exception of Seamus, we just have to see these players deliver on the pitch. Not convinced about Keane, but as you say they all need minutes on the pitch to prove themselves. That's easy to say but difficult to do with the pressure on the team to deliver results and the contribution of most of those above is likely to be a gamble.

In a successful team with no pressure, it's easier to blood developing players; not so easy when results are paramount. So free transfers or sensible loans look favourite to me, if there is to be any activity at all.

Dupont Koo
9 Posted 04/01/2024 at 02:36:56
No surprise at all.

Unless we reduce the wage bill on either the impending free agents (the collective £300k+ per week on Dele, Gueye & Gomes) or the underperforming ones (Keane & Godfrey, as well as portion of Holgate's contract that Southampton is not covering this season), there will be no incoming ones.

Michael Kenrick
10 Posted 04/01/2024 at 07:47:35
Weird story here of Ben Godfrey's massive move to Atlanta (who knew?) falling through because of a change in the Italian tax law that allows high-income earners from foreign countries to have a 50% discount on their tax bill.
Danny O’Neill
11 Posted 04/01/2024 at 08:28:42
Well, having lived in Italy for 2 years Michael, nothing would surprise me. If we think our political system is flawed, theirs is downright corrupt and they make up the rules as they go along.

Most avoid taxes. Our utility bills were associated with the next door Truck Depot owned by the property owner of where we lived. After some investigation, it turned out where we lived didn't exist, so she wasn't paying taxes for it!

Very colourful and interesting country Italy.

Back to Godfrey, I might be in a minority, but I'd rather keep him.

Robert Tressell
12 Posted 04/01/2024 at 08:32:43
Danny, from a footballing point of view, it definitely makes sense to keep Godfrey – at least until the end of the season.

Unfortunately from a financial point of view, we are probably desperate to get his wages off our books. Looks likely he'll leave this month.

Tony Everan
13 Posted 04/01/2024 at 08:48:49
It makes sense to move Godfrey on. Only two starts means it won't affect anything, more importantly it will release some funds to sign an end of contract player and or a decent loanee who will be involved more, making the team and squad stronger.

Thelwell and Dyche will have their eyes on a couple of viable signings but will need to raise the finance to have a chance of doing the business.

As ever the window is about trying to make the squad a bit stronger, only at the end of it we'll be able to judge that. I agree with Mike that even if we did nothing this squad is strong enough to achieve safety , so no reason for any irrational panic.

Jerome Shields
14 Posted 04/01/2024 at 10:21:20
Kevin Thelwell has already informed us of this. It is no surprise.

I thought Gomes may be loaned out, but he has skills which could be useful as a sub.

Dele Alli could be useful at some stage for the limited number of matches he can play. It would be good to see him play, since it would open up the possibility of a new and more appropriate contract, when he is a free agent at the end of the season.

Godfrey moving would have surprised me. Though Dyche can freeze players out.

Jim Bennings
15 Posted 04/01/2024 at 13:30:47
What happened to the days you had scouts that could pick up canny little loan deals?

Where are the short-term Kevin Campbells? The Brian McBride or Landon Donovan type signings from the MLS?

Where are the Steven Pienaars that sit on benches across Europe because they are currently out of favour but have lots to offer?

I don't get why these deals aren't spotted anymore, surely they are still out there?

Probably the last genuinely good one we got on loan was Aaron Lennon in January 2015, worked his arse off and gave us something we didn't have prior to his arrival that season, if I recall.

Dave Abrahams
16 Posted 04/01/2024 at 13:48:48
Jim (15),

Yes, Lennon was a good signing but quite a big majority of Everton fans didn't like him. A player who grafted for every minute he was on the field for the team, not himself, could do with a couple more like that in the squad now.

Danny O’Neill
17 Posted 04/01/2024 at 13:56:31
They are out there Jim. We just have to cast the net a bit further. Don't forget, we got Pienaar off Dortmund after he'd come through at Ajax, where he is now coaching the U18s.

Get him to Finch Farm.

I know we like a local player and we absolutely should invest in grass roots close to home. You all know I'm an advocate.

But for the here and now, there will be relative good value deals to be had scouring the Dutch, Belgian, German and Danish leagues.

Dortmund didn't do too bad stealing the machine that is Haaland from Salzburg, who found him in the Norwegian league.

Cast the net.

Robert Tressell
18 Posted 04/01/2024 at 14:30:14
Jim #15; a lot of these players are hiding in plain sight. However, you need money to do a deal – and we have none.

I did an article a few weeks ago on who is free / possibly available for loan this month.

The outstanding option from the MLS is Miles Robinson who is free and should ably replace Godfrey as centre-back cover.

Bill Gienapp
19 Posted 04/01/2024 at 16:24:19
I respect Dyche and Thelwell for being upfront about the situation. Genuine and honest communication goes a long way.

It's clear that Dyche likes his first-choice starting XI and there's no single position that's begging for an upgrade, so all we'd likely be bringing in is additional cover.

I know people would prefer better centre-back alternatives than Keane and Godfrey, but it's hard to bring in someone who's good enough to play but, if all were to go according to plan, literally wouldn't spend a single minute on the pitch.

Sam Hoare
20 Posted 05/01/2024 at 07:16:12
I still feel Cornet from West Ham would be an obvious move. He's not playing there and can cover on the wings where we only have McNeill (now injured) and Danjuma and Harrison. Dyche doesn't seem to fancy Dobbin much whose development would be much better served by a loan to the championship.

Incidentally I'd be keen to loan out Patterson too. Not sure how much he's improving currently and would benefit from 15 games in a row as starting RB in a lower championship team. If we got Cornet then he has played RB and LB at times so could cover there too.

I

Danny Baily
21 Posted 05/01/2024 at 08:10:39
Young, Danjuma, Harrison, McNeil, Garner, all can play out wide in our system. If McNeil's season is over, we don't have to panic buy. I thought Danjuma looked lively last night, but Young would be the best replacement when fit.
Danny Baily
22 Posted 05/01/2024 at 16:39:04
I see Brereton Diaz to Sheffield Utd has happened.

He could have been a good loan move for us.

Mal van Schaick
23 Posted 07/01/2024 at 10:24:21
We should have enough in the current squad to retain our Premier League status.

It would take the pressure off with some points returned, but we cannot relax until we have the points on the board.

If the market dictates that we can recruit a targeted player, then I would mark that as progress.


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