Everton's 2025-26 Squad – Looking up

It's definitely going to be an interesting summer.

The overhaul needed is obvious.

Aging players, loaned players and out of contract players all to be determined.

My gues would be :

Young - not kept

Keane - not kept

Dcl- not kept

Harrison - returned

Broja- returned

Coleman- released (coach role ?)

Begovic- released

The only player above you could argue for keeping would be DCL who I think has probably decided to move on, but Moyes may have an impact on that.

The next lot are players who are starting nearly every match so they may fall into an undecided category.

( not my opinion just what I feel the club may be thinking )

Doucouré - undecided

Gana - undecided

Lindstrom - undecided

Also undecided:

Virginia - undecided

Alacaraz- undecided ( likely to stay )

Thelwell said in his interview that it would be evolution rather than revolution, so I'm guessing some players will be offered extensions.

It's the ageing sqaud players that need to be replaced with developing younger players.

I agree that Branthwaite could or more likely will be sold to fund investment and give us that chunk of a transfer budget.

Apart from him I don't see any big moves out, there's only really Ndiaye, mcneil & myko who would command decent fees possibly Garner but I just don't see any of them leaving.

We need the maximum for Jarred if he's sold, not 40- 50m more 70- 80m because the rest of the squad are not really commanding much.

It needs TFG to invest also, I hope it's not just a case of sales to fund purchases.

Busy summer !

I was very skeptical about Moyes coming back but certainly he has changed things for the better and it could well be that his travels in recent years are paying off with his know how of the Prem.

There are still some tough tests to come this season but the players are showing a lot more intensity than they did with Dyche although I still think Dyche is a good manager but a new broom sweeps clean.

The future does look brighter and once the dross is disposed of we may see the basis of a great season for 2025/26 with the new owners and new stadium.

I'd wager a fiver now on our first eleven lining up at Bramley Moore to look something like:

Pickford
TBA O'Brien Branthwaite Myko
TBA Iroegbunam Gueye Mcneil
Ndiaye Beto

UTFT

That does probably only mean 2-3 players requiring a fee as well as Alcaraz. But of course we do pay for players over 3 to 4 year periods so that could help us too.

DCL, Doucoure, Keane, Holgate, Young All Leave and that saves a lot from salaries perspective

Coleman (Coaching role)

Sell - Patterson - 6-7 million, Reece Welch, Mykolenko - 15-20mn

Loan - Chermiti, Armstrong, Sherriff, Omari Benjamin

Idrissa Gana - Still got it and can do well with Moyes. 1-2 year contract

Key signings we can focus on:

1. Charly Alcaraz (15mn.) - Replaces Doucoure
2. CB - Back up (on Loan) or small fee
2. Leif Davis (LB) and Walker Peters (RB / LB) on a free
3. Juanlu Sanchez as RB - (20-25 mn). Can also play as winger / RWB. Elias Jelert - Cheaper option
4. Rayan Cherki (RW) is quality and may cost around 25mn. We can sign another promising RW winger on loan
5. Defensive midfielder - Mangala on reasonable fee is fine but not worth spending 25 million plus on him. We can Loan (Dewsbury hall) or sign long term replacement for Gana - Habib Diarra.
6. Liam Delap / Thierno Barry / Ricardo Pepi. New striker may cost us 30-40mn

This squad could lead us to Europa / Europa Conference league

It is interesting to read your thoughts on Lindtsroem not being quite what we need despite obvious talent. He reminds me of Leon Osman in that both have/had a knack of striking volleys and half volleys brilliantly on a technical level but the shots were always either to weak to beat the keeper or directed straight at the keeper. The kind of moments that offer promise on a showreel until you realize that this is the sum of their capabilities. So like you I'd pass on the Dane.

One of my big bugbears in recent times has been our acquisition of players that don't score goals and I would like to see this taken account of although I have to say Alcaraz appears to be someone acquired who can score a few.

I am pleased you have listed HUTCHISON at Ipswich who I rate higher than Fellows and wouldnt mind a tilt at Delap also if Ipswich go down.

One thing we should bear in mind is that we can amortize players cost over the period of their contract up to 5 years so assuming most will be on 5 year contracts we can multiply the kitty by up to 5 times so 30k becomes 150k although it would restrict future budgets.

Also reading we are interested in Sanchez at Seville. Interested in your thoughts on him.

Also no mention of Martin Sherif, Braiden Graham or Omar Benjamin all doing exceptionally well at youth level.

I don't expect us to sell Branthwaite, now that it's not a financial requirement. I think the new owners will want to keep our most prized assets.

I believe Jake O'Brien pushes Tarks to the bench next season. But if Jarrad does go, Jake is his obvious replacement. The right-foot-left-foot thing is vastly overhyped on center backs. To me they are interchangeable.

I think listing Iroegbunam in the second 11 is bonkers. He obviously needs work on his defensive positioning, but that kid is a starter, and a star.

And I don't think Pepi is an answer for us. Obviously he's a tremendously talented finisher -- even in the easy Dutch league, a goal every 66 minutes is an insane return -- but there's a reason he never starts a game for PSV. He doesn't have the physicality of Beto or the searing pace of Chermiti. And he completely lacks power in the air -- never scores with his head. Plus Pepi actually has zero commercial appeal in the US... Pulisic, Balogun and Weah are the attackers capturing the attention of the American public, not Pepi. (If we do get Weah from Juve, he starts on right wing, end of.)

Interesting news coverage this week of the very loud impending divorce between Gasperini and Lookman at Atalanta. I wonder...?

I think O'brien and Iroegbunam should have lots of games and long careers with Everton but not expecting them to be nailed on starters next season.

A thought. Roma bought Enzo Le Fee from Rennes for €23M then loaned him to Sunderland. He is a winger who it seems can play either side. He has been a real star in the Championship.

I wonder if TFG might find a way of Roma lending him to us next season. He is a hell of a player.

TW is blessed to have quality regular posters such as yourself. Hope the new owners appreciate you.

Also hope the new owners can be bothered to update the league table some time soon, particularly as it looks better after 25 games than it did after 23!

Obviously if that happens, he's gone.

So while we may not have to sell him, we may just get a Godfather offer we simply can't refuse.

We are also well stocked on the wings with O'Neill etc. While centre mid looks decent with Mangala, Garner and Tim, a few injuries and we're in trouble. I'd like to see a box to box player there like Ward-Prowse or such like.

I am assuming that DCL will be gone. Leaving it all down to Beto would be irresponsible so I'd hope we could splash the cash there. I'd love for us to get Toney or Mbuemo from Brentford. Both could hit the ground running. Failing that, why not sort out a deal for Richarlison who isn't getting playing time for a failing Spurs side?

These are tiny sums.

What would a Phil Neville cost now? A 28 year old with (then) about 50 caps for England and a pedigree of silverware. This sort of player might now cost £30m or more.

Anything below £20m is the bargain bin these days.

Robert, as has become expected, detailed analysis to the extreme that would put Rafael Benitez's alleged 3,000 player database to shame.

I know you've said before that it's all out there, but I still don't know how you do it!! Hats off to you. I don't even know most of those players let alone have I seen many of them play.

I probably fall into the category of your health warning of not liking transfer speculation. I wouldn't call it that from my perspective, more that I just don't take much notice of it. I can't stand the transfer windows and Sky's frenzied, almost 24/7 coverage, complete with a countdown clock as the window gladly approaches its closure and we can get on with what we've got or end up with.

But, great effort Robert. Let's hope we have an active summer with transfers in the areas needed. We have a long list of players out of contract, although I can see one or two getting extended Twelve (or however many it is), is too many to replace in one window, and aside from Armstrong and maybe Dixon, I can't see much making the step up from the U18s or U23s.

I would expect to see Lindstrom coming back on another loan. He isn't going to want to go back to Napoli, and he's not done enough for a permanent deal. His mind will be convincing Moyes he's good enough to stick around. Mangala could be a future loan returner, but that looks like Summer 26 rather than January 26.

Patterson is worth more than £3.5m. Rangers aren't the only show in town, and you could equally see him go to Italy, Germany, Championship, as a return to Scotland. Whatever that looks like he needs to stay fit.

My guess he stays as I think hes a Moyes style full back. The situation with Obrien isn't dissimilar to Baines & Lescott years ago, and I could see Patterson secure his place. Baines future was discussed at length before he took the position, and look what happened after. If it's £3.5m you may as well keep him another season if his body is up to it, and sell with a year left on his deal if Coleman and Young are done.

A hard decision will be Branthwaite. This could unlock maybe 3 or 4 deals, and that will be judged on its merits. I love him, but let's be honest we've sold players far better than him down the years, and that's not going to change if he wants out.

Mykolenko ideally would be retained, but his book value is low and he has 1 year left on his deal. £10-15m psr boost might be taken for a player that's not 100% convincing.

Mcneil probably fits that category as well if Alcaraz impresses. Ndiaye, Alcaraz and a new right winger would leave Mcneil as back up in admittedly squad game. Despite the toffeweb protests, the opportunity to upgrade the players under psr limitations, then I think he will be sacraficed over the next 12 months if it throws £20m into the psr calculations and same in cashflow.

Moyes will bring some emerging players like an Alcaraz, he will use the loan market, he will bring some out of contract players - but on sensible wages, and he will bring in players that are unloved or unheard of (big Dennis, Mc bride, Castillo) to bulk it out.

Gana, Doucoure, Young will be retained.
Broja, dcl, Holgate, Mangala, Keane, Coleman, Harrison will be released.

With relegation worries eased, he can properly look at the squad and start scouting & setting up deals for the summer. That's a great position to be in, instead of sweating on it in May, and not knowing who the long term manager is.

Then consider the effect of those with longer term injuries being fit and available next season such as Chermiti and McNeil. I'd expect Harrison, Broja loans to be terminated and while I quite like Managala I couldn't agree to a 25M or 33M transfer fee and the seriousness of his injury. I'm still out on Lindstrom but much would depend on the fee, 5-10M yes but more would depend on who else is available at the price.

I'd like us to keep Virginia but if he decides to leave could Begovic fill in for a seson if Pickford became an injury concern and what of the younger highly considered keepers albeit there will be the chorus that keepers need to be experienced.

I suppose a lot boils down to how small a squad could you get by with for a season, is 25 the minimum or just the preferred number?

I think we should be looking to sell from a position of strength. Yes it may not be a necessity to sell this year, but that also strengthens our position.
We seen Levy come and nick Richarlison when we were desperate.

The lads likely to leave, the Euros coming up will be on his mind.
I wish we are in position to keep him, but we need to get the best possible deal for the club, and have our targets negotiated before other clubs see us take in the big fee.

David, Levy didn't "nick" Richarlison. He paid us a rich £60m bounty for him, and his return has been 14 league goals in three seasons. Try and find a Spurs fan who doesn't think we skinned Levy alive on that deal.

If you can get more than that, then there's even more of a reason to sell. His book value is about £4m, so with PSR continuing another season, would represent away to increase our wiggle room.