Season › 2024-25 › News Nick Hammond takes up the recruitment reins at Everton Michael Kenrick 10/06/2025 68comments | Jump to last The Echo is reporting that Nick Hammond has now started work at Everton, with his focus on the vital task of player recruitment. Hammond follows Angus Kinnear from Leeds Utd, where they worked together as an administrative team for the last few years, and his move comes after Kinnear's new position as CEO was confirmed last month. The transfer specialist had been expected to reunite with Kinnear this summer, continuing the relationship they had at Leeds United. They form a key part of the new administrative setup established at Everton bt The Friedkin Group. Under the new setup, manager David Moyes is believed to hold significant influence and will work alongside Kinnear and Hammond to target and secure transfers during what is expected to be a busy summer transfer window. Given the large number of departures from last season's squad, and only a limited possibility for any to step up from the U21s, the need to bring in new players for next season goes without saying. Nick Hammond was appointed as an interim football advisor for Leeds United on a short-term contract in June 2023. His primary responsibility was to help support the club during the summer transfer window. His role in recruiting new players was to advise the owners in relation to players, conduct due diligence around potential signings, and oversee the financial aspects of transfer deals. He acted as a "freelance consultant" for trading and negotiating, a role highly regarded by then-chief executive Angus Kinnear. Essentially, he provided an "extra pair of eyes" to advise on transfer business, having an opinion on players who had already been identified by the scouting team and taking direction from the head coach, specifically on player transfers. He had a similar consultancy role at Newcastle United prior to joining Leeds, where he was involved in a successful transfer window that brought in key players like Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier, and Bruno Guimaraes. Reader Comments (68) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Jay Harris 1 Posted 10/06/2025 at 15:21:57 All these appointments and still no signings.One would hope there is plenty going on behind the scenes. Dennis Stevens 2 Posted 10/06/2025 at 15:26:45 He's changed a lot since The Sound of Music. Brian Williams 3 Posted 10/06/2025 at 15:32:03 Transfer window's shut for now anyway. :-) Paul Kossoff 4 Posted 10/06/2025 at 15:32:14 This transfer window closes tonight at seven pm, opens again on the 16th of June. We can't sign anyone after seven tonight. Michael Kenrick 5 Posted 10/06/2025 at 15:32:23 Perhaps I should also mention that the first pane (or should that be 'frame') of the transfer window closes tonight, for the duration of the Club World Cup, which starts on Sunday. Michael Kenrick 6 Posted 10/06/2025 at 15:34:17 My, you boys are on it already...But spot the deliberate mistake @4. Paul Hewitt 7 Posted 10/06/2025 at 15:39:13 We won't sign anyone else this month anyway. Any signings go into this year's PSR. We will wait till June when it starts afresh. Paul Hewitt 8 Posted 10/06/2025 at 15:39:47 Sorry, wait till July Kim Vivian 9 Posted 10/06/2025 at 16:11:35 Club World Cup — as bad as friendly internationals. Who's interested outside of the participating clubs and whoever gets the TV money? Kevin Molloy 10 Posted 10/06/2025 at 17:28:29 Let the yorkies know who is the boss on day one, and then work them like dogs. Mike Allison 11 Posted 10/06/2025 at 17:37:57 Surely we could sign players at any time? If we agree a deal before 30th June, we just dont make the first payment until the day after for next seasons accounts. We could still agree it and announce it.If we agree a deal in the ‘boarded up window, the player just isnt officially ours until a bit later and cant play for us. Well seeing as were not even training, let alone playing, it wont make a difference.I genuinely worry that some of us fans have put more thought into who we need to sign than the club have.Were 11 short of a squad, 10 if the plan is for Harry Tyrer to be one of the back up keepers, but more if Patterson really isnt good enough to play ahead of Coleman and Young. Kunal Desai 12 Posted 10/06/2025 at 17:54:27 No need for panic, I'm sure we'll have a few in for pre-season and then it'll be picking up loans and frees towards the end of the window.Less than three weeks to stay clear of any PSR issues. Nothing to be concerned about. Christy Ring 13 Posted 10/06/2025 at 17:59:46 I see on Sky where Brighton are signing the Greek striker for £34M.We should definitely offer them £30M for Ferguson, he's definitely not in their plans. Ryan Holroyd 14 Posted 10/06/2025 at 18:00:02 Only a few clubs have signed players. Most players, managers, agents will be on holiday. Ryan Holroyd 15 Posted 10/06/2025 at 18:01:24 Yes, David Moyes hasn't given any thought to who he wants to sign….. Deary me! Sam Hoare 16 Posted 10/06/2025 at 18:10:24 We'll be signing a fair few players this summer I reckon. I'd rather wait a bit and get the right ones. Christy@13, I reckon Ferguson might go for nearer £20M these days. Had two disappointing seasons and some questions over injuries. A bargain to be had potentially if he's surplus at Brighton? Mike Gaynes 17 Posted 10/06/2025 at 18:16:23 The club still has job openings for a head honcho of scouting to replace Purdy, and (reportedly) also for a director of football operations. Here's hoping they get those hires done fast. Martin Mason 18 Posted 10/06/2025 at 18:31:17 If Brighton have no need for Ferguson, why would Everton? Serious question, honest. Colin Glassar 19 Posted 10/06/2025 at 18:38:38 We'll wait until the last minute as usual. The spirit of Kenwright still lingers. Mike Gaynes 20 Posted 10/06/2025 at 18:46:44 You're the Chief Cynic as usual, Colin!I would just point out that we've already made our first signing. Robert Tressell 21 Posted 10/06/2025 at 18:54:26 Dennis # 2 - you're going to have to explain the Sound of Music reference?!Martin # 18, Brighton have a much, much bigger and better squad than Everton - and, in terms of strikers, have spent €46.7M on Rutter, €26.5M on Tzimas and €34.2M on Joao Pedro in just the past 2 seasons. We have a much, much greater need for depth in forward positions than they do. I wouldn't be turning my nose up just because players can't get in their starting line-up – like Enciso and possibly O'Riley whom we're also linked with. If Ferguson is over his injuries, he could be an excellent signing. Dennis Stevens 22 Posted 10/06/2025 at 19:04:48 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Hammond - there you go, Robert. Robert Tressell 23 Posted 10/06/2025 at 19:12:44 That is some serious random knowledge Dennis. You must be formidable in a pub quiz Michael Boardman 24 Posted 10/06/2025 at 19:12:45 Is he the old Reading keeper (that I recall from the Champ Man years)? Dennis Stevens 25 Posted 10/06/2025 at 19:26:11 My Mum was a big fan of the film, Robert. Yes, he is, Michael. Michael Boardman 26 Posted 10/06/2025 at 19:28:09 Cheers Dennis Ben King 27 Posted 10/06/2025 at 19:29:48 Clamours for us to sign Evan Ferguson in January - he went to West Ham and……did the square root of nothingHe could be a bargain but he could also be useless/spent/a player thats been figured out/injuries have already stifled his burgeoning career. Given our need for goals and limited transfer funds versus the huge job required…..can we really afford to gamble? Colin Glassar 28 Posted 10/06/2025 at 19:30:55 Enlighten me, Mike. Sam Hoare 29 Posted 10/06/2025 at 19:39:54 Colin, I imagine Mikes referring to Alcaraz. Ian Bennett 30 Posted 10/06/2025 at 19:43:12 Signing Ferguson on a permanent deal isn't my idea of good recruitment. Out of form and injury concerns is usually a hard act to come good.Id take him on loan, and he'd need to prove himself. Robert Tressell 31 Posted 10/06/2025 at 20:00:28 Ben # 27, I don't think we're in much of a position to do anything other than gamble. Otherwise, I am not sure how we ever find a striker who is better than the likes of Beto and DCL. Since we can't afford ready made quality like Ekitike or Gyokeres, it leaves us with: - players with talent but poor goals record (e.g. like Cunha until this last season) - players of talent with injury issues (e.g. like Broja and Ferguson) - mid-priced players (eg around the £40m to £65m mark) who may already have peaked (e.g. like Solanke, Evanilson and Thiago) - players from cheaper but weaker leagues - like Patson Daka and Paul Onuachu previously - who may not be up to Premier League standardThe alternative is to be really patient with players like Chermiti and Graham - and indeed buy a much higher volume of players of this kind (since if only 1 in 4 works out, that really starts to pay off over time - and your failures are cheap - e.g. when Brighton offloaded the underwhelming Gyokeres to Coventry). Ian Bennett 32 Posted 10/06/2025 at 20:52:05 There's players out there from £15-30m that can step up Robert.A number of those listed were those £15-30m types not so long ago. Solanke Liverpool, Gyokeres Coventry, Cunha Athletico, Ekitite Psg, Delap City, Retegui Genoa etc etc.We might have missed the boat on those, but there will be others that are emerging. If that means looking in big team reserves, weaker leagues etc, bring it on.Ive said before, we can offer good wages, regular football, time to grow and put in a sensible release clause if they want use us a stepping stone until we can match bigger clubs in wages, honours etc.There's a gamble, and there's looking at a playing profile, age etc like Brighton, Atalanta etc, that cuts the odds of success or failure. Robert Tressell 33 Posted 10/06/2025 at 21:30:27 Ian - theres a lot of sense in that. This way its a bit of a numbers game (ie buying a few Patson Daka types until one comes good), being prepared to develop them over a period of seasons - and having the right sort of set up for them to flourish in (ie decent attacking structure).We will be a work in progress for a few seasons yet. Sam Hoare 34 Posted 10/06/2025 at 22:34:51 Ian @32 agreed. Woltemade, Barry, Guessand, Bony, Kalimuendo and Roberts favourite Castro might all be in the £20-35m range potentially, and all could offer something to us both immediately and in the future. Vijay Nair 35 Posted 11/06/2025 at 00:12:49 There's also a number of free transfers that are still available and could fill a few positions for us.Walker-Peters at right-back (whom we've already spoken to, allegedly).Goalkeepers: Olsen (already knows the club), Woodman (we were after him when he was still at Newcastle). Bob Parrington 36 Posted 11/06/2025 at 02:03:59 Sam, having watched Woltemade's performance against France, I wouldn't go near him for any EPL club. Eric Myles 37 Posted 11/06/2025 at 04:15:44 Robert #31 "I don't think we're in much of a position to do anything other than gamble."Exactly what I said on the Barry thread.We all admire what Brighton and Brentford have done in their transfer dealings but they took a gamble and it paid off, albeit with more money than we've had available.I read we could be in for Jadon Sancho, whoever he is? Roma also apparently. Danny O'Neill 38 Posted 11/06/2025 at 06:25:51 Any transfer is a gamble. This new recruitment team structure is going to have to hit the ground running, as we don't want to be hanging around.You would think that there have been background discussions already, but who knows? I hope the club has targets lined up based on advice from the scouts, as we have little time and their is now no-one to scout.The important thing for me, is that we identify targets against a strategy to build a team. Not go out and buy a collection of individuals. As many of us have said time and again, the core of a decent team is there, we just have to fill in the gaps with better quality and depth.Reading that, he's the business advisor, will be told the budget and act as the conduit with the board. Scouting is key, he tells them their operating boundaries and they identify players, which is nothing new. The manager influences, and, I would imagine has the final go/no go say. Hammond then goes to the CEO (accountable to TFG) to get the rubber stamp and will conduct the contract and financial discussion with the players and agents.I wouldn't call it a revolution, more encouraging and positive evolution and much needed restructuring. Eric Myles 39 Posted 11/06/2025 at 09:30:52 Danny #38, I would think Moyes has already made a list of the players he wants and it's the top of this guy's in-tray. Danny O'Neill 40 Posted 11/06/2025 at 10:08:21 I hope so, Eric, and that it's all joined up, so they can start straight away.The last thing we need is another Moshiri-Kenwright-Walsh-Koeman season, when they all went to different supermarkets without talking to each other about the shopping list. Sam Hoare 41 Posted 11/06/2025 at 10:19:11 Bob @36, I think Woltemade was making his first or second appearance for Germany, early days. I'd always rather judge a player by his club appearances than for the national team and he had a pretty good season for Stuttgart this year, though was no great shakes for Werder Bremen before that. I think he looks an interesting player but he's not my top pick. Eric Myles 42 Posted 11/06/2025 at 13:03:14 Good analogy Danny #40, lol as the kids say these days. Ian Bennett 43 Posted 11/06/2025 at 13:56:14 Who would you sign Sam within reason as first choice? Sean Mitchell 44 Posted 11/06/2025 at 15:17:13 Woltemade had a bad game. One bad game which happened to be live. That doesnt make him shit or not good enough. Hes also just finished a full domestic season. The scout team will be in for him if hes good enough. One crap first half wont change that. Sam Hoare 45 Posted 11/06/2025 at 15:36:11 Ian, as per my article last week or so my first pick would be Evan Guessand. I like him generally as a player but also I think he offers something different to Beto as he's more creative. He's versatile too so can easily play on the RW if Beto continues to be first choice. Though Robert Tressell is convincing me on Santiago Castro too!If we could get Evan Guessand and Dilane Bakwa from France for £50m combined then I think we'd have two of the best young players in France this year who could add to the squad straight away and be worth double in a few years.Rumours today that we've bid for Thierno Barry who I also like. Danny O'Neill 46 Posted 11/06/2025 at 15:53:45 I have to take my hats off to the likes of Sam and Robert.I've hardly heard of most of the players often cited.Maybe I'm too one-eyed. I tend to go off what I see, be that at the match or on a live televised match. Lord knows how you guys get to watch all of these players, but credit where due, as I would never have heard of a lot of them.I couldn't even tell you about the ones you've just mentioned Sam, and I think I know my football!! Sam Hoare 47 Posted 11/06/2025 at 16:04:57 Danny, Im sure you watched way more football than me! Lots of my opinions are second hand and based on other peoples (quite in depth) scouting reports which I then cross reference with various stats and highlight reels. I seldom watch a watch a whole game that isnt Everton. Its a very incomplete methodology to judge a player probably but luckily its a hobby rather than a job! Robert Tressell 48 Posted 11/06/2025 at 16:16:22 Danny # 46, in many cases it is ‘the market making it plain certain players are available. It is all driven by agents / selling clubs and relationships with DoFs at buying clubs. This is why by and large the same group of players are all linked to clubs of similar ish stature around Europe ( and sometimes the MLS and Saudi). Theres so much footage and data on these players in the public domain - even very obscure ones. Colin Crooks 49 Posted 11/06/2025 at 16:26:31 Wold never have guessed Danny O'Neill 50 Posted 11/06/2025 at 16:37:54 Robert, Sam,Just for the record, your knowledge and insight is a mark of respect. It educates me. Genuinely.I know Robert, I live in a world of data in my profession. Sometimes there is too much, so we prioritise.Keep going and keep educating me and everyone else on here. It makes me look things up!! Sam Hoare 51 Posted 11/06/2025 at 18:28:24 Thanks Danny. I appreciate that. I always enjoy your contributions on here and respect your very clear dedication to the club! Ian Bennett 52 Posted 11/06/2025 at 18:35:05 Chelsea owners buying Strasbourg seems a smart move. Lots of young players there, with Chelsea presumably having first dibs.There's a good 3 or 4 I wouldn't mind. Colin Crooks 53 Posted 11/06/2025 at 19:00:39 "keep educating me and everyone else on here"...Really ????.I tend to stay away from book clubs where all the members meet to talk about books they havent actually read. Eric Myles 54 Posted 12/06/2025 at 04:26:34 Robert #48 "in many cases it is ‘the market making it plain certain players are available. It is all driven by agents / selling clubs and relationships with DoFs at buying clubs."And the clubs have get togethers around the world a couple of times a year to discuss player trading. I think Mike Gaynes posted the article about it a month ago? Alan J Thompson 55 Posted 12/06/2025 at 07:23:33 Whatever happened to, "We are Everton"?It seems obvious to me that we are waiting to see how those players we are interested in perform in this so-called World Club Championship and that this new chap, Hammond, is taking a leaf out of Harry Catterick's book and the first we'll know is when whoever it is gets picked up from JLA or Lime Street.Well, we can but dream, or is it all our yesterdays?I'd like his first signing to be whoever runs City's Academy and its recruitment. Danny O'Neill 56 Posted 12/06/2025 at 07:27:05 Each to their own Colin. Colin Crooks 57 Posted 12/06/2025 at 07:40:48 Indeed DannyThat's why you should avoid speaking for "everybody else" Danny O'Neill 58 Posted 12/06/2025 at 07:50:44 It was a comment Colin. I wasn't speaking for everyone else.Now who is distorting and twisting a comment, something you have labelled me with doing at you previously?I'll just leave it. Not worth arguing about. Colin Crooks 59 Posted 12/06/2025 at 08:04:44 You are doing it again Danny. You don't seem to realise the comments are still up there when you continually back track ?Final sentence post 50 -"Keep going and keep educating EVERYONE ELSE on here" No distorting...None whatsoever That is exactly what you said. Danny O'Neill 60 Posted 12/06/2025 at 08:07:55 That isn't speaking for everyone else Colin.Otherwise I would have worded it keep speaking for everyone else.You are the one distorting now. I apologise if I offended and I wasn't speaking for you or anyone else.I never do. Like you, I offer my own views and opinions. Colin Crooks 61 Posted 12/06/2025 at 08:10:46 We'll let other people decide who is distorting what you said,DannyGood day to you Steve Brown 62 Posted 12/06/2025 at 09:54:14 Perhaps we could have a TW poll?It will be a landslide. Stewart Lowe 63 Posted 12/06/2025 at 13:07:56 We have to stop worrying about players being slow to come in. Its notoriously the most boring month in the football calendar because most contracts end at the end of June for the stat of the July transfer window. Definitely 8-10 players coming in. That will certainly be a mix of loan and bought players.Exciting times ahead!! Jerome Shields 64 Posted 15/06/2025 at 08:49:30 Danny #41I agree with all your obviously measured opinions on Moyes's return. Eric does have the same points. There is the bigger context of over years of the club's under-performance and downright woeful management. We all over those years hoped for professional management throughout the club, a team that was challenging in all competitions, even winning them, and being soundly financially managed.This was often the central theme of ToffeeWeb. It was identified that the culture had to change in the first instance.Moyes has done well, but finally turning the corner after over 30 years, the expectations are rightly high and should be. So, whilst acknowledging the positives, we have to be aware of the negatives which stand in the way of the necessary culture change, a change in the consciousness of the club. Danny is very consciously aware, as are our other long-term Evertonians. Though optimisation having no bounds has been a requirement over many years.So how is this identified? As a country may appear to be run by politicians, it is in fact run by the Civil Service. Everton is run by its administration, both commercial and football. So culture change has to take place in these areas. Is that happening?It appears that TFG have conducted analysis and instigated change in structures which has included recruitment. So how is that going? Thelwell has gone and the structure has been changed and hopefully thinned down. Kinnear has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. What information do we have on recruitment?"Angus Kinnear wants to bring Nicky Hammond and Gary Penrice to Goodison Park when he joins officially in June. The soon-to-be Everton chief executive is planning a restructure of the recruitment team, with Hammond wanted as an adviser. "Meanwhile, Penrice is a highly-rated scout, so if the Leeds duo were to join, they'd be in charge of the transfers on Merseyside. "Penrice was a former Everton scout. Moyes has his own ideas and wants Rob Newman and Mick Doherty, who worked closely with him at West Ham Utd. Newman and Doherty held important roles at West Ham and had a big say in recruitment during Moyes's reign. However, it's understood that Kinnear may have the final decision, which could cause some tension."So Penrice has not got or taken the job and we have got Smith, another former Everton Scout, who was about to lose his job at Man City. In the context of cultural change is this good or bad? This is what the long standing Evertonians are pondering and it is not personal as regards Moyes. Moyes, rather than bringing in his own team, has promoted within Finch Farm right from the start, which is a concern and his win rate against the traditional Top 6 has not changed.More cultural change is necessary and needs to be progressing. There should now not be reasons standing in the way of this, but if there are, Evertonians need to be aware and highlight it.Moyes, in his first day back, talked of his perceived glass ceiling — that perception originated on ToffeeWeb. Danny O'Neill 65 Posted 15/06/2025 at 09:51:16 A really good Sunday morning read, that, Jerome.I agree with you. TFG are putting the structure in place and I like your analogy about politicians. They and their parties come and go. It is the departments behind them who actually run the country on a day-to-day basis.This is what TFG are doing now. They won't be hands-on unless they have to be. That's why they have put a team in place to run the club. I am optimistic. I always am, but like anything in life, there is always a nagging doubt in the back of your mind.The only time I didn't have that feeling was that period in the 80s, when it felt like we would win every time the team walked onto the pitch. If we didn't, it was a surprise. We have been hurt for nearly 40 years. Now we push on and get us back to where we can be. John Williams 66 Posted 15/06/2025 at 10:29:18 Everton have had financial problems since the late 1980s, were not on a financial foothold and ready when the Premier League started, and have struggled to exist as a top football club.We have seen the hatred of a man and his team, who kept the club in the Premier League despite the odds. We have also seen what happens when someone waving pound notes around nearly brings the club to its knees.There is a thin line between success and failure and you have to tread carefully, Let's hope it's success. Jerome Shields 67 Posted 15/06/2025 at 13:53:37 Danny #65I took care with this post, writing it out and then pasting it into the thread in support of your posts on the Smith thread, but have posted it on the wrong thread.With you as well as myself and other long serving Evertonians, it is not personal regarding Moyes. But we did experience his past record with Everton and are not prepared to allow the achievement of a comfort zone which is below the current capabilities of the cub.Moyes is the longest-serving manager in the Premier League after Ferguson and Wenger. Fergusion won competitions, Wenger initially won competitions with I believe the old guard Arsenal background of George Graham and before. Once he lost that, he won little – though could always beat Everton. Man Utd under Ferguson could always beat Arsenal. The legacy of that is haunting Arteta, who does not have answers after 8 years. Moyes has won one inaugural low threshold European Competition and still, while managing Everton, has not improved on a poor record against Liverpool, Arsenal, and Man Utd. To win any English competition, you have to be beating these teams.Moyes did well to start with because he was Finch Farm's choice and they all pulled in behind him. When secure, they laid off, hence the barren spell. Injuries to players who could play-make did not help. In the Premier League, you cannot lay off, because opposition clubs will learn and adapt for the next game. For a club in the Premier League to progress, it has to be innovative and able to adapt.When it came the end of the season, again the effort was put in, because of the threat of change in the close season.Whether Everton win competitions, progress up the table, develop competitive runs, or qualify for Europe, for years, those at Everton did well in the Premier League by staying in the Premier League. Ambitions beyond that did not exist and were even avoided for fear of European FFP rules as PSR played out, as Ancelotti found out.So this culture needs changing, but is Moyes the manager to do it? Is he the guardian of the old Finch Farm, or part of the necessary cultural change under the new regime? Jerome Shields 68 Posted 15/06/2025 at 22:27:05 Danny #65I remember the 1970 League Championship season which was for me vaguely similar to the non plus Liverpool winning the Premier League this season. The FA Cup Final defeat to West Brom in 1968, Tony Brown playing a blinder really sickened me. The intervening years were doldrums stuff till the 80s. I was at Arsenal at the start of the 1984 season when Everton lost to a dubious Charlie Nicholas penalty award. The attendance was 51,000, but you could sense that everyone knew that Everton were a special team. It did prove to be the case as they won the League that season. But John is right – they did suffer financially after Heysel. Johnson did help, but Kenwright was in place and the rot was setting in and Johnson was isolated to face the fans.TFG will be more professional, but they have to change the culture of the club. 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