This transfer window would have made fans of Everton extremely happy. The pulling power of manager Carlo Ancelotti (not to mention the wages that Farhad Moshiri can offer) has managed to bring in top-tier talent to Goodison Park. The arrivals of James Rodriguez, Allan, and to a lesser extent, Abdoulaye Doucoure, are a statement of intent for the club’s aim to get into the Champions League sooner rather than later, and represent extremely exciting times for the Merseyside club.
Everton have effectively brought in a new midfield, and the early signs are that they will take the team to the next level. Allan has settled in at the base of midfield, breaking up attacks and being a very vocal presence on the pitch, moving teammates into position and encouraging them. Doucoure is the box-to-box presence, getting up and down the pitch to provide the energy in Everton’s midfield, while Rodriguez is the class act, sprinkling magic on the pitch with every touch of his left boot on the ball. The Colombian playmaker has had some of his most effective moments on the pitch under Ancelotti’s management, at both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, and it can be hoped that the Italian can once again unlock Rodriguez’s talent to be able to fire Everton up the table.
The Toffees have had a brilliant start to the season, winning their first two games in the league, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin starting from where he left off last season in scoring four goals in those two games. Richarlison has been an effervescent presence as well, creating havoc with his direct running, while Michael Keane and Yerry Mina have formed a solid defence so far as well. Lucas Digne remains a top-class left-back, with Seamus Coleman being a reliable presence on the right, and while Jordan Pickford still has a penchant for a mistake, he is a hugely talented goalkeeper. Looking across the squad, it seems as if Everton now have a solid outfit in place, with options all over the pitch. In fact, Ancelotti needs to trim the squad – there are currently 31 players in the first-team squad, which is much more than needed. The Everton hierarchy now need to be able to move on some of the unwanted players and high earners, such as Theo Walcott, for example, while others, like Alex Iwobi and Bernard, will have to be content with bit-part roles, unless they can manage to challenge the incumbents in training and force their way into the first-choice XI.
Everton also have some very talented youngsters coming through, with Anthony Gordon and Niels Nkounkou, a free transfer from Olympique Marseille, impressing in recent appearances. According to the esport betting portal esportbetting.net, Everton are tipped to finish in eighth place at the moment, but if the players they have brought in this summer can click, they may be able to secure a place higher up the table, maybe even challenging for a Champions League spot, which the club and its management will desperately want to achieve sooner rather than later.
