Blinksportsnews247Normally, one would write off a transfer window that produced no signings as unmemorable. But who could forget Everton’s January of last year?
The search for a striker to provide cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin as the team fell into a relegation battle amid crises both on and off the field resulted only in closed doors, and the squad that needed to be strengthened instead shrank as Anthony Gordon left for Newcastle United for a sizable fee amid a deteriorating relationship between the player and the club.
Of course, there was also the Arnaut Danjuma saga. The Villarreal winger appeared to be a valuable asset to Frank Lampard’s offensive line until Lampard’s departure forced a last-minute change of heart, and the player ended up joining Tottenham Hotspur. There, the former Blue Richarlison tortured him for failing Everton, to the point where Danjuma’s decision to move to Merseyside for the summer was influenced by the forward’s defense of his old team.
Even though January of last year was difficult for a variety of reasons, Sean Dyche was named manager, which was a big addition. After making magic with little in the way of resources, Dyche is the only Everton manager to start the new year in a strong position since Carlo Ancelotti, twelve months later.
Despite the difficult circumstances, he managed to keep Everton in the Premier League and has since established a solid basis for growth. Everton is rightfully in the top half of the league following an incredible run of play that started well in advance of the 10-point deduction that was said to have “galvanized” the players. What happens in the transfer market next for Dyche and Everton? Here, the Blues writers at the ECHO try to project what might occur in January.
Joe Thomas: safeguard and develop
From Everton, expect more of the same. As the team continues to work toward becoming financially strong, January will once more be dominated by the sustainability notion. There has been a lot of effort done toward that aim, and more will be done in the summer. Nothing will be done in January to jeopardize it.
This will remain the case even if 777 Partners’ proposed acquisition receives the governmental approval needed to finalize its agreement with Farhad Moshiri. There are clubs in 777’s portfolio, and the company’s entry hasn’t caused a transfer market frenzy anywhere.
Given that Sean Dyche has demonstrated he can make the few resources he presently has competitive and that the manager also likes to work with a tight team, a cautious approach is even more plausible. That’s not to say he wouldn’t mind a few additions, or that Everton wouldn’t act if a chance it thought was too good to pass up presented itself.
However, in actuality, the focus of this season is now on ensuring top flight survival as soon as possible in order to give director of football Kevin Thelwell an advantage over summer business. Everton ought to have more stability off the field by then, and Thelwell will have had his first genuine chance to assemble this team since taking over in early 2022 thanks to the signing of several large contracts.
To strengthen the club’s finances, recent windows have focused on bringing in transfer fees and cutting hefty salaries. The season’s conclusion may mark the official transition from the Frankenstein team assembled by Moshiri’s several managers to a sane, well-organized, and long-term group of players meant to advance the team.
January will be spent safeguarding the team’s assets; players Jarrad Branthwaite and Amadou Onana are highly sought-after, and the uncertainty surrounding the takeover could incite desperate attempts to pry them away. With the Blues holding a marginally worse hand, wealthy clubs may believe that next month is their last opportunity to make a deal with Everton. These conflicts will be determined by the real strength of Everton’s finances; the stronger the team, the higher the valuation it can set and the more likely it is that they will stay.
The fact that Branthwaite recognizes the importance of playing first team football for his development and that Everton is providing it to him further solidifies the club’s position. Though things might obviously change, rumors that Everton may try to recall Mason Holgate from Southampton owing to a lack of playing time and that Villarreal are considering a return for Arnaut Danjuma should likewise be handled cautiously at this point.Dyche stated last week that he had not been informed by Villarreal of any worries regarding Danjuma’s minutes, which have since increased. Additionally, Everton’s acquisition of Holgate was motivated in part by financial considerations rather than being a developmental loan where experience was required, as was the case with Branthwaite’s move to PSV Eindhoven last season.
In addition, Everton went into January having researched the market and making sure its finances would allow it to take advantage of any opportunities that might present itself. However, when the market shifts, incomings are probably going to be opportunistic advances, especially when it comes to young players the club sees promise in—a characteristic that still interests Thelwell and his group.
Players whose growth the club has tracked include Wigan Athletic’s Sam Tickle, the goalkeeper who was chosen for England’s Under-21 squad earlier this season. Everton has also been connected to Gent Archie Brown, who is 21 years old. Like Tickle, left back Brown plays in a position where the team is thin on the ground, and both of their backgrounds align with the team’s goal of identifying young, gifted players who have the potential to succeed at Everton.
Though Brown played for two clubs this season and began the first three games of the Swiss Super League for Lausanne before transferring to Belgium, there may be issues with a January contract. However, if Everton makes a move in January, it’s probably going to be for that kind of player unless a last-minute chance to bolster the first team roster at the right price presents itself. In the event that it occurs, Everton will naturally look into loan switches, or loan arrangements that include a buyout option.
Chris Beesley, hold off until summer.
With the prolonged delay surrounding the planned ownership of the club, it is challenging to make any kind of accurate prediction regarding Everton’s January transfer activity.
Fortunately, Sean Dyche appears to have the team in a position where they don’t necessarily need to add to their personnel, unlike the previous winter window when the Blues were desperate for new blood but were the only team fighting to stay in the Premier League and not to strengthen their squad. Naturally, the group’s membership can fluctuate, especially when a few players are missing, but it is now imperative that any haphazard shopping during the New Year’s sales be done.
In order to avoid having to go with any of its top assets, like they did when Anthony Gordon moved to Newcastle United for £45 million the previous time around, Everton will hopefully be in good enough financial standing. If they can get over that, it’s generally best to hold off until the summer, when players whose contracts are surplus to requirements expire and more substantial team reconstruction can happen.
Continue with Arnaut Danjuma, Connor O’Neill
I concur with my distinguished colleague Chris that it’s hard to forecast January transfer activity at Everton with any degree of accuracy given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the planned acquisition of the club.
Speaking earlier this month, director of football Kevin Thelwell said that he doesn’t know what Everton will be able to buy during the January transfer window, but he also acknowledged that players must have a marketable quality if the Blues are to sign players for large salaries.
That could be a hint that the Goodison Park team is trying to find players that are comparable to Youssef Chermiti. But one thing I hope to see happen this month is that Arnaut Danjuma stays with Sean Dyche’s team.
Given his little playing time thus far this season, it is understandable that there have been rumors circulating that he may be returning to Villarreal CF. But I think the last two games have shown us that the attacker is still very much alive and might really help the Blues in the second half of the season.
However, I would be shocked if someone were to sign with the Blues for the upcoming month. If forced, though, I would want to see them bring in another midfield player, especially since Idrissa Gueye is playing for the Africa Cup of Nations.
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