Everton snapped up five first-team players during the summer transfer window.
Robbie Savage
Pundit Robbie Savage has told The Mirror that he thinks one word sums up Everton’s summer transfer activity – frustration.
The Toffees entered the summer with real enthusiasm after Farhad Moshiri vowed to splash the cash, and Ronald Koeman made the shock move from Southampton to Goodison Park as Roberto Martinez’s replacement.
Everton’s Yannick Bolasie in action with Stoke City’s Erik Pieters
It took a while for Everton to really get going in the transfer market, but they snapped up goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg as Tim Howard’s replacement – and the Toffees began to splash the cash in August.
Defender Ashley Williams, midfielder Idrissa Gueye and winger Yannick Bolasie all arrived in big deals for Everton, but the run-up to the transfer deadline will always be seen as a disappointment for Koeman’s side.
West Ham attacker Enner Valencia joined the club on loan for the season to boost Koeman’s attack, but Sunderland chose to keep target Lamine Kone, a £33.6m bid for Porto winger Yacine Brahimi was rejected (The Mirror), a late deal for Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko fell apart as he joined Tottenham instead (Sky Sports), and Arsenal beat them to Spanish hitman Lucas Perez (Daily Mail).
Everton’s Maarten Stekelenburg
Losing so many top targets was a blow for Everton, but they brought in five players with Premier League experience, and that should help Koeman this season – though Robbie Savage isn’t quite so impressed with their business.
Savage told The Mirror that he thinks Everton’s transfer window was frustrating, particularly highlighting failed moves for Sissoko and Perez as real missed opportunities for the Toffees.
He did though suggest that goalkeeper Stekelenburg and defender Williams are good additions for Everton, even claiming that former Swansea star Williams is a real bargain for the Toffees.
Everton’s Ashley Williams
“Frustration. Williams is a good signing, a bargain, as is Stekelenburg, but failing to get Sissoko and Perez at the end…. they have missed out,” said Savage.
With no European football to offer, it was always going to be hard for Everton to attract the truly big names, and when they lost out to Champions League clubs in Arsenal and Spurs for two targets, it shouldn’t have been a huge surprise.
However, Everton are moving forward as a club, and with proven Premier League players brought in, they should have a solid base to kick on and add again in January and next summer as their new project gets kickstarted this term.
How happy are you with Everton’s summer transfer activity?
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