Should Everton go for big names?

As Everton fans contemplate who will be the new manager and digest all the changes at the club, should the new man’s transfer strategy be to go for a few star names or build a big squad?

This is a difficult question to answer. In some ways Everton might have little choice in the matter, given the club’s current situation it’s going to be even harder for the Blues to attract the best talent.

The lack of European football let alone the Champions League is a major stumbling block.

But Everton have secured the services of one of the top talent-finders in the European game in Marcel Brands.

Brands, as we highlighted, has a very impressive CV and an excellent track-record of securing real quality talent and building successful teams.

So he may be able to attract better talent or find talented young players that other clubs might have missed. He seems to be particularly adept at doing this in South America.

One big-name signing might be a useful way for the new regime to win early kudos from the fans. Everyone is hoping to find the next Mohamed Salah.

Of course what might help is getting the right ‘big-name’ manager in as well. The current favourite Marco Silva doesn’t seem to fit the bill.

Silva isn’t exactly a major name in European football. But there aren’t a lot of other higher profile figures out there who might be available.

One mentioned before in relation to Everton is Diego Simeone. The Blues were linked with a move for him earlier this season. But this always seemed unrealistic for all the reasons mentioned above.

He was never going to leave Athletico Madrid for a mid-table Premier League club, which is what Everton are. If he does leave Athletico for England he’d surely go to a Champions League club or perhaps Chelsea.

So Everton have to shop in the second tier in terms of managers and try to identify one who will become a top class coach.

That brings us back to Silva. I’ve never been sure about him but Watford did have a fine start to last season under him. They also played some decent football and Silva brought in several players who were surprisingly effective.

Among them were Richarlison a young player who certainly showed great promise early in the season and who could be a target for Silva if he comes to Everton.

So Silva isn’t perhaps as predictable and defensive-minded as sometimes seemed the case when he was at Hull City.

The hope is that he is the next Mauricio Pochettino.

The Tottenham boss is an outstanding coach with the ability to successfully bring through young talent and blend it with carefully recruited players signed from other clubs.

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Spurs have built a strong squad and become established top-four contenders every season, an impressive achievement given the money spent by the other so-called ‘big’ clubs.

And of course they have brought through exciting young players such as Dele Alli and Harry Kane.

The model at Tottenham is surely the right one for Everton to try to replicate.

I would love the Blues to be able to go out and sign the best talent around but that just isn’t going to happen.

Next: Blues in for Palace star?

Whoever takes the reigns at Everton will need backing and time to try to get it right. This might mean another difficult, inconsistent season is ahead but if Blues fans can see real progress in the team’s play it will be worth it.

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