An analysis of Everton spending and future transfer policy
The Liverpool Echo have produced an in-depth analysis of how Everton have spent in the transfer market over the past 25 years and what it might mean for future transfer policy.
It’s an interesting break down of how Everton have conducted their transfer business since the Premier League began and whether they have got value for money in comparison with their rivals.
As one of only six ever-present clubs since the Premier League started in 1992, Everton have the lowest overall transfer spend by a considerable margin.
The paper says that the Blues have spent a net total of £203 million since that first season in 1992-93. That sounds quite a lot until you look at what other clubs in that select group spent.
Merseyside rivals Liverpool spent more than double in that time at £445 million. This puts the claim I’ve heard from some of their fans that they’ve not been one of the high spenders into some doubt!
However even that extravagance is put into the shade by the spending of Chelsea and Manchester United. Both spent over £800 million with Chelsea topping the list at £845 million net.
All these eye-watering sums of course just underlines what many people have always thought, that money decides success in football today.
Interestingly these figures also indicate that Everton’s spending has been quite cost-effective. It cost the Blues £148,000 per point gained and £560,000 per win.
That’s fifth overall and may not seem that cost-effective but considering the total amount of money involved it’s quite a good return. So Everton have been able to find players in the transfer market that provide value for money.
What does this have to say about how Everton should conduct future transfer dealings, especially in this current window?
Most of this transfer activity took place when Everton didn’t have the backing of a billionaire owner, unlike Chelsea or Manchester City.
Ever since majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri took over there has been raised expectation that the Blues could finally start competing for big names and spend large sums to do so.
And that’s what did seem to be happening in the last year or so when Moshiri backed his then manager Ronald Koeman to the tune of around £150 million.
In came big money signings like Morgan Schniderlin, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Michael Keane and Jordan Pickford. Everton certainly splashed the cash and there was increased belief that the club could compete for a top six, or even a top four place.
Of course as everyone knows it didn’t work out as expected and the Toffees endured a woeful campaign last season. So it’s been back to the drawing board with a new internal structure and a new Director of Football and manager.
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And Marcel Brands has made it clear Everton have to sell before they can buy this time around as Moshiri won’t sanction that kind of spending again. It seems then that the Blues have to go back to the kind of transfer policy they had out of necessity in the pre-Moshiri days.
I think the club are caught somewhat between a rock and a hard place. There is of course a desire to compete for the big prizes and Champions League places.
But realistically no matter how much money the Toffees spend it’s still very difficult to get the very best players without already having the pull of Champions League football in particular. The Toffees simply don’t have the ability to get these players.
Next: A round-up of Everton transfer stories
If Everton go back to a more modest approach to transfers and look to build a young team over a few years, then that will require a lot of patience from the fans and also owner Moshiri with no guarantee of success. A lot will rest on Brands’ reputation for finding affordable gems in the market.