Has pandemic scuppered Everton plans

As we wait and wait for concrete news about Everton and new signings, it’s possible that the pandemic has scuppered the Blues chances of building the new-look team manager Carlo Ancelotti wants.

I know that’s not something that Blues fans will welcome considering. However, it’s clear that as well as bringing in new players, its obvious that Everton have to find a way to get rid of the dead wood from among the existing squad.

To some extent the Toffees needed to do this anyway because of the club’s recent losses and thus the problem of meeting Financial Fair Play rules.

But then on top of that came the pandemic lockdown, which seriously affected the financial position of everyone, including Premier League football clubs. To their credit, Everton didn’t furlough any staff and kept everyone on but that decision might have an impact on transfers.

I think if the pandemic hadn’t hit, then the Blues would have been splashing the cash again this summer. Perhaps not as much as in past windows, but certainly more than is likely now.

This situation already seems to have had consequences as it is increasingly certain that the Blues won’t be signing Gabriel Magalhaes, at least in part because they can’t or won’t meet Lille’s fee.

An article in the Liverpool Echo today, has also underlined again how much the Blues transfer strategy does still hinge on whether it will be possible to sell or loan these unwanted players.

And now finding a way to get rid pf players you no longer want, is perhaps an even more difficult task in this new financial landscape than getting new players in.

So few clubs have the resources they possessed even six months ago and because of the high degree of uncertainty about the future, they aren’t willing to spend what money they do have as easily as they might have done back in January.

And the Toffees have a lot of players they need to move on! My list would be: Theo Walcott, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Tom Davies, Mohammed Besic, Cenk Tosun, Bernard and Sandro – yes he’s still on the Blues books!

That’s seven players I think the club need to get rid of. There are two players I haven’t included who might have made the list, last summer’s deadline day signing; Alex Iwobi and Yanick Bolasie.

I was ready to offload Iwobi at the end of last season following so many indifferent performances. However, and a little against my better judgement, I can’t help thinking he might still be able to contribute to the team next season..?

Bolasie meanwhile has been talking of how much he wants to try and impress Ancelotti and revive his Everton career. He might just be needed as back-up on the right wing, especially if Walcott goes, although in truth, I’m not sure he will feature in the Italian’s plans.

Anyway given how many squad members there are in that list above, it seems extremely unlikely that Everton will be able to get shot of all these well-paid players by the end of this window.

In fact I think it will be difficult for the Toffees to either sell or send out on-loan more than a few of these individuals. Let’s be honest given how poor they have all been playing, there won’t be many clubs lining up around the block to take them!

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Of that lot, the only ones I think could provoke concrete interest and secure a fee, are Walcott, Sigurdsson, Davies and Tosun. While Bernard and Besic might also find another club.

Even if there are takers for the four mentioned above, its certain in this climate, that the Toffees won’t get anything near the fees they paid for Sigurdsson, Walcott and Tosun, who cost an eye watering total of over £90 million!!

Yes just think about how much was spent on those three players. All of them are also on very good wages too, so they won’t be in any hurry to pack their bags.

There have been persistent, tentative rumours that Tosun’s previous employer, Besiktas are willing to bring the striker back to his home country. While recently hints emerged that Newcastle United are supposedly interested in Davies, but there’s nothing concrete in either story yet.

I just fervently hope that all these complications don’t end up preventing Everton from signing the players that Ancelotti really wants and needs to turn things around at Goodison Park.