Carlo Ancelotti states Everton are only signing two or three new players

After Everton secured another important three points last night at West Brom, Carlo Ancelotti has said the cluib will only look to sign two or three new players in the summer.

The Everton manager’s comments come only a few days after he ruled out a big summer of spending and seem further confirmation that he does not believe the team needs more major surgery.

Ancelotti also said these plans do not depend on where the Toffees finish at the end of this campaign, or whether or not they secure a European place for next season.

So if all this is giving us a clear ‘roadmap’ (to use the fashionable term), for the Blues transfer plans this summer, where should the priority be?

Ancelotti seems to have at least for now, solved the team’s defensive problems. The excellent performances of new signing Ben Godfrey and Ancelotti’s backline of Mason Holgate, Micheal Keane, Godfrey and Lucas Digne provide a solid back four and can shift into a flexible defensive three when Digne goes forward and overlaps on the left.

The main issue here is do the Blues need another right-back to provide genuine natural width and attacking flair from that side? It would be good to have that option and we’ve looked in depth at a few of the likely candidates.

There are still uncertainties about the goalkeeping situation at the moment with nagging doubts, for me anyway, about Jordan Pickford and whether Robin Olsen is a long-term alternative.

But I think if Olsen does sign permanently – and the club are keen for him to do so – and Pickford pushed by the Swede, continues to improve his consistency, then that is a position Everton don’t need to address immediately in this upcoming summer window.

In midfield there are plenty of options now. Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Andre Gomes (if he maintains his best form), and a rejuvenated Tom Davies give Ancelotti lots of energy, defensive cover and ball control. Again, as we keep saying if Jean-Philippe Gbamin ever recovers his fitness the Toffees will have real strength in depth there.

The concern here is a lack of attacking creativity and goals. Ideally if the club can find a player who would offer those qualities from midfield that would probably be a good investment. Having said that you could argue that James Rodriguez in particular, and when he plays well, Gylfi Sigurdsson, provide that when they operate as the apex of a diamond formation.

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So given all this and looking at last night’s match and the previous win at home to Southampton, Everton’s most pressing need is surely more pace, flair and goals up front.

The last three Premier League wins have seen the Toffees keep clean sheets, a welcome thing for sure, but the team have only scored four goals. Now the focus of attention should be to find even more potency up front to compete at the top table.

The one area of the attack I think the club need to focus on is the right hand side. Although Josh King can operate across the foward line and at centre-forward, there is still a need for more options and width.

If Everton could find a right-sided attacker/winger with the speed, creative ability and goals to complement King, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison they would have a very strong attack and that would take the pressure off Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.

There are a few young, bargain options potentially out there and other established players to look at like Leon Bailey (who probably would be the first-choice), Domenico Beradi or Florian Thauvin although he’s probably out of Everton’s price range.

Well I reckon that’s where the main priority must lie for what would seem to be a summer of limited spending in the upcoming transfer window.

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Ancelotti: Everton to sign two or three in summer

By Matt Townsend | Mar 5, 2021

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