Everton make no further deadline day signings and let Iwobi leave
With the 2023 summer transfer window now closed, Everton have failed to bring in any late additions and also let Alex Iwobi leave at the last minute.
What is the strategy and thinking at this club sometimes, because I cannot fathom it and it never seems to be clear what exactly is going on.
Why, when you know it is extremely doubtful you will get any new players in would Everton sell an individual so late on deadline day who, for all his faults, had been an integral part of the squad last season?!
There is the obvious short-term financial gain of course, but the Toffees now face the remainder of a very long and hard campaign without a point and a threadbare squad that will struggle to cope with any significant injuries. And you know with this club those are coming down the line.
The Blues still needed at least one more forward and ideally two, plus a strong argument could be made for defensive reinforcements as well.
However, the only transfer deals that happened involved outgoings with the most significant being Iwobi joining Fulham in a £22 million deal.
Other forward players Neal Maupay and Tom Cannon also departed Merseyside by the time the first day of this new month had passed.
Maupay won’t be missed, although I’m sure now he’ll thrive at Brentford and start scoring goals!
As for Cannon he wasn’t going to get much first-team football, with the Toffees now having Beto, Youssef Chermiti, Arnaut Danjuma and when he’s fit, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, available up front.
Iwobi’s leaving is I repeat a departure that is strange one for Everton to sanction, particularly so late in the day.
Yes he is hardly an outstanding player and hasn’t exactly let up Goodison Park since his hugely expensive move from Arsenal in 2018.
And he was in the final year of his contract and didn’t look likely to sign another one. However, he is versatile and relatively injury-free and has played right across midfield and as a winger and full-back too.
By the way in just the latest example of their transfer mismangement, the club didn’t recoup the full amount that was spent on him either, suprise, surprise.
Everton had very few options in their squad generally after so many players having already left this summer and Iwobi’s departure leaves another gap.
There is precious little depth in all positions now, especially full-back for example, where the Blues have major problems with injury and poor form.
There was the usual final day media talk that the Toffees were still holding an interest in this and that player, most of all continuing claims that Everton tried again to get Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds.
Why though did the club try again at the last minute to secure a player when they had repeatedly seen previous bids rebuffed throughout the summer instead of moving for more realistic targets?
Well, there is nothing that can be done now and we all just have to hope that this stripping out of the squad isn’t going to come back and haunt the Blues later in the season.
We all have to keep out fingers crossed that new signings and key individuals like Beto and Calvert-Lewin (yeah right!) can stay fit, because if not, Everton will be in for a very difficult season and almost certainly another desperate relegation fight.