Injuries, illnesses, and international duty brought to life how dire Everton's depth was in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest and The City Ground.
Michael Keane's injury forced Jake O'Brien into his natural position, with Jarrad Branthwaite already missing, and a dearth of midfield options meant that James Garner couldn't replace O'Brien at right back. That meant that Nathan Patterson, who has shown himself to be more of a wingback, had to start at right back.
It all worked out, but there's little case to be made that Patterson wasn't a weakness in the defense, although he did grow into the match. The other three -- Vitalii Mykolenko, James Tarkowski, and O'Brien -- were stellar in helping to keep a clean sheet.
The situation highlighted two things. First, that Everton's depth still leaves much to be desired; and second, that right back continues to be a position of need for the club heading into the January transfer window.
Let's take a look at four options who could be available during the window.
Sergiño Dest, PSV Eindhoven
The American defender has had an up-and-down start to his club career after moving from Ajax to Barcelona in 2020 when he was just 19.
He battled through injuries and was loaned out twice by the Catalan giants, first to Milan and then to PSV, where he eventually landed after Barcelona opted not to extend his contract in 2024.
His loan year in the Netherlands was good, but the first full season after joining permanently saw him play in just seven matches before an ACL tear ended the campaign. He returned in March of this year and has played 21 matches (20 starts) in both the Eredivisie and the Champions League.
The question here would be whether Dest fits in David Moyes' system, as he is closer to a more athletic, dynamic wingback than a true defensive-minded right back.
Having only just turned 25 in November, and with a market value of roughly €18 million, however, he'd be a good get for Everton.
Juanlu Sánchez, Sevilla FC
This was a player we looked at over the summer, although all reports indicated that he only wanted a move to Napoli. Now, the young right back has rejoined the ranks of players Everton has an eye on for January.
The 22-year-old Spaniard has managed just 935 minutes in 16 matches for Sevilla this season, 13 of those coming as starts in La Liga. That raises the question of whether or not the Spanish club would be interested in moving him at all.
But there are plenty of rumors surrounding clubs from all over the world, including Bayer Leverkusen, are fighting for the young defender's signature.
The fit is probably a bit better for Sanchez than Dest, since the Spanish international is a bit more of a well-rounded modern fullback than the American. While he shows good offensive skill and the ability to create for his teammates, his tackling and defensive acumen are quite strong.
He's also younger, and while he may cost a little more (roughly £17-£18 million), the age and opportunity for him to be around for longer could win the day, if Everton can convince him to come.
Joe Scally, Mönchengladbach
Another American, and another player who it's hard to believe he's still so young.
Scally moved to Germany in 2021 after just five games with New York City FC in MLS, only one of which was a start, and totaling up to the equivalent of a single match of minutes.
Since his arrival, he's been a fairly regular starter (148 matches played, 125 starts) across all competitions for Gladbach, reaching over 2000 minutes in every season except his first. And he did most of this before turning 22 years old, having just turned 23 two days ago.
This wouldn't be the biggest swing at the position for Everton, but he's got plenty of high-level international experience, and appears poised to make the USMNT squad for the World Cup later this year.
All this means he can probably adjust to the Premier League, even if he isn't overwhelmingly strong in any one area of his game like others listed here.
But as a bit of a bargain option who wouldn't stop Everton from fishing in a bigger pond in the summer, Scally would be a good addition.
Héctor Fort, Elche CF
Another name bandied about on this site over the summer, Fort is the youngest of this group here, having just turned 19 in August.
The issue here is that the young Spaniard, on loan with Elche from Barcelona, just had surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder, and there's currently no timetable for him to return.
It's a shame, because the kid is a dynamic player on the right side, although his defensive skills need plenty of work. That, on top of his already being on loan, means he wouldn't be available immediately anyway.
But if none of the long-term options listed here (or others) come to fruition this window, he could be a player to revisit in the summer if Moyes is keen on him. The price isn't outrageous for a player with room to grow.