Everton have been linked with a pair of fullbacks so far this week, with each operating one either side of the pitch.
The first is Georgios Vagiannidis, a player we noted here before, who is currently playing for Greek side Panathinaikos, who are involved in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, and sources indicate that they don't want to even entertain the move until after the second leg of their tie against Rangers. That match takes place on July 30.
That doesn't mean that Everton shouldn't get involved in the transfer battle, which also includes Sporting CP and Wolves, but centers around a talented player who will only turn 24 in early September.
Not to mention the cost, roughly €15 million, doesn't appear to be prohibitive if Everton truly want to get involved.
It does come down to two things, however.
First, can they afford to wait that long to fill one of their most pressing positional needs? Currently, the spot is being held down by Nathan Patterson, who clearly isn't up for the task based on the two preseason matches so far, and Seamus Coleman, who given his age and injury history, cannot be counted upon to play much this year.
Second, the jump from the Super League Greece to the Premier League is going to be a big one, and even though he does have experience in the Europa League, Conference League, and now Champions League, the weekly grind of top-flight English football will be another matter.
And then there's the link to Adam Aznou, a left back at Bayern Munich. Patrick Boyland of The Athletic said in a recent article that Everton "hold an interest" in the player and that David Moyes is "keen to strengthen at left-back" with Vitalii Mykolenko serving at the Toffees' only option there at the moment.
Aznou only just turned 19 years old and has very little top-flight experience under his belt, having spent most of his young career in Bundaesliga 2 for Bayern, while enjoying a short stint with Valladolid in La Liga on loan last year.
But he's a highly thought of player, even at his young age, and grabbing him now would be a major coup for Everton. Not to mention that Mykolenko's presence means they wouldn't be depending on Aznou like they would Vagiannidis to immediately step in and contribute.
And with the Ukrainian international out of contract after this season, Everton could use this season to get the Moroccan international ready for 2026/27, and even allow him to step in if he proves himself to be the better option for next year.
There were some rumors linking Aznou to Getafe FC, but the player also wants to be considered for Morocco's AFCON run this winter, so he'll need to play.
Whether that makes Everton the right fit remains to be seen, as he'd have to supplant Mykolenko in Moyes' eyes, but the opportunity could be there, even at his age, to do so. The price shouldn't be prohibitive here either.
The lack of transfer business for Everton this summer is worrying considering how many holes there are to fill, but the understanding of what those needs are is at least a little encouraging, as is the type of players they seem to be targeting.