It has been a difficult transfer window for the club, to put it mildly, as rumours constantly circulate about this or that player seemingly coming to the club, only for the story to recede again.
These frustrations are the consequences of the clubs' repeated financial chaos and instability both on and off the pitch, a series of relegation near-misses in recent seasons, and no European football to offer.
Everton have so far signed five players this summer: Carlos Alcarez, Thierno Barry, Mark Travers, Adam Aznou and now Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
However, it is clearly not enough given the threadbare nature of the first-team squad and what David Moyes has said he needs in terms of reinforcements again and again.
One area of the team the manager is still, it seems, focused on strengthening further, despite just adding Dewsbury-Hall to his squad, is the midfield.
With time running out and the start of the new season just over a week away, a report claims the Blues boss is still trying to sign the Scottish international, James McGinn.
Previously, rumours had circulated that Moyes was keen to add the 30-year-old to his ranks, and now media outlets, including Sky Sports, claim Everton have made a concrete bid of £18 million.
According to the report, Villa have firmly rebuffed that approach and are determined to keep hold of the midfielder, who has become a key cog in the Midlands club's engine room.
Looking at the McGinn's strengths and qualities, he seems a very similar player to Dewsbury-Hall, and so adding him does not appear to make a lot of sense at first glance.
It also does seem unlikely at the moment that the Toffees are going to prise McGinn away from their Premier League rivals, but I suppose as the saying goes, you can never say never in football.
And furthermore, Villa are under serious financial pressure due to PSR (something the Blues know about only too well), and could well be forced to sell some of their best players to balance the books.
Perhaps that is the thinking at Everton and that as a consequence of this pressure, Villa may be willing in the end to let McGinn go later in the transfer window if this means they can keep other younger players instead.