After the ease of Part 1 and the major concern about Part 2, the Everton squad assessment continues with perhaps the most intriguing part of the pitch: the midfield.
In many ways, this represents the most bountiful portion of the Everton squad. That mostly means that the team has more midfielders on the roster than it does other players elsewhere, although that group is surprisingly thin in terms of players that manager David Moyes actually uses on the pitch.
That difference is a bit staggering, and you wonder, if injuries weren't an issue, would he ever rotate away from his preferred trio in the engine room.
It feels likely that Moyes would prefer to keep running the same group out week after week if he could, but the squad predicates the ability to rotate, provided it adds depth in certain areas.
But it's clear that the midfield is an area of strength for Everton as the club heads into the summer transfer window, even if there remains work to do.
Who's Here?
Heading into the 2026/27 campaign, Everton retain Merlin Rohl, James Garner, Harrison Armstrong, Tim Iroegbunam, Charly Alcaraz, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the midfield.
It's a decent group of players, although one that lacks a true defensive midfielder with the absence of Idrissa Gana Gueye, although the club does have the option to extend for another year on his deal if they so choose.
Either way, a long-term replacement, preferably someone who fits as a true no.6 in front of the defensive backline, is needed, even if Gana returns for next year (he'll turn 37 in September).
The U21 side doesn't appear to have players who are on the cusp of joining the first team, which doesn't feel like a problem given the state of the group.
Summer Outlook
Regardless of whether Gana returns or not, one of the key jobs here is to find a defensive midfielder who can patrol the middle of the park for the next several seasons.
Outside of that, the future is muddy for Charly Alcaraz, who didn't appear to be a player whom Moyes preferred as a depth piece for Dewsbury-Hall. The Argentine was retained after his loan spell last January, but Moyes never appeared to take a shine to the 23-year-old.
Iroegbunam is another potential player who could be sold, depending on the level of interest and what business Everton is able to drum up elsewhere, as he's the only player who comes close to replicating Gana's work, even if Iroegbunam is considerably more reckless than the Senegal international.
Armstrong seems destined for another loan move, hopefully, one he'll be able to stay with all season, as the return to Merseyside in January could not have done much to help with his growth.
The other three will most certainly be here, but there would be questions about how they fit together. So look for there to be plenty of links to more midfield players, as a shuffle in the group appears likely.
For one, Moyes must find a player he can trust to spell Dewsbury-Hall, who had an excellent first season with Everton, but clearly wore down as the season progressed.
Ultimately, Moyes needs to utilize more players, especially in the midfield, where the logged minutes really add up.
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