The transfer window has closed, and for Everton fans around the world, a sigh of relief has been breathed. Tomas Soucek, who had been linked to an Everton move, will not be playing for the Toffees this season.
Soucek was a defining player for David Moyes during his time at West Ham, and it’s easy to see why Everton were possibly interested in the player. Soucek has been one of the best scoring midfielders in the Premier League since his arrival, and Moyes has consistently gotten the best out of him.
However, looking at the current context surrounding Everton, this move would have been catastrophic and extremely questionable if it had gone through.
Everton usually play with a double pivot in midfield and a 10 behind the striker. Currently, Idrissa Gana Gueye occupies the position that Soucek primarily plays in. Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Grealish, Dwight McNeil, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Charly Alcaraz are all players who can play in the 10. Everton simply has too many players who play in the same pockets of space as Soucek.
If Everton didn’t sign Alcaraz or Grealish this summer, a move for Soucek would have been more plausible.
It was West Ham that denied Everton’s transfer request for Soucek, which means that if the Toffees had their way, Soucek would have been signed. Instead, the club pivoted and signed Merlin Rohl, who is a better stylistic fit anyway.
Both players would have cost around the same, but Merlin Rohl is 23 and will be around for longer, while Soucek is 30 years old and not getting any younger. It’s safe to say that Everton were saved by West Ham from doing significant self-damage and instead found a younger option. Crisis avoided!