The transfer window, at least in the summer, seems to go on for a very long time, allowing rumor after rumor to circulate, and connects to be made between players and clubs, some based on reality, others not so much.
And now that the window is closed, it is time to take stock of how Everton did during that window, something we here at Prince Rupert's Tower will spend the next few days working through. There will plent of opportunties to talk more about what the club did do and what they failed to do, especially with an international break following the closing of the window.
All told, Everton brought in eight new players: goalkeepers Mark Travers and Tom King; left back Adam Aznou; midfielders Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Charly Alcaraz; striker Thierno Barry; and winger Tyler Dibling.
There is also, as of this writing, potential for a move for Freiburg midfielder Martin Rohl to have been completed before the deadline, but nothing has been confirmed by the club.
The glaring miss, even if Rohl does get over the line, is at right back, where it appears that Everton will continue to rely on the trio of Jake O'Brien, Seamus Coleman, and possibly Nathan Patterson, who has also not seen a rumored loan to Sevilla confirmed.
If the Rohl deal doesn't get done, then covering at central midfielder would also be a significant miss for the club, with Idrissa Gana Gueye's age, short-term contract, and looming AFCON participation leaving a hole there for both the near and distant future.
Assuming that deal isn't an issue (El Bobble reported that the German flew to Liverpool today), then the major problem is the one that's existed for several years now: no real solution at right back other than band aids for the short term.
That hole in the squad is what prevents this from being a wholly successful window for Everton, who otherwise did well with their business and turned the squad over in a relatively short period. We've already seen how much better the attack has been so far this season because of those moves.
But you can't help but think what the side would look like with a true right back rather than a center back masquerading as one (no offense to Jake O'Brien, who has worked admirably since stepping into the role, but it's not his natural position).
And so it'll be another four months of speculation as to whether January 2026 will finally be the window when Everton makes that right back move a reality.