Ten new faces arrived at Goodison Park. Seven came for keeps, three on temporary tickets, with Merlin Röhl’s loan carrying a mandatory purchase clause for the summer. It was a chaotic recruitment drive.
Back in September, Everton chief Angus Kinnear tried to sell fans on a corporate metric. He claimed success meant a signing playing 50% of available minutes. What a joke. By that sterile math, only three signings worked. It completely ignores the reality of backup goalkeepers. Let’s ditch the spreadsheet and look at the actual football.
Mark Travers (£4m) – HIT. He is a backup goalkeeper. He played twice in the League Cup, won one, lost one, and didn’t embarrass himself. For four million, that is exactly what you pay for. Job done.
Tom King (~£500k) – HIT. Another keeper. He was bought to be third-choice and did exactly that. He existed. He didn’t ruin anything. Hit.
Adam Aznou (£8m) – MISS. Eight million is a lot of money for a ghost. He is nineteen, sure, but one solitary FA Cup cameo against Sunderland is a waste of a season. If he was a development project, why keep him on the bench instead of sending him on loan in January? Next year needs a real plan.
Carlos Alcaraz (£12m) – MISS. The Argentine looked like a bargain. Then the whistle blew. One goal against Mansfield and a single assist against Bournemouth is a pathetic return. He has talent, but he plays like a chaotic pinball. David Moyes clearly lost patience with his erratic decision-making. We can probably sell him and get our money back, which is the only saving grace.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£25m) – HIT. No debate here. He was the exact profile Everton needed. Energy, goals, assists, and leadership. A winter injury slowed his momentum, but he remained the heartbeat of the side when fit. We need three more of him.
Merlin Röhl (Loan to buy) – HIT. Fans groaned early on, but the kid was playing through an injury. Once fit, he looked sharp against Forest and Villa. Then Moyes bizarrely benched him. When he finally got back on the right wing, his pace and versatility shone. Buy him.
Jack Grealish (Loan) – HIT. The ‘premium loan’ actually delivered. He is pure class. When his foot broke in January, Everton’s season fell off a cliff. Even with half a season on the treatment table, only James Garner created more chances. If City will do another loan, sign it yesterday.
Tyler Dibling (£35m) – MISS. Absolute madness. He is talented, but he is the wrong player. We needed raw, direct pace, not another winger who stops the ball dead to do a dance. Moyes barely used him after January. A massive waste of a budget that needed to hit the ground running.
Tyrique George (Loan) – HIT. Only played 210 minutes. No goals, no assists, but he actually ran at people. He has the directness Dibling lacks. Moyes, of course, ignored him. Now we have a £25m decision to make. Is he worth it, or do we spend that cash on a finished product?
Thierno Barry (£27m) – MISS. Eight goals for £27m isn’t awful on paper. But the baggage is heavy. He scored some big goals—Forest, Villa, Newcastle—but the attitude is stinking. The post-Arsenal drama left a sour taste. If he wants out, pack his bags.
