After selling Romelu Lukaku, Everton had a busy summer signing players as they attempt to break into the top six. Here’s how we graded them.
In their first season under manager Ronald Koeman, Everton finished seventh behind Romelu Lukaku’s 25 goals. However, after a period of will he, won’t he go, Lukaku formally announced his desire to leave the club and play for a team where he could play in the Champions League. Chelsea and Manchester United battled it out for the Belgian striker. Ultimately, Jose Mourinho’s side signed Lukaku for €84.7 million. Additionally, the Toffees sold Gerard Deulofeu to Barcelona, Tom Cleverley to Watford, and Oumar Niasse to Crystal Palace bringing their transfer income to over €115 million.
Instead of pocketing the transfer profits, Everton reinvested the money back into their squad attempting to improve on their weaknesses from last season. The Toffees signed eight players to address the holes in their roster from last season. Everton might not be able to break into the top six, but that says more about the quality of the six teams ahead of them. Instead, the Toffees have solidified their status as the seventh best team in England. It was not that long ago that the Premier League was considered a four-team league. Over time that expanded to six, Everton could make it the big seven if they can continue to be in the mix.
Last season, the Toffees had Joel Robles and Maarten Stekelenburg split time in net. Neither was particularly good, providing Koeman with average play in goal. After Sunderland were relegated, Everton approached them about signing keeper Jordan Pickford. Despite Sunderland being relegated, it was not because of Pickford’s play in goal. At 23 years old, Pickford has room to grow and improve as a player. Although the World Cup is less than a year away, Pickford is an outside candidate to be England’s first choice.
Michael Keane had a breakout season with Burnley, leading to his first international call-up for England. After the season, Everton made signing Keane a priority, eventually signing the center-back for €28.5 million. With current center-backs Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams both in their mid-30s, Keane is the future of the position.
Koeman made Davy Klaassen a target for the club early in the transfer window. The former Ajax captain was an integral part of Dutch side for the past four season. During his time at Ajax, Klaassen won four Eredivisie titles and finished as the runners-up in Europa League last season. While Klaassen might not be the most physically dominant player, he is a solid player that can create chances and finish with his head.
Gylfi Sigurdsson was excellent last season for Swansea and was one of the main reasons why the club avoided relegation. Sigurdsson scored nine goals and added 13 assists for Swansea. However, after a failed stint with Tottenham earlier in his career, pundits have wondered if Sigurdsson can perform at a bigger club. While Sigurdsson did struggle at Tottenham, he is not the same player now than he was then. Since 2014, Sigurdsson has improved as a player and should be a great addition for Everton.
After 13 seasons with Manchester United, Wayne Rooney returned to his boyhood club. While many were skeptical of what the 31-year-old Rooney could provide Everton, he scored two goals in his first three games. It’s unrealistic to expect Rooney to keep up that pace or perform at his 2012 levels. However, Rooney can still play a role for Everton and occasionally deliver a goal.
Everton also signed younger players signed like Sandro Ramirez, Henry Onyekuru and Nikola Vlasic. None of the players will have major roles this season but they are good investments, who could play a role for Everton down the line.
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Grade: B+
After a busy summer, Everton received a B+ grade. The club got a sizable return for Lukaku and reinvested the money back into the club. Everton wisely spent their transfer income to address multiple weaknesses within the club and with an eye for the future. After Arsenal failed to improve in the transfer market, Everton could pass them and finish sixth this season.