Everton will look for Gray & Townsend-esque deals in January
Despite not spending big in the summer, Everton have tasted great success with their transfer business.
With Financial Fair Play rules hanging over the Toffees’ heads, Rafa Benitez and Marcel Brands were forced to think differently.
Demarai Gray was the only player to cost money (£1.7million) with the likes of Andros Townsend and Salomon Rondon arriving for nothing.
The Liverpool Echo have shared that despite selling the likes of James Rodriguez and Moise Kean, that vision may not change.
With links to the likes of Arron Ramsey and Luka Jovic, it is suggested that Everton may not want to splash huge wages out on those sort of players.
“After seeing the impact Gray and Townsend have had on the team, the Blues will be keen to add similar players to the squad after years of strife in the transfer market,” they wrote.
“Would Jovic or Ramsey fit the bill? Really, who knows? So many players have arrived with much expectation and flopped while those who join to little fanfare have shined.”
Smart.
Benitez has been one of the best throughout his career at unearthing these bargain moves for players who could be classed as underwhelming and then transforming them.
In all honesty, no one was excited by the arrivals of Townsend or Gray, but funnily enough, they have become vital to this new system at the start of the season.
Rodriguez proving almost impossible to shift served as a real warning, that bringing in older players on huge wages can be a real bargain.
That isn’t to say that big money won’t be spent now it is free to be used, but expect younger players and names such as Luis Diaz at Porto to be mooted once again.
Ramsey and players along those lines just aren’t exciting anymore, with the Welshman simply slowly fading away at Juventus.
Brands will already be making his shortlist for January along with Benitez, and we expect plenty of younger names to be targeted this time around.
In other Everton news, ‘Delightful’ – Micah Richards blown away by one Toffees star v Norwich live on MOTD
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