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Greg O'Keeffe warns of Everton manager search impact on transfer window
Everton risk missing out on January signings entirely as there is nobody there to line up deals, says The Athletic’s Greg O’Keeffe.
The Toffee’s writer is concerned whether there will be time for a successor to Rafael Benitez to complete any transactions, despite admitting that the club “need reinforcements”.
He says that with Duncan Ferguson confirming on Saturday that transfers are not part of his remit, it will be left to whoever comes in.
Writing in The Athletic, O’Keeffe says: “[If] that new man does not arrive quickly, it’s uncertain if he will have time to complete any deals that will strengthen the squad before some big games in their attempt to avoid a relegation scrap.
“With no director of football, there is nobody to even line up potential deals. The managerial search is the main focus of owner Farhad Moshiri and the board.”
Nobody at the wheel
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It is very concerning for Everton fans that additional elements to the mess that has engulfed the club continue to emerge.
At the moment, every step that Farhad Moshiri does or doesn’t make brings new problems.
The appointment of Benitez, and subsequently backing the Spaniard in various disputes, is proving to be more and more costly.
Not only did the Toffees lose Lucas Digne only days before the manager he had fallen out with left, but over £30million was spent on signings sanctioned by the former boss.
And there looks to have been no contingency plan in place for the removal of the ex-Newcastle coach, such that when the owner did rush to sack him following the Norwich defeat there was nobody lined up to replace him.
Yet another defeat, at the hands of Aston Villa, and with the new signings conspicuously absent, appear to show the current squad needs something added.
But as one name after another is ruled out of the running as boss and the end of the window is fast-approaching, time is running out to make a move.
The fact that no director of football means background work is not being done in the mean time is doubly damning, with Marcel Brands only deciding to leave a matter of months ago citing “a clear difference in vision and direction” (The Athletic).
In other Everton news, talks will reportedly continue as a deadline for the appointment is learned.