Everton could be caught short by injuries if midfield depth not addressed soon
Everton have been focusing their efforts in the transfer window on bringing in attacking talent but could be caught short by potential injuries if their focus does not fall on the midfield, with players expected to leave in the coming days.
The club currently have seven first-team midfielders on the books, which looks fine at a glance, but the list includes Andre Gomes, who is expected to be moved on, forgotten man Jean-Phillipe Gbamin, and James Garner, who is more likely to be used as a right-back after impressive performances.
This leaves Everton with four first-team midfielders, leaving just one for cover and three to start each week. Should the team face an injury to a key player such as Abdoulaye Doucoure, who missed eight games through injury last season, they could be in trouble.
On top of this, the club have moved to loan out two promising young midfielders, who could have provided adequate cover, although not quite ready for regular Premier League football, in Stanley Mills and Lewis Warrington.
The club have been linked to a couple of midfielders this summer, namely Leeds United’s Tyler Adams, Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher and Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, but with finances reportedly limited at Goodison Park, all three of these seem unlikely.
As well as the financial aspect of the moves, each of these players has more reasonable suitors, with Adams linked to Aston Villa, Gallagher linked to Tottenham, and McTominay linked to West Ham, with each of these clubs offering European football.
There have been indications that the money is there to be spent if they need to, with bids for Willy Gnonto and El Bilal Toure reported, but financial worries have loomed over Goodison Park since last season when the Premier League launched an investigation into the club.
Everton’s focus has been on strikers in this summer’s transfer window, but there is becoming an ever-increasing need to turn their attention to the midfield before they are caught short and left wanting.
In other Everton news, the club have moved to shut down transfer rumours amid striker links.