Unbelievable 20-year Everton transfer record continues as David Moyes fails to fix major issue
Everton still had time to get one deal done on transfer deadline day.
Merlin Rohl made the move from Freiburg to Everton to solidify David Moyes‘ midfield options at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
He was the Blues’ ninth signing of a window which included the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and the newest Everton fan favourite, Jack Grealish.
However, there was one area of the squad that was left lacking as the transfer window closed.
Everton fail to sign right-back, Phil Neville record still stands
Everton were linked with Barcelona star Hector Fort, but ultimately failed to pull off a loan move for his services on the last day of the window.
Remarkably, that means that a 20-year transfer record involving Phil Neville still stands after Moyes failed to sign a right-sided defender and fix their main issue.
The Blues have not bought a right-back for a fee in a summer transfer window since Neville signed from Manchester United in August 2005.
Right-back failure could come back to haunt Everton
The Blues’ current preferred option in the position is Jake O’Brien, who is naturally a centre-back and lacks the attacking instincts of a typical right-back.
Seamus Coleman is an alternative option, but the man who was signed for £60,000 in the 2009 winter transfer window is now 36 and injury-prone.
- O’Brien featured 20 times in the Premier League last season, starting 17 times
- Coleman played in 5 games in the league, starting three times
- Patterson featured just 10 times in the league campaign, starting three times
Nathan Patterson could play a role after failing to secure a loan move away from Merseyside, but it does not seem like Moyes trusts him to play a significant role.
The failure to sign a right-back could come back to haunt the Toffees if they fail to finish in the top half this season and end up closer to the relegation battle.
O’Brien is a good stopgap at the moment, but they need to enter the market and bring a true right-back in, at the very least, to give the Ireland star legitimate competition for his place.
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