The Friedkin Group still need to fix one thing at Everton as priority clear
Everton have gone from strength to strength under the Friedkin Group so far.
The Friedkin’s have spent a vast amount to rebuild the Everton squad, which looks to be working out on the pitch.
David Moyes’ Everton are unbeaten in their last three Premier League matches, and look set to battle for European qualification.
The new ownership has also reshaped the sporting structure behind the scenes, with Angus Kinnear being the headline capture as Chief Executive Officer.
Everton don’t boast many academy stars
Harrison Armstrong is Everton’s most recent academy graduate, but he has not made a significant impact of the first team.
In fact, the last academy graduate who did was Jarrad Branthwaite, who made 10 appearances for the Under-21s before making it into the senior ranks.
Tom Davies made 179 appearances for the Blues before he departed, and Anthony Gordon played 78 times for the Toffees, joining Newcastle for £40million in 2023.
Friedkin Group need to invest in Everton academy
The new ownership must invest significantly in the academy set-up, as it is vital that the Blues can call on homegrown players when needed.
For starters, the Premier League requires eight homegrown players in the squad, and while the Toffees already have enough to satisfy that rule, it cannot hurt to have more.
Secondly, having talents that can force their way into the first-team, like Wayne Rooney, Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert did back in Moyes’ first stint, is crucial, as they have an affinity for the club and a special relationship with supporters.
- Rooney made 117 appearances for the Blues over two spells
- Osman is Everton’s third-highest PL appearance maker with 352 games played
- Hibbert was a one-club man and made 329 appearances for the Toffees
Thirdly, it is a grim assessment of the state of the game, but academy graduates count as pure profit on the books, so it can help out with Profit and Sustainability issues by selling them.
They have the likes of Roman Dixon and William Tamen waiting in the wings for an opportunity, and they must ensure that they have the best possible chance to break through.
That starts with investment in the facilities, the staff and everything else that comes with the academy, it should be a priority.
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