David Moyes transfer priority at Everton clear after Jake O’Brien and Vitalii Mykolenko reveal
Jake O’Brien and Vitalii Mykolenko are clearly letting David Moyes down at Everton in the Premier League.
The defensive duo have been the go-to options at full-back for the Toffees, with backup options out wide scarce.
David Moyes acknowledges O’Brien isn’t a natural right-back, but the Republic of Ireland international is surely the best option for the position at the Blues.
Mykolenko has been poor at the Hill Dickinson Stadium this season, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Merseyside outfit strengthen that department in the winter transfer window.
Jake O’Brien and Vitalii Mykolenko fail to create chances for Everton
Without Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye, the Toffees needed someone to step up at Turf Moor, but no one did.
In the 0-0 draw on 27 December, Burnley secured a point after the Blues failed to take their chances and create opportunities.
While Beto and Dwight McNeil have come under criticism from some sections of fans, the lack of attacking contributions from full-backs was more pronounced in Lancashire.
This season, Mykolenko and O’Brien have created eight chances each, making them joint 134th in the league.
Moyes is hoping to compete for a European spot in the Premier League, but that will undoubtedly be challenging given the team’s lack of creativity.
While a new number nine will certainly help the Merseyside outfit convert opportunities, the Scottish manager has been in need of new full-backs capable of contributing in the final third for some time now at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
David Moyes opens door for Vitalii Mykolenko replacement in January
Adam Aznou is attracting interest from Ajax, with the Eredivisie outfit looking to take the Morocco international on loan after his struggles at the Toffees.
The former Bayern Munich defender hasn’t featured for Everton this season, and it’s unsurprising to see a temporary exit discussed for him.
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Minutes played |
| O’Brien | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1490 |
| Mykolenko | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1256 |
If the 19-year-old does leave, the Blues will be left with Mykolenko as their only natural option at left-back, which isn’t practical.
With Aznou possibly on his way out, it looks like Moyes is opening the door for a quality arrival who can challenge the Ukraine international for a spot in the starting lineup.
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