Dan Friedkin is now the official owner of Everton. (Credit - Imago)
Dan Friedkin is now the official owner of Everton. (Credit - Imago)

Kevin Thelwell prospects bleak at Everton as Dan Friedkin talks needed

Jonathan Burnett

Jonny is a University of Leeds journalism graduate who became part of the FootballInsider team in Spring 2024, and recently worked as Head of Media for Widnes Vikings Rugby League club. Writing as a freelance reporter and commentator for The Sporting News and StatsPerform, he has covered matches in competitions including the FIFA Men's and Women's World Cups, as well as the Champions League, Women's Euro 2022, Six Nations and the Rugby Union World Cup.

Published on

Kevin Thelwell's hopes for a new contract at Everton could be quashed if Dan Friedkin notices the same thing Jamie Carragher has.

The Liverpool Echo reported on 1 January that with 13 players, Sean Dyche and Thelwell all out of contract in the summer, the director of football's position is "the most important to resolve".

While Friedkin may be inclined to keep Thelwell in the building to ease the Blues' transitional summer ahead, Carragher's recent comments suggest that his track record isn't what it's made out to be.

Speaking on The Overlap (18 December), Carragher pointed out that few signings made since Dyche took charge in early 2023 are currently first-team regulars, and this points towards wholesale changes.

Kevin Thelwell's time could be up as Everton change course

A fifth transfer window with Dyche and Thelwell at the helm has begun at Goodison Park, but it's a first in which the looming threat of financial disaster won't play a massive part thanks to Friedkin's takeover.

The circumstances Thelwell has operated under since his arrival in 2022 have been far from ideal for any director of football, as the Blues paid the price for years of over-zealous spending from Farhad Moshiri.

Everton manager Sean Dyche
Few of Kevin Thelwell's signings have become first-team regulars for Sean Dyche's side [Credit: Imago]

However, given Dyche is a manager accustomed to not buying players at the very top of the market from his years with Burnley, you'd expect more of Thelwell's signings for him to have made an impact.

Of the current crop bought in the pair's fourth transfer window as a partnership, only Iliman Ndiaye is a regular name on the team sheet, while last summer's big buy Beto looks set for the exit door [Mail on Sunday, 29 December].

As a result, and with the Friedkin Group taking Evertonians in a new direction – from their brand new home – next summer, cutting ties with both Thelwell and Dyche may be the most sensible move to make.

For more Everton news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.

www.goodisonnews.com