Everton told to sign Ipswich Town defender Leif Davis on one condition
Everton's dismal end to the summer transfer window left David Moyes with a threadbare squad.
Jack Grealish returned and Ainsley Maitland-Niles arrived from Lyon to add to Moyes' ranks before the window shut.
But the likes of Beto, Nathan Patterson, and Adam Aznou were allowed to leave.
A last-gasp move for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun also fell through after the United States international had a late change of heart.
It means Moyes has just one senior striker on the books, and no specialist cover at either full-back, until at least January.
One Everton expert thinks that there could be a solution in the form of Leif Davis, if one thing happens this season.
Leif Davis touted as potential Everton transfer option
Davis could come up against Everton this weekend, with Ipswich Town visiting the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
The 26-year-old has a good start to the campaign for the Tractor Boys, scoring twice and assisting another in four Premier League appearances.
Vitaliy Mykolenko has his detractors at left-back, but given there is no other specialist in Everton's squad, his place looks pretty assured.
Everton historian, writer, and pocdaster Paul McParlan has been impressed by what he has seen of Davis.
And he thinks that Everton should look at making a move, on the condition Ipswich are relegated back to the Championship this season.
Speaking on the Blue Room podcast, McParlan said: "They've (Ipswich) got a left-back Leif Davis, who's scored two goals this season, one assist.
"And I was just kind of looking forward, if they go down this season, he's somebody we should be interested in, because he's really good going forward, he's going to be a threat as well (against Everton)."
Everton certainly need reinforcements
Davis has certainly started well, and the 26-year-old will keep getting admirers if his performances stay strong.
Whether he would come onto Everton's radar is obviously not known, but what is known is that Moyes reinforcements.
He should really have been given more in the summer window, and leaving the squad in the state its in was a real dismal state of affairs.
Moyes is no sulker, though, and he will manage his resources to the best of his ability before the January transfer window.
Hopefully in the winter Everton can add some more bodies to the squad, but even longer term they need to be thinking about strengthing next summer already.