Stuart Pearce issues Everton January warning as Friedkins put under the microscope
Stuart Pearce has admitted he has some fears about Everton's possible business in January.
The Toffees need to get work done in the upcoming transfer window, especially with them having one of the thinnest squads in the Premier League.
European qualification is on the agenda for this season, but it remains to be seen if David Moyes has the right squad to achieve that.
Bringing additional names to Finch Farm would certainly help those ambitions.
However, there is too much uncertainty currently floating around the Merseyside outfit and the Friedkin Group.
And Pearce is concerned the timing is far from ideal for Moyes and his Everton squad.
Stuart Pearce fears Everton’s January transfer plans could suffer
Everton's turbulent ownership situation may end up affecting their possible business in January.
The Friedkin Group have put the Blues up for sale, so it remains to be seen the level of investment that will be made available in the next window.
Moyes' squad needs to add another striker to rotate with Thierno Barry at the very least, with a few other positions needing back-up options too.
Speaking live on talkSPORT on the morning of 19 October, Pearce has relayed his fears about Everton in the January window.
He stated: "Well, I think January is going to come too quickly for him [Moyes], to be fair.
"Talking about selling the club now, the owners seem to be more interested in Roma than they are Everton. They've got them into the new stadium.
"There's an air of stability with that, but the club need to kick on. They've got an outstanding manager and coaching staff at the club. They need to kick on from there to go to that next level to give the fans exactly what they want."
Everton fans will hope that Pearce's feelings do not ring true, but truthfully, there won't be many who disagree.
European qualification could push Everton price up
One argument that could be used for the Friedkins to push one final investment into the squad is that qualifying for Europe would make Everton a more attractive acquisition.
If a buyer is not found by the time the window opens, then it makes plenty of sense for the Americans to try and push the Toffees up the table with smart purchases.
A European-qualified side will boast a higher asking price and interest as they look for a successor to their tenure.
With all of the tests and research needed around new owners, it won't happen before January, so let's just hope common sense prevails in the transfer window first.