Everton entered the transfer window with decent form and position in the league and with a quality squad already at his disposal, Ronald Koeman wasn’t eyeing any major movements inwards except for the right-wing role. It was hugely thinned by the long-term injury of Yannick Bolasie and Gerard Deulofeu’s terrible performances had rumours linking him out of the club.
However, it was their sudden ousting from the FA Cup by Leicester City that brought open the issue of quality squad depth of the Toffees. Idrissa Gueye was away at the AFCON and James McCarthy was injured then. Darron Gibson could hardly impress Koeman all season and Tom Davies was too young to rely on week in week out. Hence, Everton decided to go with the big money signing of Manchester United’s Morgan Schneiderlin as their first buy.
TRANSFERS
INS
- Morgan Schneiderlin, Manchester United (£24m)
- Ademola Lookman – Charlton (£7.5m)
OUTS
- Tom Cleverley, Watford (loan)
- Delial Brewster – Southport (loan)
- Conor Grant – Doncaster (loan)
- Oumar Niasse – Hull (loan)
- Callum Connolly – Wigan (loan)
- Gethin Jones – Barnsley (loan)
- Anthony Evans – Morecambe (loan)
- Nathan Holland – West Ham (undisclosed)
- Gerard Deulofeu – AC Milan (loan)
- Darron Gibson – Sunderland (undisclosed)
- Bryan Oviedo – Sunderland (undisclosed)
- Conor McAleny – Oxford (loan)
- Steven Kinsella – Dundalk (loan)
- Calum Dyson – Grimsby (loan)
Source: Sky Sports
Schneiderlin had been reduced to a bench player at Old Trafford since he returned from injury and the buying of Paul Pogba further pushed him down the pecking order. He had managed just 3 appearances until January with United and was hungry for more first-team action.
Hence, when his availability in January was made known, Everton hardly wasted any time. The 186cm midfielder is quite domineering in aerial duels, which could be immensely helpful in the midfield and his big frame also allows him to hold the ball better than most other Everton players. Having previous experience in the league meant he could directly be thrown into the first-team and he has brought a degree of stability to Everton’s midfield.
The signing of Ademola Lookman surely didn’t excite many, but he announced his arrival with a goal against Manchester City, which now makes him a revelation by Koeman
T4O Verdict: 6
Tom Cleverley surely didn’t have a place in Everton’s midfield and letting him go was the right option but, we think Koeman did a huge mistake not adding players in the striker’s role especially when they have a flexible transfer kitty, unlike many other Premier League clubs.
Everton’s second highest scorer has been their right wing-back Seamus Coleman and the Toffees badly needed a striker this January. Enner Valencia has been vibrant with no end product. Koeman is playing Mirallas alongside Lukaku and it has hardly had any effect.
