Inside Everton’s £50m summer transfer plans – with five key targets
Everton are aiming to hit the ground running in a pivotal transfer window which may require player trading to land their ambitious targets.
Football finance experts believe that new squad cost ratio (SCR) rules mean the Toffees are looking at a net spend of around £50m in the second of a two-summer plan to overhaul their squad and establish themselves as one of the best of the rest in the Premier League.
Insiders acknowledge that target, which would see Everton muscling into the territory of Aston Villa and Newcastle United as a club with aspirations of breaking into the Champions League, will require aggressive work after a quiet January that ultimately caught up on them as the season tailed off alarmingly.
The club’s recruitment set-up sees a transfer committee work alongside manager David Moyes to identify and sign players.
It is a fascinating dynamic as targets are settled on by Moyes – who is keen to sign a sprinkling of oven-ready top flight performers – and a team of data and recruitment experts, overseen by highly-rated technical director Nick Cox.
A mix of experienced and up-and-coming players is the likely direction of travel although Moyes has stressed the need for new signings who can challenge immediately for his starting XI.
Free agent John Stones and Arsenal’s Ben White, as previously reported by The i Paper, are among the names put forward.
The latest on Hayden Hackney transfer
Compromises may be required, though, and there is firm alignment on their priority target Hayden Hackney, who was on Everton’s radar before the Friedkin Group takeover.
The Toffees ideally want to broker a quick deal for highly-rated Middlesbrough midfielder Hackney, who has indicated that he is keen on a switch to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
But The i Paper understands that Boro are in no rush to cash in on their star asset, who has 12 months left on his contract, and will stand their ground if their valuation isn’t met.
With interest from Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leeds United – and Michael Carrick pushing Manchester United to move for a player he believes would be an ideal “project signing” – there is little chance of him being sold on the cheap.
Boro are regarded in football circles as exceptionally savvy negotiators and news of Everton’s interest emerging this week is unlikely to push them into a deal.
The Toffees would be aiming for around the £15m mark but the Teessiders value him much closer to the £20-25m bracket and would seek a sizeable sell-on fee to mirror the 20 per cent clause that was included in Morgan Rogers’ move to Aston Villa.
In recruitment circles there is a real buzz about Hackney, with one figure telling The i Paper there is a route into the England team for him in the next couple of years. He was likened to Elliot Anderson by one experienced talent spotter.
As of yet, there have been no direct club-to-club talks, but there seems to be a degree of confidence on Merseyside that they will be able to pull it off. It appeals to Hackney that he would join an ambitious club where he is almost certain to play.
Might Everton have to sell too?
What is fascinating is how Everton work around new SCR rules, which limit football spending to 85 per cent of their revenue.
While the move to their stunning new stadium – and a raft of new commercial partners – has given revenue a huge boost, they missed out on European football after a dire end to last season.
That could lead the club to go down the player-trading route and The i Paper understands there is firm interest from Premier League clubs in midfielder Tim Iroegbunam, including from newly promoted Ipswich Town.
Moyes is a big fan but sales may be required if Everton are to land the four or five new recruits they want to reshape their squad.
“The reality for Everton is they’ll likely be close to the 85 per cent limit given their squad value and wages,” explains Professor Rob Wilson, a football finance expert and programme director at the University Campus of Football Business.
“The headroom will be around £30-40m at a maximum. Because they’re not in Europe the value of the squad will reduce ever so slightly, which helps them. I would expect them to sell one or maybe even two of their assets and possibly do some trading on top of that.
“I’d expect them to do a net spend of £40-50m. It’s tight but not an insurmountable challenge for them.”
What about Jack Grealish?
The headroom would help them land the right-back and winger the club are prioritising, alongside bringing Jack Grealish back to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
There will be talks with Manchester City over a second loan to take him to the end of his Etihad deal, with incoming boss Enzo Maresca unlikely to stand in the way of his exit.
Sweden right-back Emil Holm was discussed in January but it remains to be seen whether Everton return to the Juventus defender, who had to pull out of the World Cup with a muscle injury.
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