For Everton, the last few years have been shaky at best, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation in both 2021/22 and 2022/23. In the latter season, only 2 wins and a draw from their final 4 games propelled them above Leicester, with only 2 points separating them and The Foxes in 18th.
Since then though, Everton have been slowly building their way back up. 15th in 2023/24 and now, two consecutive 13th placed finishes, with David Moyes back in charge after leaving The Toffees for Manchester United in 2013.
As one of only six teams to have never suffered relegation, and with a new state-of-the-art stadium, Everton should not be hanging around the bottom of the table. 17 Premier League sides have qualified for Europe more recently than the blue half of Liverpool; Burnley, Sunderland, Bournemouth and Wolves amongst them, and now David Moyes is the man tasked with changing that metric.
Can the Scot rewrite Everton’s future, and get them back on track?
Last Season
Everton improved in 2024/25 to 13th in the table, but for The Toffees this simply wasn’t where they wanted to be; Everton had fallen on tough times in the 2020s but, with David Moyes back in charge there was a sense that the Scot could turn things around in Merseyside.
For a while, it seemed that way; By the end of Matchweek 15, Moyes had The Toffees flying high in 7th. The loan addition of Jack Grealish had formed a very strong offensive partnership with Iliman Ndiaye, and with Moyes favouring to remain a team on the counter, The Toffees were hard to break down too, and a return to European football was certainly on the cards.
A 3-0 win against Chelsea had Everton only 3 points off of the Champions League spaces; however this was to be their last win of the season, and only 3 points from a possible 21 in the final 7 games was a torrid way to round out the season. The Toffees were swamped by the teams around them, eventually limping to a 13th placed finish in the league last season.
The Boss:
David Moyes is a well-known name in English football; he had a modest playing career in the football league, mainly with Preston North End before becoming their manager in 1998; four years later, he was Everton gaffer for the first time, leading The Toffees until he departed for Manchester United after being handpicked by Sir Alex Ferguson to be his successor.
Moyes’ United career was nothing short of a disaster, and he bounced around clubs until he was hired by West Ham in 2020, his second spell at the club. This time, Moyes made it work, turning The Hammers into European regulars and a team that was very difficult to beat. However, e was shown the door at the end of 2023/24, before being hired by Everton once again in January of 2025.
Moyes’ teams have always had a reputation of being hard to beat; they soak up pressure, inviting teams to have the ball before launching rapid counter attacks upon winning it back. The Scot loves his team to be defensively disciplined, physical and compact, allowing them to strangle the game before going on the offensive themselves. It helped revolutionise West Ham, who had been faltering since Slaven Bilic’s departure in 2017, and helped them to become Conference League Champions in 2023, the first English side to win that competition. Moyes is seen as an icon in East London, and will look to bring his success in the capital to Merseyside too.
Confirmed Transfers:
So far this window, Everton have focused on a midfield transformation, adding much needed depth and quality in the middle. A little bit of everything has been sprinkled into the engine room, and The Toffees should be all the better for it.
The first of those signings was Hayden Hackney, who made the move West from Middlesbrough; Hackney was a revelation in the Championship last season, bossing the midfield week in, week out for The Boro, who narrowly missed out on promotion to Hull. Hackney is an elegant playmaker, strong with the ball at his feet and more than adept at supplying balls to teammates, something that Everton missed last season.
Another midfielder joining is Danish midfielder Christian Norgaard, who joined after a solitary season in North London with Arsenal. The former Brentford captain will come in and provide assurance and experience in the middle, filling the void left by the departing Idrissa Gueye.
Additionally, Brennan Johnson joins in a straight swap with Dwight McNeil, an increasingly rare swap deal; Johnson struggled mightily in South London but still has a strong eye for goal and can play all over the front line, a sure fire positive for The Toffees.
Lastly, both Tyrique George and Merlin Rohl had their loan deals converted into permanents from Chelsea and Freiburg respectively. Neither featured too prominently for Moyes’ side at the back end of last season, but at both 20 and 24, the pair have all the potential to improve and breakout as key players for the side.
Squad in Focus:
Everton want to move up the Premier League table, and The Toffees have the personnel required to do just that. Moyes’ men have strengthened in the window and have retained their biggest assets as well. A positive season could be on the cards.
England number 1 Jordan Pickford will keep his place in goa, as he has done since joining from Sunderland in 2017. Pickford has blossomed into one of the division’s best since being in Merseyside, and the stopper with 91 England caps will add to 331 league appearances for Everton.
At the back, James Tarkowski and Jarred Branthwaite will be the two in central defence, as long as Branthwaite can stay fit. The Toffees are infinitely better with the Carlisle-born defender at the back in lieu of Michael Keane or Jake O’Brien. On the left, Vitaliy Mykolenko keeps his spot after signing a new contract at the end of June, whilst Jake O’Brien remains first choice on the right, cemented by Seamus Coleman’s departure after 17 years. However, The Toffees are actively recruiting on the right side of defence, a position that has been of need for a very, very long time.
Moving forward to midfield, this is where Everton probably look strongest, with a flat midfield three of James Garner, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Hayden Hackney likely to pull the strings in the middle. All 3 are exceptional at what they do, and tick all of the boxes in the middle of the park. Outside of those 3, Christian Norgaard brings expensive and defensive solidity, Harrison Armstrong looks set to play a big part after impressing on loan with Preston North End, whilst Merlin Rohl brings a dynamism that the others don’t really have. Everton are well stocked in the middle, and could stake a claim for the most well rounded engine room outside the top 6.
Up front, Iliman Ndiaye is the Toffee’s talisman; the Senegal international has rejected a move to Saudi Arabia this summer, and the Premier League is all the better for it; Ndiaye is dynamic, extremely technical, with an eye for a pass and the back of the net too. Everton need to keep him fit, but if they can’t Tyler Dibling is a player with a similar skillset. The 20 year old is blessed with pace and trickery, and may be trusted with a bigger role next season. At the centre point, both Beto and Thierno Barry have a lot to prove this season; both are big, physical strikers who love a duel, but are inconsistent in front of goal. Can either prove that they are the striker to help Everton get to where they want to be?
Key Player: Iliman Ndiaye
Iliman Ndiaye may have one of the most unique career paths in football; moving to England at 16, playing with the Rising Ballers Sunday league team, before signing for Sheffield United and erupting to life in the 2022/23 campaign. Ndiaye is one of the most dynamic players in the league, capable of truly mesmerising things with the ball at his feet, a proper, old-school street baller placed into the Premier League in 2026. Ndiaye is technical, with a low centre of gravity that helps him slither through defenders and ride off tackles from players much bigger than him. Drifting in off of his favoured left, Ndiaye is a goal threat too, and one of Everton’s most dangerous players in a long, long time.
Player to Watch: Harrison Armstrong
When Harrison Armstrong was recalled from Preston last January, there was outrage at Deepdale. At just 18 years of age, Armstrong had been The Lilywhites’ best player, and his departure caused a downturn in form for PNE. Armstrong is an all-action midfielder, comfortable playing as a six or as a more dynamic box-to-box, one who is excellent at carrying the ball forward into dangerous areas, and on the opposite side of the ball. Known for his high energy and his excellence in duels, many have compared Armstrong to Arsenal superstar Declan Rice. High praise for the 18 year old and, despite a congested midfield, Armstrong may be able to leave his mark on the league this season.
What’s Still Missing?
For Everton, a new right back has been high on the agenda for a long, long time, exacerbated by Seamus Coleman’s departure this summer. Neither Jake O’Brian or Nathan Patterson have been up to the standard required, and the Toffees are on the lookout for a new right sided defender, as well as a winger and, potentially, a new number 9.
One of these is Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz, who has been linked with the exit door in South London. Munoz is an excellent player, the definition of an attacking full back, someone who is up and down the wing for all 90 minutes, even providing the assist for Eberechi Eze’s goal in the 2025 FA Cup final. He could be available for around £25m, however, there are some doubts as to how the Colombian would suit Moyes’ system and no deal is close as it stands.
Celtic’s Alistair Johnston has been on Everton’s radar for a long time too, but The Toffees are yet to meet The Hoops’ asking price. The Canadian is another attack-minded full back, but has proved his worth in a back 4 in Glasgow, making him the more primary target. However, Johnston suffered an injury in Celtic’s Scottish Premiership game against Kilmarnock, which could complicate matters for Everton, and force them to look in another direction.
Elsewhere, Christian Kofane has been touted as a big money signing to finally add some much needed goals to the side up front. The Leverkusen front man impressed at the BayArena and has attracted suitors from across Europe, with Everton viewing the Ivorian as a key piece, both now and in the future.
Another young gun who has been linked to Everton in recent weeks is Ethan Nwaneri; the youngest player in Premier League history, Nwnaeri is not seen as untouchable, and Everton appear interested in the forward, who can play both out wide on the right, and through the middle as a number 10. He would form one of the most dynamic winger pairings if he was to be brought in, but The Toffees face significant competition from Premier League rivals Fulham, as well as RB Leipzig and AC Milan.
Season Prediction:
David Moyes has put the building blocks in place for a successful season at The Hill Dickinson stadium, and The Toffees have the tools needed to move up the table.
A key piece of this will be remaining solid at the back and good enough in transition to win games, especially at home. Last season, The Toffees were better on the road than they were at home, and if they can turn some of those negative results into wins. Everton were only 4 points off of Europe last season, and, with just two more positive results, a return to European football would have happened this season. With a backline core of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, The Toffees do have the defensive personnel needed to turn some of those draws into wins, but keeping Branthwaite fit is easier said than done. The defender is quality when fit, both with the ball and without, but has struggled for games due to fitness concerns in both of the last two seasons.
Additionally, Everton do struggle for goals; for all of his quality, Ndiaye isn’t a prolific scorer, whilst both Barry and Beto have struggled for consistency throughout their time in Merseyside. If these two can find their scoring form, then Everton will rise up rapidly through the table, but that is a sizable if.
David Moyes’ teams are always solid, if not spectacular to watch. Everton fans should be well aware of this and, if the club can secure a new winger and a right back, then a top half finish could be on the table.
My Prediction: 12th
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