Everton may be looking to bring in new additions during the January transfer window, and A View From The Bullens host Ben Winstanley has named one player who would be an excellent signing, while speaking to GIVEMESPORT.
The Toffees have struggled over the last few years, and Sean Dyche may need a deeper squad to keep them in the Premier League.
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It was a difficult transfer window for the Merseyside club due to financial problems which have hindered their ability to bring in new signings. Everton spent just £2.6m in upfront payments, per The Athletic, with Beto, who joined the club from Udinese, costing nothing until the next financial year.
Beto, Arnaut Danjuma, Jack Harrison, Youssef Chermiti, and Ashley Young all arrived through the door at Goodison Park, with Alex Iwobi the most notable departure. Everton have been involved in back-to-back relegation battles, so building a squad capable of climbing away from the drop zone was imperative in the summer.
Whether Kevin Thelwell and Everton’s recruitment team have done enough remains to be seen, but there’s a chance to reevaluate ahead of the January transfer window. It was a difficult situation to contend with considering the finances at the club, with journalist Paul Brown claiming to GIVEMESPORT that some of the decisions made in the past by Farhad Moshiri have been ‘absolutely appalling’.
If we get him on loan, it would be a fantastic signing – Ben Winstanley
Kalvin Phillips has been linked with a move to Goodison Park recently, with iNews claiming that Newcastle United and Everton are interested in the midfielder ahead of the January transfer window. The former Leeds United man is likely to leave Manchester City due to a lack of minutes under Pep Guardiola.
Winstanley has claimed that Phillips would be an excellent signing for Everton and he could be the Gareth Barry-type player that Dyche needs. The presenter adds that bringing Phillips to the club would take some pressure off James Garner, Amadou Onana, and Idrissa Gueye in the Everton midfield. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Winstanley said…
“Yes, I think if we get him on loan it will be a fantastic signing. I know there was a lot of murmurs in the summer. I think the thing with Phillips for me is he is an out-and-out number six. He is your Gareth Barry-esque player who will sit in front of the back four and guard that back four. He likes the ball, he likes to play football. I think it’d be an excellent signing and I think it takes the pressure off the likes of Onana, Garner, Gueye, because even though Onana can play in a deeper role, I feel like he’s so leggy, so physical, so powerful, that he could be your box-to-box midfielder and he’s got the pace to get back as well to obviously contribute with the defending.”
Is Kalvin Phillips an upgrade on Idrissa Gueye for Sean Dyche?
Gueye and Phillips are in different stages of their careers, with the former entering the last few years of his time in the game and the latter around the peak age for a midfielder. However, Phillips has struggled to play regularly during his time at Manchester City, but there’s no doubt that in his prime while playing for Leeds, the England international was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
Gueye is now 34 years old, with Phillips now 27, so the latter could be the ideal long-term replacement in midfield. Gueye, Onana, and Garner have all played in a more advanced role, rather than in a natural defensive midfield position, whereas Phillips is more of your traditional number six. If Everton could secure his signature and get him back to his best, then Phillips may be an upgrade on Gueye.
What’s next for the Toffees?
Finding consistency has to be the priority for Everton if they want to stay in the Premier League. Performances like against Brentford and Bournemouth are few and far between at the moment, but Dyche’s side have shown they have the ability to get results at times.
After the international break, the Toffees face the tough task of the first Merseyside derby of the season against an in-form Liverpool team. Everton should have enough to stay in the division considering the squad they have, but as we’ve seen over the last couple of years at Goodison Park, there’s still every chance they are involved in a relegation battle.