6 days ago
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Everton’s thin squad has been stretched to close to breaking point with injuries and AFCON, but manager David Moyes called for patience and at the same time indicated that there is a possibility that no big changes will be made either during the January transfer window.
The Toffees have been without star defender Jarrad Branthwaite for the entire season so far, and have lost fullbacks Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson for large swathes of it too. Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye could be away until the end of AFCON on January 18th with the Blues next playing eight days later. Key midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could be out for another couple of weeks at the minimum and there has been no return date posted as yet for Carlos Alcaraz.
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Historically the winter window is not a great one in terms of making player additions, and speaking ahead of the midweek clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers tomorrow, Moyes indicated that there would be no “quick fixes” being made by the club’s leadership.
“I think we’re probably more unlikely than likely but I wouldn’t say that completely because we’re out there looking to see what there is and to see if we can get something.
“But I wouldn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up. If I say likely you might think that means we’re on to something.
“We’re looking at some players, and we’re looking if we can add to the squad, and if we can, we will, but we’ll be quite careful with it.
“Our ownership wants us to be clean and tidy with everything we do. Angus (Kinnear, CEO) put it in his programme notes that we wouldn’t be doing any quick fixes. So we’ll be looking, but if we don’t get anything, we’ll stick to the plan and keep building.
“We had a decent build in the summer, which has moved us up from where we were, but I think the jumps and improvements will come more gradually at Everton.”
The Blues continued to be linked to right backs, midfielders and strikers but it does look like at best the Blues will bring in only a fullback if anything. Young midfielder Harrison Armstrong had his loan spell at Preston in the Championship cut short with the expectation that he would return to Deepdale at the end of the month once Everton’s midfield shortage ceases, while bringing in another striker is very unlikely unless a solid bid for Beto is received.
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