🔵 Royal Blue: David Moyes is not afraid of a marquee signing
Jack Grealish is the first REALLY big name of the summer to be linked to Everton. He won't be the last.
Hello, and welcome to the second edition of the Royal Blue newsletter. Every Wednesday I will provide in-depth insight on the major talking points - on and off the pitch - at Everton FC.
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You might also know Royal Blue from the podcast of the same name. Here’s the latest episode, in which we discuss contracts, transfer targets and the move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
David Moyes wants Everton to rediscover their swagger
Since he returned to Everton in January, one thread has run through everything David Moyes has said and done: he wants this club to be better.
To get there, he has intimated, it needs to think bigger, act with more confidence, rediscover its swagger.
He has already made a difference on the pitch, overseeing a surge in form that swept Everton to safety within weeks of his arrival. His rhetoric and the performances he has inspired have increased belief in the stands, too.
Now, his task is to build on that momentum in the transfer market. The scale of the job in front of him is immense. His recruitment team is only just beginning to take shape, with consultant Nick Hammond now joining the action alongside Moyes and new CEO, Angus Kinnear.
The priority right now is resolving the outstanding contract situations around Seamus Coleman, Michael Keane, Idrissa Gueye and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. With 10 senior players having already departed, even if Coleman and Gueye - the two most likely to stay - do remain then Moyes will enter July with a senior squad just 17 strong.
You need to promote young keeper Harry Tyrer, keep teen starlet Harrison Armstrong in Moyes’ plans and retain Youssef Chermiti, who might be better served going on loan next year, just to get to that paltry number.
Miss last week’s edition of Royal Blue? Catch up here.
There is a lot to do and while that creates risk, it does bring opportunity. Supporters should be excited for this summer, particularly after July 1. Once the new football financial year begins the club will be able to spend money and, should anyone be sold, they will be sold on the club’s terms (so if anyone wants Jarrad Branthwaite they will have to overcome an Everton hierarchy determined to keep him).
In Moyes and in new owners The Friedkin Group, Everton have a sensible crew steering them through the summer. There is a demand for progress and a desire for it to be sustainable.
But don’t think Moyes would not be interested in a marquee signing.
He explored moves in January and has considered moves for this summer that show real ambition. Making them a reality is not easy. Yet he knows the value of a symbolic arrival and what that can do to the belief of everyone at a club - just look at the optimism the public pursuit of Liam Delap created. Everton never looked like winning that battle but the sheer fact the club entered the fray felt symbolic of a gear-change in fortunes.
If Moyes can find the right sprinkling of stardust, on the right terms, to find a shortcut to success, or to add some gloss to the summer’s squad-strengthening exercise, he will consider it.
That may not stretch to Jack Grealish, the first big name linked with Everton this summer. That is a move that will cost a lot of money, whether on loan or on a permanent deal.
It could lead to a surprise though. To become a better club, Moyes has been clear, you need to act like one
💬 My favourite quote of the week
“We have a very good relationship, he welcomed me kindly when I first arrived and has facilitated my arrival at the club. It has made the start - and the end of my season, actually - be better.
“We have spoken a lot. He has given me a lot of advice, about the town, about the fans and it has made things much easier for me.”
The above came from Iliman Ndiaye as he spoke with the press ahead of Senegal’s friendly with the Republic of Ireland. That the quote is on Seamus Coleman will be of a surprise to no-one. It is another indication of why Moyes wants Coleman in his dressing room next season. He knows his body will limit his availability. At a time of huge transition, he needs someone he can trust to hammer home the identity of Everton to new arrivals
⭐ From the archive
Everton have, of course, already ventured into the transfer market to make the loan signing of Carlos Alcaraz a permanent one. This was a no brainer for me. I think most of us who saw him produce a match-winning display at a bleak Crystal Palace in February instantly saw something that just seemed right about him and Everton, as I attempted to convey in my report from Selhurst Park.
🎙 I can’t recommend The Blue Frontier highly enough. For an alternative viewpoint on all things Everton, this podcast offers some great insight from supporters across the Atlantic. The post-match analysis is great but this week I have been listening to their detailed squad assessment ahead of a busy summer. This is worth your time
📰 Everton noticeboard
📘 A nun playing on the Goodison Park pitch, in full habit, an Alsatian dog saving a shot down at the Gwladys Street End - wearing an Everton kit… Parklife is a labour of love from the club that showcases Goodison in all her glory across 200 rarely-seen photos. This book may not come cheap but it will earn a spot on your coffee table for generations
⚽ Our attention may well be diverted elsewhere on August 9 (👀) but Finch Farm will be busy behind closed doors. Everton’s U21s will be hosting a PFA out-of-contract XI in front of scouts with the hope of helping players without clubs catch the eye
📆 This time next week we will learn the first visitors to the Hill Dickinson Stadium in the Premier League. The new fixtures will be released on Wednesday, June 18 and that opening home game will be high on the watchlist. Given Everton have started the LAST FOUR seasons at home, do not be surprised if the next campaign begins away from the banks of the Mersey. My understanding is, as it stands, no applications have been made either way to express a preference
🚪 Behind-the-scenes
The quote above from Iliman Ndiaye came amid an entertaining press conference that was dominated by Everton. Paul Nealon, of Irish Football Fan TV (and a Blue) took the opportunity to turn Senegal v Rep of Ireland into an exploration of Ndiaye, Coleman, Jake O’Brien and Idrissa Gueye. If you listen closely you can hear the plea for questions about club football (i.e Everton) to stop
Thanks for reading. My name is Joe Thomas and I’m the Everton correspondent for the Liverpool Echo. I travel home and away to watch the Blues and speak to players, staff and, of course, David Moyes, on a regular basis. My ambition here is to give you a glimpse at life at the club that you can trust and value.
The Royal Blue newsletter is not a place for match reports and player ratings. It is a specially crafted effort to take you beyond the headlines and behind-the-scenes.
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Great info as usual Joe…what do you think the chances of transfers in from across the park?
Think he could be a good addition and right age too 👍