Everton

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

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Losing elite quality without sensible reinvestment is not something Everton can afford with one of the Premier League's smaller squads.

David Moyes used just 22 players in the top flight in 2025-26 - the lowest of any side - while 128 substitutions were at least six fewer than any other manager.

Everton continue to focus a significant slice of their recruitment on development players.

Central midfielder Hayden Hackney, 24, joined from Middlesbrough for £16.5m in July along with 20-year-old winger Tyrique George, who was signed from Chelsea for £18m having spent the second half of last season on loan at Everton.

The more experienced Celtic defender Alistair Johnston is the latest player linked with solving the problem position at right-back, while 32-year-old Arsenal midfielder Christian Norgaard is reportedly an imminent arrival.

The average age of signings in Moyes' second spell is under 24, including three players aged 20 or younger.

But players aged 21 or under featured for 1,088 minutes for the club last season, ranking Everton only 17th in the Premier League.

The departures of Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gueye deprive Everton of more than 600 Premier League appearances - explaining the interest in Norgaard - while key midfielder James Garner is set to miss the start of the season following groin surgery.

As things stand, it leaves Moyes in the paradoxical position of being potentially reliant on younger players he appears more reluctant to trust.

"They need to show they're capable and deserve to play," added Osman.

"I'm hoping that a year in, understanding the demands that are required, players like Dibling and George will make that progression and then suddenly our squad looks more trustworthy."

• Read more on Moyes and transfers here

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

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For much of last season, Everton were looking up.

Loan signing Jack Grealish proved to be an instant hit. Fellow new arrival Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was a reliable matchwinner. Strikers Thierno Barry and Beto had shrugged off early-season struggles to start scoring goals.

A 3-0 triumph against Chelsea on 21 March put Everton eighth in the Premier League, just three points off the Champions League places with seven games left.

Supporters were dreaming big. Instead, the team imploded.

Everton failed to win any of their remaining matches - the longest run without a victory since David Moyes returned for a second spell in charge of the Toffees in 2025.

A 2-2 draw at Brentford on 11 April sparked a decline in form over the remainder of the campaign that ranked Everton in the bottom three during that period.

They were one of only three teams to fail to win a match during this spell, along with relegated Burnley and Wolves.

Despite the drop off, Everton retained hopes of European football when they faced Sunderland in their final home match of 2025-26.

In his program notes, Everton CEO Angus Kinnear declared that he was "happily dissatisfied" with the campaign - an odd turn of phrase at a confusing moment that quickly soured after a 3-1 defeat.

Promoted Sunderland would go on to finish seventh and secure European football for the first time in 53 years.

The irony for Moyes is that Everton have finished 13th in both seasons since his return, but to very different receptions.

Read the full article here

Atletico Madrid are considering a move for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, with Everton and Aston Villa also exploring a bid for the Englishman. (Sun), external

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Everton returned to winning ways in pre-season with a 2-1 win over Hamburg at Volksparkstadion, backing up Everton Women's victory over Hamburg Frauen earlier in the day.

Merlin Rohl, who was playing in his homeland, opened the scoring for the Toffees just before the half-time whistle, linking up nicely with Thierno Barry and firing a shot into the roof of the net.

However, former Leicester City player Patson Daka quickly levelled things up for the hosts with a buried finish that beat Everton goalkeeper Mark Travers.

Rohl went close again with a cross that deflected onto the crossbar, before 18-year-old Braiden Graham's cross deflected off Hamburg's Jordan Torunarigha for the winner.

David Moyes' side will continue their pre-season preparations with a friendly against Stuttgart at MHP Arena on Saturday, 8 August (16:00 BST).

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Everton fan Matt Dillon says Eddie Howe may bide his time until David Moyes leaves the Toffees and then ensure his name is in contention to take over.

Howe - who is understood to have left his role at Newcastle on Thursday - has spoken about being a boyhood Everton fan, and Moyes has just one year remaining on his current deal at the club in what is his second spell in charge.

"I just thought, especially with the inkling he's going to take a little bit of time away, that said to me he's thinking 'I'm gonna wait until David Moyes gets canned and then throw my hat in the ring'," Dillon told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"The way the season was a massive disappointment for the fans and the players, there was talk of the club offering Moyes another contract, that has completely gone dead. He is out of contract at the end of the season, there is nobody really coming through the door in terms of players.

"If they are not happy with the way things are going, can they throw the money at someone else coming in, whether that is Eddie Howe or someone else.

"Howe got Newcastle to a certain point, I feel sorry for him. He has the richest owners in the world but they can't really spend the money and he's having his best players ripped away."

Listen to the full chat by pressing play below or on BBC Sounds here

Giulia Bould
BBC Radio Merseyside reporter

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Everton's owners The Friedkin Group has injected £38m into the club.

It is understood this is to cover the compensation payment to Burnley that the Blues were ordered to pay by a Premier League commission for a breach of financial rules.

In June, Everton were told they must pay the Clarets £35m over the impact of the breach which relates to the 2021-22 season, when the club were found to have broken Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) over a three-year period.

Burnley argued the breach impacted their chances of staying in the Premier League and sought compensation for the losses associated with being relegated.

The Clarets were awarded £26m in damages and a further £9m in interest.

Everton appealed against the decision and said in a statement they were "clear in the belief the ruling is fundamentally flawed in both law and fact".

The share issue has been made public by Companies House. Everton have been asked for comment.

Everton, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest are monitoring 23-year-old forward Liam Delap, who Chelsea value at up to £40m. (The i), external

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In the latest episode of BBC Radio Merseyside's Everton A to Z, we have reached the letter L.

Paul Salt and Mike Hughes discuss the late great Brian Labone and Everton legendary forward Bob Latchford in the A-Z of Merseyside Sport.

Hughes speaking about Toffees legend Labone: "Brian Labone made his debut in 1958 and carried on playing until 1971, when it was an Achilles injury that did for him. Harry Catterick most famously coined the phrase referring to Labone as 'The Last of the Corinthians'.

"He was talking about the quality, the hallmark of a footballer that Brian Labone was. Internationally, he won 26 England caps. Most famously, he played in the 1970 World Cup, but he pulled out of the 1966 World Cup because he was due to get married to his wife Pat.

"Labone was such a good footballer, he had everything you need as a central defender. He was a leader and a captain of Everton when they won the cup in 1966."

Hughes speaking about legendary goalscorer Latchford: "Bob Latchford is one of those players who had stardust sprinkled around him, in terms of his goalscoring capacity and he had a great relationship with the players.

"He joined Everton in 1974 for a then British record transfer fee of £350,000. Birmingham only got £80,000. The rest of that was made up with Howard Kendall and Archie Styles moving to St. Andrews.

"Latchford was Everton's top goalscorer for six seasons in a row. He was a terrific target man and could hold the ball up really well. He would hold the ball up and bring other players in - fantastic in the air. I think he had this remarkable capacity with near post runs, he was just unbeatable with his runs towards the near post."

Listen to the full episode below or on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on whether Iliman Ndiaye's "end product" makes him a player worth cashing in on.

Here are some of your comments:

Andy: Ndiaye is really the only player we have who gets fans out of their seats. He runs at defences and causes panic. He is great at winning the ball back in the opposition half. He links up well with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Could he score more? Yes, but as our forwards are no real threat, he gets double or triple-teamed regularly. I'd like him to stay, but since he won't sign a new contract I would reluctantly sell.

Stephen: £70m is far too low with the length left on his contract, we should be looking easy £100m.

Duncan: With Jack Grealish not materialising, Tyler Dibling having yet to show he's a starter, selling Ndiaye would leave us with only Dwight McNeil as a recognised first-team winger. Ndiaye adds excitement and flair. We'd need to be signing two wingers if we sell him and that's going to be a big ask. If we can keep him, even at £70m, we should.

Oakley: I think cashing in on Ndiaye is the wrong thing as our squad isn't big at all compared to others and if we did, that would be another position we would need to focus on as well in this transfer window. We already need to focus on our fullbacks and strikers, we don't need to focus on wingers too.

Chris: I'd absolutely cash in at £70m. It's not just the lack of end product he also went missing for large parts of last season and his attitude wasn't what it used to be. We are woefully short of quality in other positions so get a deal done and let's reinvest.

As Al-Hilal continue to show interest in Iliman Ndiaye, Everton fan Paul McIntosh says the winger has "flattered to deceive" during his time at the club and believes his "numbers aren't that brilliant".

Ndiaye has spent two seasons with the Toffees after joining from Ligue 1 club Marseille and signing a five-year deal in July 2024.

"His head has been turned by the money," McIntosh told BBC Radio Merseyside. "He has always looked like a really skilful player, he has bags of tricks, but his end product has never really been that great.

"When you look at his assists and his goals scored, the numbers aren't that brilliant. He has been playing in an Everton team that hasn't exactly been playing on the front foot but, all the same, those things stop me from thinking he is going to be badly missed.

"There are a lot of Evertonians that will be feeling the same way as me. He has flattered to deceive a lot because he obviously had it in spades, but he just didn't deliver it at the right times.

"It is all paper talk at the moment, but if we could get £70m for him then I think we would put a mask, a black and white shirt and a swag bag on. We would take that every day of the week.

"We will have to replace him, but you would hope our recruitment team has been looking at players for the past 12 months who can be signed for a reasonable price, so we aren't splurging all of that money on one player."

Do you agree that Ndiaye is could be adequately replaced? Get in touch with your views here

Listen to the full conversation above or listen on BBC Sounds

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We asked you to pick Everton's next club captain following Seamus Coleman's exit at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Here are some of your replies:

Jerry: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall would be be my choice as Everton's new club captain. He already leads by example on the pitch, he has earned the respect of his colleagues and supporters alike, and he is a good communicator.

Mathew: My heart says Jordan Pickford but my brain says one of the younger, influential players like Jarrad Branthwaite or James Garner. Probably Garner as he is more available. Last year was a breakout season for him at Everton, and hopefully he continues to show his influence.

Ian: Branthwaite should be our next captain. It didn't do us any harm when Kevin Ratcliffe was given captaincy at a similar age. James Tarkowski shouldn't be in the team next season, nevermind captain.

Jameson: Tarkowski for me. A top lad and still a top player, plus he misses very few games. Pickford is also a great leader, but I prefer an outfielder for practical reasons of speaking to the referee and passing on coaching instructions.

Carl: For sheer drive, determination and leadership on the pitch, it has to be Dewsbury-Hall for new club captain.

Neil: Garner as team captain when fit and Dewsbury-Hall when he's not. Tarkowski as club captain as his form no longer guarantees him a regular starting place.

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Everton continued their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 defeat by Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Summer signing Hayden Hackney made his first appearance for the club, looking sharp before his planned withdrawal at half-time.

Speaking after the game, Hackney said: "I really enjoyed getting back out there. I haven't played in a while so I'm getting back up to match fitness.

"I want to keep building the minutes up - probably 60 minutes next, then hopefully a full 90 minutes and go from there.

"All the lads have welcomed me. I've really enjoyed my time here so far. I can't wait to see what the future holds."

Tyrique George, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Harrison Armstrong and Merlin Rohl also impressed in the opening period, but there was no breakthrough before the Potters opened the scoring after the break through Gabriel Kelly.

Tim Iroegbunam, Tom King, Jake O'Brien, Adam Aznou, Charly Alcaraz, Dwight McNeil and Thierno Barry were all introduced in the second half, but O'Brien's late header against the crossbar was as close as David Moyes' side came to an equaliser.

Jarrad Branthwaite was not part of the matchday squad as he continues his reintegration following the hamstring injury he sustained towards the end of last season.

However, he will be included again for the Toffees' trip to face Hamburg in Germany on Saturday (16:00 BST) in their third pre-season game.

Everton will demand around £70m for Senegal winger Iliman Ndiaye, 26, amid interest from Manchester United and Al-Hilal. (Mirror), external

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Video assistant referees should only be used to change "blatantly incorrect" decisions and clear missed incidents, say European refereeing officials.

Chief refereeing officers from all 55 European national football associations met last week with Uefa refereeing officials and a representative from the International Football Association Board (Ifab) to address recent changes to the game's laws.

Attendees said "lengthy, microscoping reviews" indicate VAR has gone beyond its original scope.

When VAR was added to the laws of the game in 2018 by football's rulemakers Ifab, its "philosophy" was "minimum interference - maximum benefit", with the intention of reducing "unfairness caused by clear and obvious errors or serious missed incidents" relating to goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity.

Uefa said that at its recent meeting that refereeing bosses agreed a return to those original aims is needed.

"It was reiterated that, in accordance with protocol, VAR must only intervene in situations of 'clear and obvious' error, ie. when a referee decision is blatantly incorrect or when the referee has missed a clear incident," Uefa said in a statement.

"VAR is not meant to re-referee the game, it is an essential support to the referees, who must remain at the centre of all decision-making.

"Lengthy, microscoping reviews are often a symptom revealing that the decision on the field was not clearly and obviously incorrect, and should therefore be limited."

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It has almost felt inevitable that this summer's headlines would centre on Iliman Ndiaye.

There have been claims for some time that clubs from around the globe were monitoring the winger but, with three years left on his current deal, has he really played his last game for Everton?

For at least the past season, it has been known the Senegal international was someone of interest to not just fellow Premier League sides, but also clubs in Europe - but David Moyes remained adamant Ndiaye would not be sold.

The 26-year-old has made it known he wishes to play at the very top level, and rejected up to four new contract offers from Everton.

And it is now understood Ndiaye is open to a move to Al-Hilal this summer. They are yet to contact Everton with a formal offer, but the winger's agent is in talks with the Saudi Pro League club. While the Toffees don't want to sell Ndiaye, he has made it known he wants to leave.

But he will go on Everton's terms.

The situation now is a far cry from the Farhad Moshiri era, when players were being sold to cover PSR. The Friedkin Group has given the Toffees a sound base to begin a much-needed and overdue rebuild, and only last summer there was firm rejection of any offer for centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite. They aren't forced to sell to balance the books any more.

Ndiaye returned from Afcon in January off his usual pace and scored just two goals in the second half of the season, with one from the penalty spot.

That said, he is a quality player and the most comparable sale so far this summer is Anthony Gordon. Barcelona paid Newcastle more than £69m for the winger, who scored six and bagged two assists in the Premier League in 2025-26. To compare, Ndiaye had six goals and three assists. Everton would want a similar level of payment if a sale were to happen and it would need to be swift.

It's glaringly obvious the Toffees need a right-back. Djed Spence was someone they were keen on as the season closed, but the Tottenham man's England heroics at the World Cup have caused his price to rocket.

Any sale of Ndiaye would help the club's rebuild if it were to happen soon, but he remains an Everton player - for now.

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Everton are on the hunt for a new club captain for the first time in seven years following Seamus Coleman's departure.

The 37-year-old, who was handed the armband following Phil Jagielka's exit in August 2019, led the Toffees out over 140 times during his captaincy.

Having signed the full-back for £60,000 in January 2009, during his first spell as Everton boss, David Moyes described Coleman as the "glue that has held an awful lot together" and "the one who stepped up to galvanise the team".

Idrissa Gana Gueye's recent decision to leave the club after seven seasons, across two separate spells, has dealt a further blow to the club's player leadership group, with Moyes pointing to the defensive midfielder's "crucial leadership qualities".

James Tarkowski, who regularly wears the armband, is a key figure who is expected to be in the dressing room next season - but it remains to be seen if he will be promoted from vice captain to club captain.

Moyes might also look to his most experienced players in Jordan Pickford and Michael Keane, or pick a completely fresh voice from his squad.

So who would you give the captain's armband to next - and what's the reasoning behind your decision?

Get in touch with your pick here

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Speaking to Total Sport's Ian Kennedy on BBC Radio Merseyside, The Athletic's Everton correspondent Paddy Boyland said "even in order to stand still" in their Premier League position, Everton have to do "an awful lot of work in the transfer market".

Idrissa Gana Gueye has already left the club and his Senegal team-mate, Iliman Ndiaye, is also linked with an exit, with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal showing their interest.

On the forward's potential move, Boyland said: "The deal will have to work for Everton.

"There's still a position of relative strength when you look at the fact that his contract runs until 2029, three years left on that, they don't have to accept an offer just for the sake of it."

Everton signed 26-year-old Ndiaye for around £15m in 2024 and would be expected to make a large profit from a sale.

"If somebody wants to take him away they're going to have to pay top, top dollar," said Boyland.

Boyland also compared Ndiaye to other recent transfers, stating: "Anthony Gordon, who cost Barcelona an initial £70m, Summerville, who I think is a lesser player to Ndiaye, has just gone to Al Hilal for an initial £60m.

"That's going to be the benchmark from an Everton perspective."

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English football is set to implement a trial to try to eradicate the goalkeeper tactical timeout this season, BBC Sport can reveal.

The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, National League and Women's Super League have agreed on the measure, pending permission from the International Football Association Board (Ifab).

Earlier this year, Ifab decided against changing the law and invited leagues to volunteer for trials.

Pro Ref, led by chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, has been in discussions with the leagues to determine how to tackle the issue. It settled on a team having to remove an outfield player from the field.

If a referee signals that the physio can come on to treat a goalkeeper, the coach will have 10 seconds to nominate another player to leave the pitch for one minute, telling the fourth official of their choice.

If no player has been selected within 10 seconds, the captain must leave the field.

Read more on the trial

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

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If Everton were to sell star forward Iliman Ndiaye to Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, they would likely receive a significant financial windfall. Nevertheless, replacing him would be a major challenge.

The Senegal international may have chipped in with a modest six goals — two of which were penalties — and three assists in the Premier League last season. But Ndiaye offers so much in his all-round game.

For Everton last season, he attempted 136 dribbles and completed 73, 77 and 46 more than any other player in the squad, respectively. Perhaps unsurprisingly, his total of 147 take-ons attempted also topped all Toffees players last season.

There's a feistiness to match Ndiaye's flair too. He also contested more duels than any of his Everton team-mates, with 409, and won the ball back in the final third more than any Everton player, with 26 recoveries.

In many of the same categories, Ndiaye also ranks highly among all Premier League forwards.

If he was to move on, then Everton would have a lot to replace.

There are gaping holes in the squad that need addressing, most notably at right-back and in central midfield. The money from Ndiaye's sale, if invested smartly, could help the Blues start the 2026-27 season with a more balanced squad.

The issue for Everton lately has been spending well. Since the return of David Moyes in January 2025 and the implementation of a new recruitment team, only Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has been an undisputed success in terms of transfer arrivals.

The jury remains out on Thierno Barry after eight goals in his first season for the club, while Jack Grealish suffered a season-ending injury in January that meant he only started 18 top-flight matches while on loan.

Last summer, the Blues also sanctioned deals for Tyler Dibling, Merlin Rohl, Charly Alcaraz and Adam Aznou. That quartet made 16 Premier League starts between them, with Aznou still yet to play a single minute in the top flight.

Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

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Al Hilal have expressed an interest in Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye, who has rejected multiple contract offers on Merseyside.

The 26-year-old has also held talks with the Saudi Pro League club, but they have not made a formal offer as they explore a number of attacking options.

However, Ndiaye's future has been thrown into doubt by him so far being unable to agree new terms with the Toffees.

Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have opened talks over signing winger Iliman Ndiaye from Everton. (Fabrizio Romano), external

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Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

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Everton midfielder James Garner could miss the start of the 2026-27 Premier League season after undergoing surgery on his groin.

The 25-year-old, who was absent in last weekend's pre-season friendly against Dundee, has now started his rehabilitation at Finch Farm and is expected to return to first-team training around the opening week of the new season.

The club shared the news after Saturday's goalless draw at Bolton Wanderers in which Jarrad Branthwaite returned to the Blues starting line-up.

The defender, who has been side lined since April, featured in a new-look Everton back five alongside James Tarkowski, Jake O'Brien, Adam Aznou and Merlin Rohl.

Thierno Barry had the ball in the back of the net from close range in the first-half, but the offside flag was lifted and they went into the break goalless.

David Moyes made five substitutions at half-time as Tom King, Michael Keane, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Vitalii Mykolenko and Tyrique George were all introduced.

Beto had the best of the chances in the second-half, but the striker sent his shot wide of the hosts' goal.

Five of Everton's under-21s' squad finished the match as Blues pushed for a winner until the very end.

Stoke City are Everton's next opponents on Tuesday, 28 July (19:45 BST) and winger Tyler Dibling, who missed Saturday's match due to a minor knock, and summer signing Hayden Hackney are expected to be available.