Van de Beek AND Alli? Everton's brutal, bizarre spending soars to €558m
Paul Macdonald
- Updated: 1 Feb 2022 04:52 CST
- 3 min read
If you are waking up this morning disappointed or bemused with your club's transfer policy in the January window, things could always be worse.
Everton's scattergun approach to transfers really is a sight to behold, but only when it's written down do the numbers boggle the mind.
Since the 2016/17 season, the Toffees have spent a barely-real £558m on transfer fees for players, and with the appointment of Frank Lampard, they are onto their sixth permanent manager across that same period.
They have also recycled two directors of football, Steve Walsh and Marcel Brands, as well as the entire backroom staff on each occasion.
Everton: Transfer Spend
| 2016/17 | £77m |
| 2017/18 | £182m |
| 2018/19 | £90m |
| 2019/20 | £110m |
| 2020/21 | £68m |
| 2021/22 | £31m |
Lampard is barely in the door of the club but they still got busy yesterday, securing Dele Alli on a free from Tottenham, as well as the loan signing of Donny van de Beek from Manchester United.
It won't be lost on many to note that both of these players feature in broadly the same position, brought in at the same time, both wanting to play regularly due to lack of game time elsewhere.
Is it possible to play both VDB and Alli in the same team? Perhaps. But will it mean another attacking player will have to miss out to accommodate them? Definitely.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison are Everton's first-choice front two, without question. When both are fit, both will play, which limits formation options for Lampard.
Everton have spent £558m on transfer fees since 2016, as well as going through six permanent managers across the same period.
- FTBring into the equation that Everton's best player this season has been Demarai Gray, and on the other side their best prospect for years, Anthony Gordon, is beginning to show what he can do at the top level, and a system that accommodates wide players would be a necessity.
And what about protection? Alli has never played that far back in a formation, and isn't likely to any time soon. And as for VDB, it became clear at Manchester United that it would be a straight shoot between him and Bruno Fernandes for a place in the team... only one winner there.
But what about playing a back three, allowing the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure or Allan to slot into the team? Logical, perhaps, given Seamus Coleman's age and Lucas Digne's departure to Aston Villa.
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At least it would be, if they hadn't sanctioned Rafa Benitez's moves for Nathan Patterson from Rangers and Vitaliy Mykolenko from Dynamo Kiev, one a right back, the other a left back, for a combined £30m just days before sacking Rafa.
The lack of joined-up, methodical thinking makes other dysfunctional clubs like Manchester United appear like a well-oiled machine. £558m spent yet they are fighting a relegation battle and now filling their squad with players who compete to play in the same positions, despite the inadequacies elsewhere.
So spare a thought for Everton fans when you worry about your own team. Their situation has gone from incompetent to head-scratching in another weird window.
