Everton’s dealings in the transfer window have been shrewd and incisive of late, seeking to not exacerbate issues that were already mounting.
Everton’s dealings in the transfer window have been shrewd and incisive of late, seeking to not exacerbate issues that were already mounting.
After all, Friday’s points deduction rocked the wider footballing world, as the Toffees were handed a landmark punishment for overspending the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules by just £19m.
An ongoing stadium slowly draining funds alongside numerous lucrative transfer missteps have left Sean Dyche’s side in tatters, and yet just as he seemed to be recovering some semblance of form they were brought back down to earth.
And yet, despite that links still persist suggesting that Kevin Thelwell will continue driving ahead with his plans for the market despite the widespread admission of their financial misconduct.
With it being referenced earlier in the month that Everton were showing an interest in Leeds United’s Archie Gray, despite his reported £40m price tag, arguably there is no better time to invest in the young midfielder given an Idrissa Gana Gueye heir is sorely needed.
How good is Archie Gray?
Despite being just 17 years old, and having made his Championship debut only this campaign, Gray is shining for his boyhood club with maturity and poise in a number of positions.
His versatility lends to the intrigue surrounding him, but it is in the engine room where he truly thrives, as a busy metronome capable of dictating the play as well as breaking it up.
Given Gueye has consistently been a top tackler for the Toffees ever since returning from Paris Saint-Germain, boasting 2.3 tackles and 6.7 ball recoveries per game in the Premier League this term, this is something they must replace even if the 34-year-old has recently been relegated to the bench of late.
Gray, on the other hand, has been ever-present for Daniel Farke, and whilst his 81% pass accuracy is impressive, he too has posted 2.3 tackles and 5.2 ball recoveries per game despite having also deputised at right-back, via Sofascore.
Such versatility is key in the modern game, with it made even more impressive given the youth and inexperience that led journalist Phil Hay to suggest he was brewing something very ‘special‘.
Were he to trade Elland Road for Goodison Park, treading the same path as Jack Harrison, he could provide the foundation for success in Merseyside across the next decade, finally replacing the diminutive enforcer that so many managers have failed to do.