A team for the future, an insight into the transfer policy of Everton

As the 2018 January transfer window was coming to an end, Sam Allardyce looked around his dressing room with a team fully capable of securing a top half finish in the Premier League. The recruitment plan was to stitch up the wounds of Ronald Koeman’s squad of horrors and provide Everton with the certainty of Premier League football for another year.

That was half the problem, for far too long Everton have embarked on a transfer policy of short term thinking, paying large sums of money for players coming towards the twilight of their careers under a manager bereft of any long term strategy whether that be Ronald Koeman or Sam Allardyce.

Perhaps the epitome of all the wrong doings of the past is Theo Walcott. In the nicest possible way, Theo Walcott is on the wain somewhat. Ademola Lookman, the bright, creative winger, is slowly but surely taking Walcott’s place and do not be surprised if in not too long a time, Walcott suffers the same fate of the likes of Yannick Bolasie, who was also brought into the club to heal wounds of times gone by.

The blunder of signing Walcott and Tosun to provide short term answers for long term problems cannot continue. Should Everton do business this January, the players coming in have to be apart of Marco Silva’s plans not only for the next six months but for years to come. Think David Moyes and John Stones. Stones was Moyes’ parting gift at the club in January 2013, he hardly featured in the second half of the 2012/13 season, but he was bought as Moyes could see the long term benefits of brining in a promising, ball playing centre back.

Indeed it was not David Moyes, but instead Roberto Martinez who reaped the benefits of the Stones signing. Martinez fully utilised Stones’ abilities in playing out from the back, but the transfer only came about by not panicking and singing a journeyman centre back to act as a quick fix.

Fast forward to now and Everton have to be looking to do the same thing. Much has been made for our lack of recognised centre forward who is reliable enough to provide on a consistent basis. What Everton could do is what they have done in the past and indeed last January. Spend a considerable amount of money on someone who will at least provide goals in the short term.

Cenk Tosun helped Sam Allardyce finish top half last season. However, Tosun is not seen as a fit for the new, high press system opted by Marco Silva. So indeed Marco Silva now needs a striker that will help him prosper at Everton for future years, not simply score five goals between now and May to help him secure seventh place.

Callum Wilson would be ideal no matter where you stand on what Everton should do in terms of the centre forward position. Wilson would come to Everton and probably find himself on the score sheet more often than Tosun, Calvert-Lewin and Niasse but also could remain that under Marco Silva for years to come due to his energy and his ability to press high in Eddie Howe’s system at Bournemouth.

Between now and the end of January there will be much debate surrounding the club’s transfer targets. Everton can not afford a wasted winter window like last year where the club spend big on solely achieving short term aims. Whether it be Wilson or someone else, Everton have to find a centre forward for the team for the future.

Owen Parkes