Seven stories through Monday have covered football and one genuinely unusual first for the club. Here’s everything published today, and what it adds up to for our Everton news round-up:
A Toffee at No.10
The day’s most unusual story broke this afternoon: Everton congratulated lifelong supporter Andy Burnham after he formally became Prime Minister, succeeding Keir Starmer following an audience with the King. The club highlighted Burnham’s long record as a Hillsborough Law campaigner and his support for local causes on Merseyside.
Not football news in the traditional sense, but a first Everton season-ticket holder in Downing Street is worth noting.
Right-back is still the issue
The day started with Saturday’s 4-0 win at Dundee under fresh scrutiny. Comfortable on the scoreboard, but with Nathan Patterson still away and Jarrad Branthwaite being managed carefully, David Moyes had to use midfielder Merlin Rohl at right-back. It’s the thread running through much of today’s other transfer news.
A target lost to Ipswich
That backdrop made missing out on Abdul Fatawu sting more than it otherwise might. Ipswich Town have verbally agreed a £20million deal for the Leicester winger, a player Everton were tracking at the same valuation. Claims last week that personal terms had already been agreed with Everton now look premature.
Ndiaye’s situation drags on
Iliman Ndiaye’s contract stand-off shows no sign of moving. He’s expected back at Finch Farm shortly after Senegal’s World Cup exit, but the release-clause dispute that’s run since the start of the year remains unresolved.
Two City targets, one loan-rule problem
Moyes is understood to be personally driving a £30million move for Manchester City’s Rico Lewis, who’d solve the right-back issue directly.
The complication: Everton also want Jack Grealish back on loan, and Premier League rules block a club from loaning two players from the same parent club in one window.
Roma’s ownership tie complicates another chase
Everton’s interest in Genk right-back Zakaria El Ouahdi has taken an awkward turn, with Friedkin Group sister club Roma also prioritising him. Two clubs under one ownership group, chasing the same player — an unusual dynamic worth watching as talks continue.
Tracker refreshed
Finally, the summer transfer tracker was updated to reflect all of the above, plus confirmation that Everton have an agreement in principle with Villarreal for midfielder Pape Gueye — a deal that had somehow gone untracked until today.
What it adds up to
Four of today’s seven stories trace back to the same unresolved right-back position, one shows what happens when Everton lose a race, and the tracker update reveals a deal further along than anyone realised.
Add in the Burnham news, and it’s been a fairly eventful Monday.
