INCOMINGS
Tom Cleverley
Being a free transfer, Cleverley was a decent signing. He’s got Premier League experience and is still only 25. The transfer made sense; he was free, Everton wanted another central midfielder and Roberto Martinez had worked with him before.
An underrated player in my opinion, Cleverley gives Martinez the option to play three in midfield – him alongside Barkley and McCarthy. Martinez clearly has trust in Cleverley as he has started the season largely on the left side of the midfield.
Gerard Deulofeu
This was a transfer that 99% of Evertonians wanted to see. He previously spent a season here at Goodison on loan and loved the club. You always thought that wouldn’t be the end and we’d see Deulofeu in an Everton shirt again.
With a transfer fee of only £4.25million, I feel this was a brilliant signing by Martinez. At only 21-years-old and coming through the Barcelona ranks, there’s no doubt hes got serious potential. But, can Martinez help him fulfill it in an Everton shirt?
Mason Holgate
The 18-year-old was relatively unknown to Evertonians when he joined for £1million on a five-year-deal. A player who has followed John Stones from graduating Barnsley’s youth setup to joining Everton.
One for the future, Martinez hopes Holgate will follow and improve like Stones and compete for a first-team spot.
Leandro Rodriguez
A player who I doubt any Evertonian had ever heard of, or ever thought would sign. A real ‘under the radar purchase’. At just 22-years-old is the Uruguayan ready to challenge for a first team spot? I’m not too sure.
Although, he did only cost £500,000. One for the future, no doubt, who’ll play the odd game as Martinez can’t drop Lukaku and seems to like giving Kone game-time at the moment.
Aaron Lennon
A transfer that seemed to take an age to complete. Aaron Lennon finally joined for around £4million on a three-year-deal. After being on loan last season and expressing his interest in staying I, as many Evertonians were, was always pretty confident he would join Everton. Although, maybe an unnecessary transfer?
Despite it being early in the season, Martinez has opted with Cleverley and Kone as his wide men, with Mirallas and Deulofeu sitting on the bench. So was the Lennon deal really needed? I personally don’t think it was, especially if Martinez doesn’t switch to a system featuring two natural widemen. I feel as though this deal was a bit of a sweetener as the club failed to bring in long-term targets.
Ramiro Funes Mori
A powerful, left sided centre back. Perfect criteria for Martinez after the departure of Sylvain Distin early in the window. Again, like Lennon, another transfer that took far too much time.
A player who is comfortable playing out of the back, good in the air and a strong tackler. But, after being virtually signed for £6million (at the Man City game with an Everton scarf around his neck), the transfer took over a week to complete. He then signed for £9.5million. Strange. Although a risk, it could turn out to be a fantastic signing.
David Henen
This signing was always going to happen. After a season on loan with Everton’s U21’s, it always seemed that he would sign on permanently. Henen will no doubt, again, be with the youth setup after signing for £200,000 on a three-year-deal from Olympiakos.
Martinez tried to sign Henen in 2014, although he missed out as he signed for Olympiakos. Just hours after he was loaned to Everton and subsequently sold a year later after his loan move. A very strange one that.
OUTS
Antolin Alcaraz
Following Alcaraz’s release he joined Las Palmas. His Everton career failed to take off as he struggled to stake a regular first team spot in the team after join Everton in the 2013 summer transfer window.
His departure was almost confirmed in March after a disastrous performance against Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League.
Sylvain Distin
After signing in 2009 for £5million he was a consistent and solid signing up until his last season with Everton. The 37-year-old struggled for a first team place and it wasn’t a shock when it was confirmed he’d be leaving Goodison Park.
The move was needed for Distin, he needs game time at this stage of his career. A good signing for Bournemouth who have signed a player with sufficient quality to help them survive relegation.
Luke Garbutt (LOAN)
A highly rated player amongst Everton fans, who doubted he’d remain an Everton player. Nevertheless he signed a new five year contract and joined Fulham on loan.
A loan move is good for Garbutt as he needs game time in order to improve. Although, with Baines currently injured and Oviedo living in hospital, Everton have been relying on Browning and Galloway to fill in.
Chris Long
Long made his move in the transfer window when he joined Burnely for a fee of £1million. He joined Everton at the age of 5 in 2000 and graduated here. After a few loan deals in 2014 and ’15 to Mk Dons and Brentford, it was evident that he was some way off first team football.
A good move for Long where he will hope to nail down a first team spot and help Burnley return to the Premier League.
Other OUTS
George Green to Oldham Athletic (FREE)
Curtis Lamngton – (FREE)
John Lundstram to Oxford Untied (FREE)
Ben McLaughlin – (FREE)
Arlen Birch – (FREE)
Charley Edge – (FREE)
George Newell – (FREE)
Francisco Junior to Wigan (LOAN)
Jonjoe Kenny to Wigan (LOAN)
Callum Dyson to Stockport County (LOAN)
Jordan Thorniley to Stockport County (LOAN)
MY OPINION
For me, this transfer window was a disappointment. Throughout the summer Roberto Martinez has promised a No.10 and has failed to bring in another No.9.
The squad remains thin at the back, with only Funes Mori, John Stones and Phil Jagielka to occupy the centre back positions.
The failure to sign Andriy Yarmolenko after agreeing a deal was a massive disappointment for all Evertonians as it looked all set.
I feel the board, again, have let down the fans and Roberto Martinez. He clearly wanted money to buy, but was not really given it. The fans deserve better.
A lot of fans have been calling for Bill Kenwright’s head and this transfer window will not have helped his case.
