Could Everton’s recent uptick tempt TFG to “twist” in charge for Europe?
Currently sitting in seventh, how the Blues close out 2025 and manage the absence of their AFCoN stars could well shape the club hierarchy’s approach to the January transfer window
With four games left before the end of 2025 and the opening of the winter transfer window, Everton’s recent form might be creating something of a dilemma for the club’s owners.
On the 19th of this month, The Friedkin Group will mark one year since their takeover from Farhad Moshiri was ratified by the Premier League and they have already overseen plenty of change. Sean Dyche was dismissed and replaced by David Moyes in January, the Houston-based firm signed off on £120m worth of transfers over the summer (with a further £20m committed to Freiburg for Merlin Röhl at the end of the season), an almost completely revamped recruitment team was assembled and completed in September, while, in May, the Blues left their ancestral home at Goodison Park and kicked off a new era at Hill Dickinson Stadium this past August.
If the timing of Dyche’s departure ended up being moved forward a few months by events on the pitch, results since late October have hinted that Moyes and his players could be ahead of the projected timeline in terms of qualification for Europe.
Given the scale of the squad rebuilding task that faced incoming Chief Executive and the transfer committee at the end of last season when half the first-team squad from last term left, 2025/26 was earmarked as a campaign of consolidation.
A solid mid-table finish — somewhere between 11th and 14th — while some of the younger signings bedded was seen as an attainable goal and eminently satisfactory progress following four years of struggle to remain a Premier League outfit. Perhaps a decent cup run could add interest along the way (although the early exit from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Wolves put paid to any dreams of finally winning that competition) but, on the whole, it’s fair to say that even with Jack Grealish secured on loan, expectations were modest.
Thanks to four wins in five matches and an intriguingly competitive Premier League landscape, Everton find themselves in seventh place with three weeks left of the year, just two points off fourth place. Since Moyes took over for his second spell as manager, no team has won more away games than the Toffees and the team are 12 points better off than their tally from the corresponding 2024/25 fixtures.
That they have done it without anything approaching a reliable centre-forward and no recognised right-back is all the more remarkable. To date, Beto has notched one league goal and £27.5m summer acquisition Thierno Barry only got off the mark this past weekend in the comprehensive 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
It raises the unavoidable question of just how good could Moyes’s side be and how far could they conceivably go if a consistent goalscorer and perhaps just one more natural full-back be added to the squad during January?
Of course, the biggest concern, as ever, is finances and the well-worn cliché that the mid-season transfer window has, historically, been a difficult one that rarely provides value for money. The most sought-after players are tied down to contracts and few clubs are willing to part with their better assets halfway through their campaign.
The biggest spenders, like Newcastle in recent years, can usually push the boat out to land their main targets (Anthony Gordon being a prime example when the Magpies ponied up £45m to land him in late January 2023) but for Everton, who spent the bulk of their transfer kitty for the season over the summer, the circumstances and the price would have to be just right to tempt them into the market.
Moyes is said to be keen to strengthen his squad and, by most accounts, there is headroom there for the club to add to the team next month — but probably not the kinds of funds needed to acquire a top-class centre-forward, for example, who could more or less guarantee more than two goals from 15 games. Ivan Toney has been mooted as a potential target but acquiring him outright from Al-Ahli would be extremely expensive and a questionable enterprise given that he turns 30 in March. Toney makes more sense under those terms but there would be competition for his services.
More likely, the club might seek a younger and cheaper but less developed forward to supplement the options at Moyes’s disposal or attack the loan market where there may be deals to be had given that certain out-of-favour players will be looking for game time in a World Cup year.
Then there are players who are soon to be out of contract like Dusan Vlahovic at Juventus, although there will be a queue of more “attractive” clubs eager to speak to him — Tottenham and Manchester United are currently rumoured to be tracking him closely — and he just suffered a serious thigh injury that probably takes him off the table anyway.
The question is, though: if potential candidates that the club have scouted extensively potentially becomes available for a higher price than would be the case in the summer, do Everton “twist” and make a concerted push for Europe (knowing also that that would bolster the FA Cup campaign as well)? How close to the PSR wind would the hierarchy be prepared to sail by gambling on the team’s current form not only continuing but potentially improving further?
No one should be getting carried away but the next four games, and those that like beyond in January when the likes of Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye in particular are away at the Africa Cup of Nations, could be important when it comes to how tempted they might be.
As quickly as Everton have ascended to the fringes of the Champions League chase, a run of poor results like the recent drubbing by Newcastle could dump them back into the bottom half again.
Indeed, defeat to Chelsea and Arsenal, slip-ups against Burnley and Nottingham Forest after Christmas and a general struggle without the AFCoN stars could temper ambitions for the season again and keep the club on a conservative footing of consolidation and measured progress under Moyes’s stewardship.
But a surprise win at Stamford Bridge, perhaps a gritty draw against title-chasing Arsenal and maximum points from Burnley and Nottingham Forest and, all of a sudden, the road opens up to a genuine charge for Europe this season. Then the Friedkins and the transfer committee could have some decisions to make!
Reader Responses
Selected thoughts from readers09/12/2025 07:50:52
Apart from injuries, I think the real concern, is an owners two Cubs in the same Competition.
09/12/2025 10:28:05
It is possible for two clubs to be in the same competition- Marinakis did it with Olympiacos and Forest via a temporary blind trust scheme. UEFA realise that multi-club ownership is here to stay, so flexible workarounds need to be sought. The Friedkins need to be continuously vigilant about the “decisive influence” straddling Everton and Roma, but they’re not reckless idiots like John Textor who screwed over Palace - they’re much more meticulous and diligent.
09/12/2025 11:05:12
It's nice to be looking upwards at this stage of a season, for a change. I don't follow all of the Premier League rumours but I could see Toney going to Spurs to link up with Frank, again, if he were to return to the English game. That might mean Richarlison becomes an option for us. Not sure whether we would go down that route but he has been notching goals for Spurs and offers a definite improvement on our current options. If Everton were to add a forward in January, I could see Beto moving on with him not wanting to be 3rd choice striker. It would be great to make a Jelavic-type signing in January though, to help turn draws into wins and losses into draws. We create a lot of chances but have consistently lacked someone who can finish them.
As you correctly say, we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. Under Ancelotti we were 2nd in the league on Boxing Day and finished in the bottom half.
09/12/2025 15:58:03
Great though current results are I’m sure the powers that be won’t lose sight of the transitional phase we are in.
I frequently remind my mates that we have ‘previous’ buying duds in January, especially forwards stretching back to Beattie and including Jelavic (who fell off a cliff after a great start), Niasse and Tosun.
We are unlikely to find anyone decent until the summer and then it will require a serious outlay although a right back would certainly help.
I would love us to get into Europe but let’s play the long game.
09/12/2025 18:01:41
Europe seems a long way away for me, and I will be more than pleased with a mid table finish. On the plus side, our general play has been great this season and so different to that which we have had to endure previously. But there are so many holes in our squad and tricky questions to answer.
A right back and a goal scoring forward are clearly needed if we are to progress towards a regular spot in the top 8, and experience tells me that we should wait until next summer to sign either.
I also have other concerns, will teams exploit Pickford's fragility from crosses, will Braithwaite play again this season, how will we cope without the players away in Africa, and will our as yet unproven summer signings come good ?
Yes we have done well this season so far, credit to both Manager and players, but it's such a small squad and injuries and suspensions could be costly.
I am hoping we just continue playing attractive football and don't get sucked into any sort of relegation fear. A good cup run would excite us all and maybe our best hope for this season.
09/12/2025 18:03:26
I love the way we are playing recently. Our squad is very thin so I hope we keep away from any injuries.
The middle The middle is now creating chances and the skill of Grealish and Ndiaye has made a huge difference. It was great to see our forward Barry score and hope he kicks on from that.
Not sure is we will get much for Beto so I cannot see how we can buy a good scoring forward. I hope I am wrong.
The next four games are tough and so I time will tell and I will keep all fingers crossed. COYB
09/12/2025 18:09:06
Two things: everyone in football pretty much says that January is a bad time to buy. If the right long-term signing is available then yes, ‘twist’, but otherwise look for out of favour high-quality players on loan. This becomes even more true in a World Cup year; anyone not playing who harbours ambitions to be there is potentially available.
The second is the multi-club ownership. Does anyone know if we’re compliant? Does anyone know what it would take to become compliant? It’s not a situation I feel I have much understanding of. It feels at the moment like yet another way we could get screwed over.
10/12/2025 07:31:49
There are changes coming regarding PSR according to Paul the Esk.The Premier League has voted to adopt changes 2026 onwards. The new framework moves away from retrospective loss assessment toward a proactive, revenue-based cost-control model.The objective is to aline more with FFP rules(The Premier League follow FFP rules with a PSR clause for domestic competition.This changes over to full FFP when a Club qualifies for Europe.Squad Cost ratios seem relevent to Everton, since there appears to be new rules for new European Competition Clubs which allows a higher spend in anticipation of increased revenue.A allowable preparation cost which would be more beneficial in the new Champions League structure.
Haven't said all that I don't expect TFG to spend a cent.IMO TFG will be looking more out of existing players, particularly the new young Summer signings. They will be pouring over metrics from every angle. It will be interesting who is loaned out in January and at best who is loaned in.Personally I would like a right back, but it doesn't appear a priority.
I think Moyes has copped on that getting involved in public noise has no affect on TFG. The performance meetings continue with analysis from every angle. Give me solutions not problems being the main theme.
11/12/2025 14:51:54
From the BBC ‘ Everton are in the market to sign a right-back in the January transfer window in a position where they have injuries, ageing players and makeshift options filling in’
Sounds like someone knows better though…
11/12/2025 15:17:50
Yes, Peter - Vitinho. Seem to recall we were sniffing around him in the summer. Sounds pretty decent. If we do just one bit of business I’d rather him than Zirkzee.
16/12/2025 02:13:08
To simplify and clarify a previous post, PSR is being replaced by SCR (Squad Cost Radio), under which clubs can spend a maximum of 85% of their football revenue up to a limit of five times the TV/prize money of the lowest-earning Premier League club.
TFG will know these limits intimately and, if previous patterns hold, will spend -- if players of appropriate value who meet our needs are available. Roma spent about €60 million last summer and are sitting comfortably 4th in Serie A.
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09/12/2025 04:16:23
Spot on Lyndon, should we still be in the mix at the end of December then it may well be worth the gamble. Interestingly will be the owners standpoint given Roma's own season as one owner cannot have two teams in the same competition. Should that happen then they will get first dibs ahead of us. I that is a real possibility in the next couple of seasons. To do it this year would surprise everyone but in reality do we have the legs to do it?