Everton have enjoyed a fine summer of spending thus far, but there remains one or two deficiencies within the squad that still need filling.
Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell’s joint efforts to revive this failing club have been well-received thus far by a fanbase downtrodden and mistreated.
The benefits of this have been apparent throughout a busy transfer window, but eventually, the money has to run out.
That is, unless they have a clever financial workaround to circumvent bringing in a new permanent addition…
Everton still want Kalvin Phillips this summer
Everton clearly want a new midfielder, especially after Amadou Onana’s exit from the club, and a few names have been drafted up throughout the summer.
However, whether Thelwell can find the cash to actually bring one in remains to be seen.
A more favourable option might be to loan someone, plugging the vacancy temporarily for a year, and it seems that this is a market that the Toffees are already exploring with Everton’s interest in Kalvin Phillips.
The Daily Mail are the latest to progress this story, and they actually reveal not only how Dyche feels about the move, but also the competition. It reads: ‘A trio of Premier League sides are trailing Kalvin Phillips with a view to loaning the Manchester City midfielder for the season.
‘Everton, Ipswich Town and Fulham have all expressed interest in the 28-year-old over recent weeks as he looks to thrash out his immediate future.
‘Sean Dyche is an admirer of Phillips, while Fulham and Ipswich are looking at bolstering their midfield ranks.’
Sean Dyche could reinvent Kalvin Phillips
Given Dyche tried to sign Phillips whilst with Burnley, this is a player who he has obviously admired for some time.
And with good reason, especially during his spell at Leeds United where he truly excelled.
During their return campaign back into the Premier League, following Marcelo Bielsa leading the Whites back into the top flight after a 16-year absence, he starred in the engine room as the cog that kept the side together.
He was the perfect player for this system, acting as a sole screen for the back four whilst also contributing to the attack with his passing and the press with his energy.
To place him beside one of Tim Iroegbunam, James Garner or Idrissa Gana Gueye could be a masterstroke that offers him even more freedom to create, given he managed 1.2 key passes per game throughout that season.
Naturally, things have taken a downward turn since then, but an ill-advised move to Manchester City has seen all his momentum squandered.
Dyche, already undertaking one project to revive Dele Alli’s career at Everton, and having just returned Dominic Calvert-Lewin to regular fitness too, could certainly take Phillips under his wing and bring him back to his brilliant best again.
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