Everton are seeking a positive summer after finishing the 2025/26 season in terrible fashion, and one player who’s been linked has officially now become a free agent.
David Moyes has drawn criticism for overseeing a seven-game winless run which cost the club European football.
If you were Angus Kinnear who would you be going all out for this summer? 💰
Despite this, the manager appears to retain the backing of The Friedkin Group, and looks set to play a big role in Everton’s recruitment this summer.
Some are worried about this.
Because the recruitment that happened on Moyes’ watch last summer was largely quite poor, with only Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish proving to be good signings.
Everton are yet to make any moves this summer, but Matt Targett is now officially available.
Matt Targett to leave Newcastle, amid Everton links
Yesterday evening, Newcastle United confirmed via their website the exits of several players.
And of these players included Matt Targett, who spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough.
Targett leaves having joined the club in January 2022 from Aston Villa, and was one of Eddie Howe’s first signings at Newcastle.
He’ll now be looking for another club, but it looks like a return to Boro as a permanent player will not be on the cards.
He scored four goals and made four assists in 46 appearances at the Riverside Stadium, but did not appear on their recent retained list.
Teesside Live stated that he had ‘a great season’, so it’s interesting that Boro seemingly won’t be moving for him again. The publication also say it’s understood the club won’t be signing him permanently.
So that may well open the door for Everton, who have been linked with Targett in recent weeks.
Left-back is a position that is on the agenda for the Toffees, although Vitalii Mykolenko is expected to sign a new contract with the club.
Everton should show more ambition
While Targett did well at Boro, this signing would not get most fans out of their chairs in excitement.
Left-back has been a problem for a while now, with Mykolenko often criticised for lacking final third output. He also gets caught out positionally.
Targett has only supplied 10 assists and scored three goals in 164 appearances in the Premier League which is nothing to really shout home about, and is similar to Mykolenko’s record of four goals and three assists in 143 games.
Everton need a transfer budget of at least _________ this summer
Fill in the blank…
If he’s a genuine target, then Everton’s thinking is all wrong.
If the club are keeping Mykolenko, the desire should be to sign someone who can play ahead of the Ukrainian. Targett, 30, feels like an option to play as his understudy.
So while there is the convenience element with Targett, it also smacks of a lack of ambition, for a position that needs a major refresh.
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