Everton have endured some major ups and downs already in the 2024/25 campaign.
Fortunately, it looks like most of those downs are now in the past for Everton with the Toffees showing big improvements on the pitch.
Having climbed up the league from their position as relegation battlers, David Moyes will be handed an awful lot of credit for the work he has done.
It has to be remembered he was not exactly handed much to work with during the January transfer window.
The Friedkins wanted two new signings in January, but they had to settle for one in Carlos Alcaraz.
It is, however, a signing which is already showing signs of paying off for the Blues.
Flamengo manager crushed by Carlos Alcaraz move to Everton
Moyes has been left really impressed by Alcaraz following his first few weeks at Everton after making his debut last weekend.
The Argentine was Everton’s only addition in the winter market after joining from Flamengo on an initial season-long loan deal.
And it seems their manager, Filipe Luis, may already be regretting the decision to let the midfielder return to the Premier League.
“I’m sad,” said the Flamengo manager to Guardian Sport.
“I feel like it’s my failure, his failure for not working out in my hands. Given the investment made, that was my concern, a big investment and I’m not getting the best out of him.”
The midfielder has settled in well with Alcaraz already hailing the Everton fans as crazy following his first few appearances for the Toffees.
And it seems as if Abdoulaye Doucoure’s red card against Liverpool could well have just cost him his spot in the starting XI.
Everton had showed previous interest in Alcaraz
With Orel Mangala out for the season through injury, it was apparent Everton had to act in the winter market to find themselves a new midfielder.
Although Alcaraz may not be a like-for-like replacement for the holding midfielder, he is a player who the Toffees have had on their radar for some time.
“There was contact and interest before I went to Brazil but it didn’t come off in the end,” Alcaraz told The Guardian.
“It didn’t work out but I was really pleased that a Premier League club of Everton’s stature had shown interest.
“I was happy during my time in Brazil with Flamengo but stuff happened that involved other people, and not directly me, so even before Everton revived their interest when I was in Brazil I was thinking I would love to come back to the Premier League because it is the best league in the world and I like a challenge.”
Having returned to a deal for Alcaraz, it looks like Kevin Thelwell may have pulled off a really impressive piece of business from the early signs on display.
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