Everton’s ambition this season is very clear.
The Friedkin Group will be expecting David Moyes to return the club to Europe after handing him in excess of £100m last summer and another good sum of cash this window.
Hayden Hackney and Tyrique George have already joined, and the Toffees are also considering signing John Stones, Djed Spence and Gabriel Jesus, to name only a few.
Now Hackney is confirmed, who should Everton be bringing in next? 💰
Time to take our foot off the brake pedal in the market…
Everton were in a European race up until April last term, so with the correct additions, a top seven or eight finish is realistic.
With that said, here is how many points they’ll need to qualify for Europe based on the average in recent years.
Everton will likely need at least 60 points to qualify for Europe
Eighth place is sometimes enough to get you into the Conference League nowadays, so that will be Everton’s target at the very least.
Sixth and seventh qualified you for the Europa League last term, with newly-promoted Sunderland getting in on the final day.
Based on the average in the last three seasons, eighth would require a points tally of around 60 points.
Seventh will require 62, and to break into the top six, which would be some achievement, the Merseysiders may need 64.
So, given Everton finished on 49 last year, they’ll need to make significant strides of improvement to end their nine-year absence from Europe.
Everton showing an interest in Jacob Murphy… does that inspire you Toffees fans? 🤔
Brighton and Hove Albion, Sunderland and Bournemouth will all be playing in Europe this term, so they may be weaker in the league, as is often the case.
But, Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham Hotspur may provide fresh competition after their impressive transfer window so far.
Newcastle United will be without any European football, so they could come on stronger and challenge for the top seven or eight once more.
So, Everton will have to get their recruitment spot on this summer and ensure they address the number nine and right-back issues that have plagued them.
Once they get that sorted, a new central defender should be brought in as Jarrad Branthwaite’s injury record remains a concern.
Moyes can’t afford to rely on Michael Keane again, as good as he was for a large portion last season.
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