Everton beat Tottenham Hotspur last time out to hand David Moyes his first win since returning to the Goodison Park dugout, 11 years after leaving to take the reins at Manchester United.
Candidly, Spurs were picked apart by an Everton side that revealed a keen edge to their attacking play that hasn’t been on show at all under Sean Dyche.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s name was finally projected on the jumbotron, his expertly-worked goal ending a 16-match barren run. Still, Dom’s out of contract at the end of the season and Everton need a new striker to head the (second) Moyes era.
But the Merseysiders are certainly not limited to that one forward area.
While Everton could do with a lick of paint across a number of areas, the right wing is in desperate need of some fresh life. Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom have both struggled to assert their authority this term, and both are only loanees set to depart at the end of the season.
Iliman Ndiaye is an electric player but he needs wide support on the alternative flank, and the new owners, The Friedkin Group, have an exciting name in mind.
Moyes looking to make forward signing
Earlier this week, Caught Offside revealed that Everton are interested in signing Sporting Lisbon winger Marcus Edwards.
Halfway through the penultimate year of his contract, the 26-year-old is reportedly available for a shrewd €12m (about £10m) fee, making for an eye-catching proposition indeed.
Moyes has European pedigree and will be confident that he can win the English winger over, bringing him to Merseyside with the promise of an important role in a new project.
What Marcus Edwards would bring to Everton
Edwards is a quick-paced and skillful winger who has notched 50 goal contributions across 124 appearances for his current club, balanced in his clinical and creative output.
The Tottenham academy graduate has played in Portugal since departing north London in 2019, first earning his stripes with Vitória de Guimarães before joining Sporting for about £7m in January 2022.
Right winger
194
41
38
Left winger
21
5
3
Attacking midfield
20
5
4
Centre-forward
11
2
5
Moyes will no doubt relish making good use of Edwards’ dynamism, but it’s clear that his best position comes off the right flank. In fact, Edwards has been described as an “electric” outlet on the wing by reporter Jack Collins, showing that he can emulate Ndiaye’s role.
But, in fact, he could prove to be Moyes’ very own version of Manchester United sensation Bruno Fernandes, given that he is an attacking midfielder coming to the Premier League from Sporting – perhaps in January too.
United signed the Portugal sensation in January 2020 in a deal worth £68m overall and he has since been the club’s talisman through a turbulent period, swiftly praised as “one of the best” by pundit Owen Hargreaves, who also noted that he had “made everyone better” at the Theatre of Dreams.
While that hasn’t always been the case, you can’t dispute the elite-class ability at the Magnifico’s feet, ranking among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and progressive passes and the top 14% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
He’s more of a playmaker than Edwards, but Moyes’ project could strike a similar chord by bringing the England talent to Goodison for the remainder of the campaign and beyond.
Their next Barkley: Everton make enquiry to sign "superstar in the making"
David Moyes is looking to strengthen his Everton squad in the transfer market this month.
1 ByAngus Sinclair Jan 24, 2025
