Few teams have spent money during this offseason as wisely as Everton. Few teams will see transfers make a smaller effect than Everton. Like the popular vote in a U.S. presidential election, it just won’t matter.
The Toffees turned the expected sale of Romelu Lukaku into a number of marquee signings, breaking the club transfer fee record a couple times. Everton set the record again with the signing of Iceland international Gylfi Sigurdsson on Wednesday.
| Welcome to Everton, Gylfi Sigurdsson!
— Everton (@Everton) August 16, 2017
In total, Ronald Koeman’s squad has spent $171 million to bring in the likes of Sigurdsson, goalie Jordan Pickford, midfielder Davy Klaassen and center back Michael Keane, not to mention grabbing Wayne Rooney on a free transfer. Most of that has been allayed by $122 million worth of sales, nearly $100 million of it from Lukaku. Gerard Deulofeu and Tom Cleverley were also sold.
It’s an awful lot of work for a club that likely won’t see any change in its final position in the English Premier League table come May. Barring some major injuries or late transfers (Coutinho to Barcelona?), Everton is likely to finish in the exact same position yet again.
Everton finished seventh last season with 61 points. The Toffees weren’t really close to sixth-place Manchester United’s 69 points and were comfortably ahead of eight-place Southampton on 46 points. While eight points may not seem like too much to reach sixth place, Manchester United is sure to be better after buying Lukaku. Fifth-place Arsenal was even further away with 75 points.
Everton opened the season with a 1-0 win over Stoke, with Rooney scoring on his return to the club. They’ll win plenty more thanks to the signings made this summer.
Happy to start my premier league adventure with a win pic.twitter.com/APD4ugKnhX
— Davy Klaassen (@DavyKlaassen) August 13, 2017
The Blues have entrenched themselves as the best mid-table club, far ahead of teams that are just happy to escape relegation but not strong enough to challenge for a Champions League spot. Koeman’s club will probably play some great soccer on both ends of the pitch, it just doesn’t have the talent of the teams ahead of it.
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