With the recent takeover by Farhad Moshiri, Everton have been able to spend a lot more money than in previous years. This combined with the experience of manager Ronald Koeman has made fans very excited although on the other hand the sale of top scorer Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United has raised questions. Today we are going to look at the likelihood of Everton breaking into the top 6 and the factors behind what could make or break this situation.
Rooney’s Return
Former youth team player Wayne Rooney has been re-signed by Koeman after a long period of winning trophies for Manchester United. However, his signing has proved to be divisive among fans; while some feel he still has the skill, drive and hunger (with the added benefit of experience), there are others who feel that he was sidelined by Mourinho at Manchester United because he did not meet his standards.
Other Signings
Glancing at Everton’s other signings so far, the big name that stands out is the former Burnley defender Michael Keane. While Roberto Martinez was known for his side’s flamboyant football, it was felt that this also cost Everton a lot in terms of results. What this seems to suggest is that Koeman intends to build on last season and tighten up at the back.
In addition to Michael Keane, another crucial addition in defence has been Jordan Pickford; an exciting young goalkeeper who proved to be one of few bright performers at the Stadium of Light during Sunderland’s relegation from the Premier League.
Banking on Barkley
One player that has made things awkward for Koeman is Ross Barkley. While he is a talented player, his inconsistency has been noticeable. Furthermore, it seems that Koeman became frustrated with the player for stalling on signing a new contract and statements from the manager suggested he wanted the matter resolved one way or the other as soon as possible.
While no team wants to see talented young players go, Everton seem to have developed a lot of exciting young players recently and it may be that for the good of the team sorting out Barkley’s sale could free up funds.
Can They Do It?
According to the latest Premier League Top 6 betting odds, Everton are 11/1 to break into the top four while the very optimistic fans may fancy a punt at them winning the Premiership: while 80/1 is not as massive as Leicester’s 250/1 odds a couple of seasons ago, stranger things have happened!
It is fair to say that breaking into the top six is going to be a challenge for Everton as they vie with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hostpur, while it seems there is often an unlikely challenger that can come out of nowhere to muscle their way in, especially with experienced managers like Pellegrini at Southampton and Benitez at Newcastle in the mix. One thing is for sure, this will be a fascinating season and it will be interesting to see who will come out on top.