David Moyes Remains Hopeful Despite Everton's Transfer Woes
David Moyes cut a frustrated figure as he surveyed what was left of his Everton squad after a chaotic end to the transfer window – but insisted he still expects the club to stay clear of a relegation scrap.
A frantic deadline day saw a late move for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun collapse, while Iliman Ndiaye was sold to Manchester City. When the dust settled, Moyes was left with just 18 senior outfield players and only one recognised striker to take into the heart of the season.
“Disappointed we didn't do more business, disappointed things didn't go our way in the end,” Moyes admitted at his pre-match press conference ahead of Manchester United’s visit on Sunday. “But sometimes in football you have to live with disappointments and we will and we'll move on.”
The failed pursuit of Balogun summed up the chaos. Monaco managing director Thiago Scuro revealed that the forward walked away from a return to the Premier League because of how he felt he was treated by Everton.
An issue flagged during the USA international’s medical prompted Everton to try to renegotiate the terms of a deal believed to be worth around £40 million ($54 million). Both clubs were still willing to push ahead despite the complication, but Balogun ultimately pulled the plug himself.
“There were lots of different bits to it. It wasn't anybody's fault,” Moyes said. “Ultimately it happens in football a lot. The player had a problem in his medical and that was simply it.”
The disappointment lands at a delicate moment for Everton. Last season they flirted with European qualification before a late slump dragged them down to 13th. Moyes has been clear since his arrival: he does not see himself managing a team that settles for survival.
He wants Everton back in the European conversation, not checking over their shoulders.
“I'm getting too old now to be sitting around at the bottom end,” the former Manchester United manager said. “I've said that to the players here when I came in. The job is that we challenge as close to the top end of the league as we can.”
He pointed to last season as proof that this group can punch above its weight.
“I've got to say, they've done a brilliant job of it last year, and I don't think we were expected to do so well as what we've done,” he added. “I've got to hope that we can do that again. There might not be a great expectation on us at this moment in time, but behind the scenes I'm rallying them.”
Threadbare squad or not, Moyes has nailed his colours to the mast. The question now is whether this lean Everton group can match the ambition of their manager over a long, unforgiving season.
