Three to miss Brighton clash as Moyes makes “difficult” transfer window admission | OneFootball

David Moyes says Everton will miss three players against Brighton and Hove Albion in the team’s first official game at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.

Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitalii Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson haven’t been medically cleared. All three players also missed the opening Premier League game against Leeds United, where the Toffees suffered a 1-0 loss at Elland Road.

“Jarrad’s on the way but not fit and neither is Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson is not fit either. Those three are not available,” Moyes said in the pre-match press conference.

“(Adam) Aznou has trained today for the first time, so we’ll see how he goes.”

The absence of Branthwaite, Mykolenko and Aznou hampered Everton’s plans against Leeds as Moyes was forced to experiment with midfielder James Garner at left-back. It once again led to criticisms about the club’s transfer window manoeuvres and lack of signings to bolster the squad.

After losing nearly a dozen players from last season, the club signed seven players with two of them being backup goalkeepers to Jordan Pickford.

Asked if there had been more progress on new deals, Moyes said, “I think I’d like to say yes. That yes might mean you’ll push me for more answers and questions over what it might be.

“I’d have to say, I think we’re trying to make a way to get more players in. We’re trying to do so.

“We’re disappointed that we’ve missed out on a lot of other players who have chosen not to come and for different reasons, have not been able to make it.

“I think there’s quite a few managers saying the same thing in the Premier League but yes, I think we’re trying to make progress at the moment – will it come off? - I couldn’t guarantee that, but we’re definitely trying to move on.”

Despite going after a number of talented players like Francisco Conceicao, Takefusa Kubo, Malick Fofana, and Tyler Dibling, Everton have failed to get these deals over the line. The Blues have been hampered by PSR restrictions in recent years and this is the first summer where they’ve found some respite.

Moyes confirmed that new owners The Friedkin Group are willing to show ambition in the transfer market, saying, “We’ve got money to spend. And we're trying to spend it.

“We’re in there and we’ll be competitive. We’re finding it very difficult to spend the money.

“You ask me why the players aren't coming in, and I think a lot of them are looking for Europe. We’ve found now we’ve really gone for some top players, and unfortunately, we've not been able to get a lot of them.

“We might be finding ourselves coming a little bit down the ladder to find players because we’re so short of numbers, generally. Maybe this is always going to be a year where we keep steady and keep ourselves correct, and do all the right things in the Premier League.”

Reader Comments (25)

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Iain Johnston 3 Posted 22/08/2025 at 15:49:01

Simple answer is to stop trying to sign players whom most of us know wouldn't consider us at this time.The likes of Gallagher, Fofana & Diaz would not consider us as an option - far from it and please don't mention Grealish as he would have gone anywhere to get out of City if anyone else had been interested.Go and have a punt on Van Ewijk, Hackney & Fellows.

Frank Crewe 4 Posted 22/08/2025 at 15:52:18

“We might be finding ourselves coming a little bit down the ladder to find players because we’re so short of numbers"Finally figured it out eh? Surprised it took this long. Chasing after players who wouldn't sign for us in a month of Sundays is a waste of time. 20 year old wonder kids don't sign for Everton. Looks like BDM wasn't the lure the club thought it was going to be. Top players are used to playing in big stadiums. All they are really interested in are big salaries and European football. Something we are nowhere near offering.Time to try for more realistic targets who are looking to step up. As long as Vardy isn't one of them. Signing him would just be a desperation move.

Kieran Kinsella 5 Posted 22/08/2025 at 15:52:20

"We’ve found now we’ve really gone for some top players, and unfortunately, we've not been able to get a lot of them."

So we are wasting time trying the Koeman/Walsh approach but with limited funds instead of trying to get realistic targets? Nice work everyone.

Andrew Merrick 6 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:11:06

Missing Thelwell, how much nearer would we be to a prem squad if we'd kept him on another year?

The interruption caused by his departure is very damaging.

And we face all the same challenges now shaping up v Brighton as we did against a limited Leeds side.

I read a few compliments here for Garner at LB, but I saw nothing of merit in that shape, so we will now be treated to another tactical venture v Brighton, oh boy...

Tom Smith 7 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:12:13

That’s it lads just go and buy a load of shite, don’t bother trying to buy better players and when we buy a load of shite you’ll ask why didn’t we try and buy better players instead of bringing this load of shite in, yer can’t fuckin win whichever way yer go

Tony Heron 8 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:12:40

I think most fans would have been happy to accept a season of stability and steady progress. But it seems, from what Moyes said, that we were looking for top quality additions. Laudable ambition but unrealistic, which makes me wonder at the suitability of the Management team to run our football club if they haven't considered our position and our recent history. Despite Moyes' lament at the failure to sign targets, that's no excuse for the team he put out on Monday or the game plan, (assuming we had one). I would have liked an explanation for that in the presser.

Colin Glassar 9 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:12:49

A dose of realism from Davey Moyes there. Now after telling the world we’ve got money to spend, everyone is going to royally screw us. Dibling has just gone back up to £100m

He’s in a difficult situation. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t. I’m not sure if the players we will now target appreciate him saying they are well down his ladder.

At least he didn’t tell the world his transfer budget like he did the season we pre-qualified for the CL ie “I’ve been given £20m to spend on new players”.

Jeff Armstrong 11 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:17:29

Just happy that Aznou hasn’t been frozen out already after a pretty disappointing game against Roma, does he start? Probably be on bench with Jimmy continuing at LB I’d give McNeil a go there as a natural left footer and means Garner can replace Irogbunam who disjoints our midfield axis of the JG & GG. Barry up top just as an alternative to Beto, Grealish in too maybe to replace Alcaraz across the midfield.

Liam Mogan 12 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:25:03

Hopefully the manager has come up with something since Monday that will enable us to have some impact on the game.

Things could turn sour quite quick if we are served up that sado-masochistic tripe again. Not what you want for a first proper game at the shiny new stadium.

Pat Kelly 13 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:25:51

There wasn't a single positive word in what he said. It all smacked of desperation. No indication that any deal was in the offing or possible, so, presumably, not.

If you were a player, is this the kind of situation you'd prefer if there were other options?

Could he not just have said "like other Clubs, we still expect to sign more players ". No need to make us look a complete basket case.

Mark Murphy 15 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:33:05

6 weeks ago I’d be appalled if we were looking at Vardy.Now? I’d snatch their hand off!That’s what exasperation (and a dose of reality) does to you.

Colin Glassar 16 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:35:40

Vardy, for a season, would make a great impact sub. He’s still quick, ice cold in front of goal and he wants prem football.

The only problem is, the Vardy family might bump into the Rooney clan at BMD.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has dismissed suggestions of a "conflict" between him and the Celtic board and insists he will not leave before the end of his contract.

The Northern Irishman has spoken about his frustration at not being able to more comprehensively bolster his squad for an assault on Champions League qualification as well as retain their domestic dominance.

Any chance to Everton? Would we want him, as an ex red, that would make nice book ends on managers of Everton wall, him with Beneathuz.

Rodgers or Santos as next manager?

Would they do a better job than D M? That's debatable.

Frank Fearns 19 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:49:45

Paul 14 Dyche did that countless times in a match and then shake hands with the opposition manager!!

Paul Kossoff 20 Posted 22/08/2025 at 16:54:15

Frank, that's a tissue of lies, or not, as Dyche never used them.😁

Mike Gaynes 21 Posted 22/08/2025 at 17:10:17

Strongly disagree, Iain #3 and Frank #4. Using up our PSR space buying mediocre players, and having to keep them around for 3-4 years, keeps us a mediocre team. If we're gonna compete with the best, we need talent capable of doing that.

Go for quality players and, if we can't get enough of them, fill the gaps with loans who will be gone in a year if they can't meet our standards.

Don't panic and don't settle.

So we went for some quality players who obviously don't view signing for a team not in Europe as being in their interests, and who can blame them. This club has been fighting relegation for a number of years so there is no immediate prospect that is going to change very soon. Moyes is now saying we are going to have to lower our expectations and that its going to be a challenging season, does that mean another relegation battle.I said a few weeks back that there seemed to be a lot of optimism about us going forward. We had just had a good finish to the season and with moving to a new stadium with some new players everybody was getting excited. But with a very poor pre season, a failure to land most of our transfer targets and injuries to 2 of our regular back 4 and defeat to Leeds.The optimism has evaporated and we are being told after 1 game its going to be a challenging season, lets hope our players recover quickly from their injuries and we still manage to get some decent additions despite not having European competition to offer them.Seeing Spurs were willing to sell Richarlison as part of their Eze bid, would we be better spending most of the money earmarked for dibbling on bringing Richarlison back. My mantra is always never go back but I think signing him would give the fans a massive lift and have a striker who knows were the net is.

Kieran Kinsella 24 Posted 22/08/2025 at 17:21:00

We don’t have to panic and buy long term crap players. But we could get stop gaps. Eg Michail Antonio is unemployed. Offer him a year. Get someone on loan as a RB. Doesn’t have to be the world’s greatest but just someone who understands the role at a decent level.

Paul Kossoff 26 Posted 22/08/2025 at 17:29:05

Rian 22. Richarlison back, 100% yes. He would fill all the positions across the front, probably would love to come back to us. Get him in, now!