Moyes confirms Everton need to sign “9 or 10 players” | OneFootball

Evertonians in New York were left in no doubt about David Moyes’s ambitions when speaking at the end of just his second full day of the US  tour, the Blues boss told a packed audience at Racket that the team need to sign “9 or 10 players before the start of the season.”

The comment came when he was speaking to Men in Blazers host Roger Bennett at an event called A Night Live on Stage with David Moyes and Everton Football Club , held at the West 16th Street venue in Manhattan on Friday night. Moyes’s remarks sparked a roar of approval from many onlookers as the Everton manager conceded that the team need to improve on what they’ve got.

The Blues boss also remarked that while he hates to make promises, he promised he and his recruitment team “will be driving to get really good players over the next few weeks and thanked owners The Friedkin Group for their “really good support.”

Reader Comments (28)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()

Steve Brown 2 Posted 26/07/2025 at 08:46:53

Good to see Moyes putting the pressure on TFG and the CEO.

Kinnear and Hammond need to up their game.

Liam Mogan 3 Posted 26/07/2025 at 09:11:06

Moyes saying that suggests he's not getting what he wants and is not happy about it.

Mike Doyle 4 Posted 26/07/2025 at 10:06:40

The Echo confirming Moyes stating openly at last night’s event in New York that he needs 9 or 10 players in.

Not sure if Liam’s interpretation is correct, but I guess we’ll know in a few weeks time. Will be interesting to watch DM’s first press conference after the window closes.

Robert Tressell 5 Posted 26/07/2025 at 10:33:22

You tell 'em Moyes. I'd be surprised if he gets his wish - but fair play to him, laying down a gauntlet (and positioning his own defence like an old pro in case he gets off to a slow start).

Josh Horne 6 Posted 26/07/2025 at 10:34:01

Even if Moyes believes that signing 9 or 10 players is feasible I find it remarkable that has come out and said so. If it is that many then that is a hell of a lot of business in 4 weeks and it does raise questions as to why more has not been done by now. Furthermore, he has created a rod for his own back if less than that are signed.

Moyes is not stupid so he is taking a strategic risk by coming out with this. He must be trying to apply pressure on the owners, so he is unhappy with progress and the resources to replenish a very small squad.

Tony Abrahams 7 Posted 26/07/2025 at 10:36:55

Alls that David Moyes, has done, is state the fucking obvious.

Brian Harrison 8 Posted 26/07/2025 at 10:43:44

I guess its hard to know how to read Moyes being quoted as we need 9 or 10 players signed before the window closes. That seems a big ask to get 9 or 10 new signings given the limited resources we have to spend. Was this a message to the owners to say if you want progress then you best start getting deals over the line, because he clearly knows this present squad is not capable of moving the club up the table. I wonder if Seamus will start any of the games in the states, and if not then does that leave us with Patterson as our only alternative, and if as some suggest maybe Garner might start there is that why there wasa quote this week from Garner saying he wanted Moyes to clarify his job in the team.

The coming weeks are going to be massively important as the tournament will tell us were we are compared to 3 other Premier league clubs, and now Moyes has come out and suggested how many signings he wants what happens if we only get 2 or 3 signings.

Alan J Thompson 9 Posted 26/07/2025 at 10:46:32

Makes me wonder if any Wages Policy has been abandoned or there is a loop hole in PSR but Mr Moyes should be careful that he isn't saying he has taken this squad as far as he can.

Ryan Holroyd 10 Posted 26/07/2025 at 10:59:38

I guess that's another 6 due to the three we have signed already

Ryan Holroyd 11 Posted 26/07/2025 at 11:02:18

We will get 6 more in before the end of the window either on loan or players bought

Ian Wilkins 12 Posted 26/07/2025 at 11:03:16

Moyes is making a point, yes we all know how wafer thin the squad is, it was no surprise. He expected more business by now, as did I.They’re not doing business sharp enough, they’re not getting targets over the line. He’s letting them know. The shaping of a new Executive team, at this point in time ( still awaiting two new members to join) is a key factor.

Josh Horne 15 Posted 26/07/2025 at 11:15:12

I'd interpreted this as 9 or 10 more on top of the 3 signed, which seems a tall order.

No reason that we shouldn't be able to get another 6 in though.

Unlike him to be quite so strident with his expectations, but it is very welcome.

Sean Kelly 16 Posted 26/07/2025 at 11:18:02

I’m with Tony Abrahams comment. But I also think this TFG crowd are acting like a hedge fund.. building up their empire but giving fuck all back. I’ve said it here a few times “deep pockets but short arms. And before anyone slags me off about the Barry money that’s just about covered by the saving on wages on the outgoings.

Kevin Molloy 17 Posted 26/07/2025 at 11:25:53

I think we have now several pieces of evidence that Moyes is not bowled over by Kinnear and that there is currently a battle for who is top dog between the two. I think the reveal about a £150m budget came from Kinnear, they are both laying a marker down. The fact they are briefing against each other so early on suggests that the window is not going well, and that something is going to need to give. Hopefully that knitwit brown nosing yorkie remembers that he knows eff all about professional football and lets' the professionals get on with their job.

Sam Hoare 18 Posted 26/07/2025 at 11:26:30

I’m not sure Moyes needs to rock the boat by saying this unless he has a good idea of it being very plausible.

The quiet has been frustrating. I know it’s hard but did think we’d have another one or two in this week. Impossible (without being an insider) to know the reasons why but I hope next week is busier.

Danny O'Neill 19 Posted 26/07/2025 at 11:47:31

Nothing that we didn't really know. We need more and better players. Now I'm stating the obvious!!

I just hope he's communicating this to the board regularly rather than waiting to broadcast it in the media. Not that there's anything wrong with him coming out and saying it, but unless he's got a close relationship, it could be a risky strategy for him.

I don't think anyone will slag you off Sean, but you are maybe a bit harsh. They have backed over £40m in the 3 signings to date. Yes we can point to savings in released players, but new players and future additions will need wages. And we have renewed contracts as well.

There has also been a lot of off pitch activity, but right now all we are concerned, impatient and frustrated about is what is added to the squad.

Very conspiratorial comments here. The knives are out, Moyes is laying down a market to the owner, there’s a power struggle.

Maybe Moyes, kinnear and the owners are in agreement about what we need and there is loads of working going on in the background to make it happen.

I read today that two thirds of the money spent this window had been spent by four or five clubs. The usual suspects.

The rest have to wait but will doubtless all be working hard in the background to make things happen. Most the players we are linked with are almost certainly not and never have been targets.

I know it’s boring but surely the only time you can judge the efficacy of a transfer window is at the end?

I've just been watching the charm offensive by the club for the people of NY. Interactive coaching sessions, chats with the kids, in the searing heat. At first you think 'that's nice'. But then you do wonder. this is the most critical period of pre season, what the hell are we doing in the middle of a Big City coaching kids? it shows that the team is not the top priority, it's the American public. And they are literally shipping our game over there. they've got three PL games in a week. It'll be five next year. And the year after that there'll be a 'proposal' that the Christmas games take place over there. Just as a one off you understand.And this VAR crap, this is all for the interactive viewer watching the game on the telly. They are slowly taking our game off us. Bit by bit. That big stadium they've built, that's not fur us. Soon we wont' be allowed in. Well not without a digital ID anyway. And only if we 'behave'.

Ryan Holroyd 23 Posted 26/07/2025 at 12:15:12

nice bit of speculation there Kevin

And Angus Kineaar was born Luton not Yorkshire, not that it should matter where anyone is From

Many are taking these comments as a positive but I would be a little worried if Moyes is not including the players already signed as it is clear that with the major overhaul TFG have had to oversee and with limited funds to do so then one of quality or quantity will have had to be sacrificed. It's seems implausible for both in this window.

I would be delighted if we signed 3 quality players as definite starters in the right back, right midfield and creative central midfield positions and use the loan market to add squad depth with both wing positions, left back and at a push another central midfielder.

I had hoped that we would have 16 or 17 outfield players by the end of the window that we could trust with the likes of Coleman, Keane, Patterson, Armstrong and Chermiti filling in where necessary or in the latter players cases where improvement had dictated.

If we are to sign 9 without the majority coming from loans and frees I would worry that the quality we need such as the likes of Luiz,McAtee, Dibling and Mukiele would be severely sacrificed.

Grant Rorrison 27 Posted 26/07/2025 at 12:37:51

Moyes has said he wants '9 to 10' players by the end of the window. Hope they don't think he means left at the club. Would certainly explain a lot.

Intriguing.Everton usually play their cards very close to their chest,so why go public now?Seems like Moyes is trying to apply a little pressure somewhere.Could be Liam’s conspiracy theory that he’s not getting the backing he needs,if we have a run of bad results before Christmas,a sort of “ well,I told you so “Could be he’s trying to get TFG to give recruitment staff a kick up the backside.Could be he’s playing to the fans knowing they mostly agree with him and so keep their support if things begin to go pear shaped.( “ It’s not my fault lads,they wouldn’t listen to me “)Could be he’s just being transparent,admitting he knows the deficiencies and is trying to do something about them.Whatever it is,it’s a departure from standard operating procedure He might have overplayed his hand though,9 or 10 players before the start of the season is a big ask unless some deals are pretty well advanced and still under wraps.