Everton faces a significant shortage of striking options heading into the current Premier League campaign, with manager David Moyes left relying primarily on Thierno Barry as the sole frontline option. Barry, who made 41 appearances last season, scored eight goals, though his overall output and experience have raised concerns about his capacity to lead the attack effectively at the top level.

Last season, Everton’s top Premier League scorer was Beto with nine goals, but the club sold the Portuguese striker to Fiorentina during the transfer window without securing a clear replacement. Beto was in the final year of his contract and was not considered a marquee talent by Premier League standards; however, his departure has left Moyes with fewer alternatives up front. This situation has drawn criticism regarding the club’s transfer strategy.

In addition to Beto’s sale, Everton also parted ways with one of their standout performers, Iliman Ndiaye, who moved to Manchester City in a £65 million deal. Ndiaye, the Senegal international, still had three years remaining on his contract, making the transfer a financially beneficial but footballingly challenging development for the club.

The club also halted a proposed £35 million transfer of local prospect Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest following strong opposition from supporters, illustrating tensions between the club’s transfer decisions and fan expectations. This episode highlighted the growing dissatisfaction among Everton’s fanbase over the direction of the team’s recruitment and player sales.

With Everton on the verge of facing Manchester United at Goodison Park, the striking shortage could prove a critical vulnerability. The club reportedly explored loan options for forwards Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United and Tammy Abraham from Aston Villa but was unable to finalize such deals before the transfer window closed.

While Everton’s early season has included encouraging results—a home victory over Crystal Palace and a draw against Bournemouth—the squad depth concerns, particularly in the striker position, place additional pressure on the club’s ownership group, The Friedkin Group, alongside chief executive Angus Kinnear and the recruitment team. Any future downturn in performance is expected to intensify scrutiny of the club’s transfer policies and decision-making processes.

Despite the challenges, Everton did secure a loan signing in Jack Grealish, who reportedly took a personal interest in facilitating his move to Merseyside. The acquisition of Grealish was seen as a positive move amid an otherwise turbulent transfer period for the club.