Moyes laments Everton's 'real small squad' after frustrating transfer window

The shock called 'transfer' – When Goodison Park is no longer a destination

I still remember the feeling of standing at the gates of Goodison Park on an August afternoon in 2026, when I first set foot in the port city of Liverpool as a reporter covering a pre-season friendly. Back then, Everton was still an ambitious club, ready to spend big to compete for a top-seven spot. But six years later, everything has changed. And David Moyes – the man who once led Everton to fourth place in the Premier League in 2026 – now can only shake his head in front of television cameras, talking about a 'real small squad.'

The lesson from Euro 2026 is simple: ears always come before the pen. When I heard Moyes say those words in his press conference on September 4, I knew I wasn't just hearing an ordinary complaint. It was an alarm bell from a manager facing the harsh reality of modern football.

The big picture: A failed transfer window

The summer 2026 transfer window closed with Everton in a state of emptiness. They lost Iliman Ndiaye – one of the most creative players in the squad – to Manchester City, and failed to bring Folarin Balogun from Monaco to Goodison Park. Moyes admitted Everton were 'powerless' to keep Ndiaye, a statement revealing the terrifying power imbalance between top clubs and the rest of the Premier League.

'The drumbeat is not in the referee's whistle, but in the breath of the fans.' That sentence echoed in my mind as I read the comments from Everton's Fans' Forum – the group representing supporters. They criticized the club's transfer planning and recruitment, raising difficult questions about the long-term vision. This is not just momentary disappointment; it is a spreading vote of no confidence.

Tactical analysis: What does a thin squad mean?

Moyes said academy players may be 'pushed in' to the first team, but he is not sure if they are ready. This is a worrying signal. In top-level football, a squad lacking depth not only affects rotation ability but also severely limits tactical options.

Based on my experience following matches, a team with a thin squad is often forced to play more cautiously, adopting a defensive counter-attacking style to conserve energy. This is particularly dangerous for Everton, as Moyes is already known for his pragmatic style. If Dominic Calvert-Lewin – the main striker with a lengthy injury history – faces fitness issues, Everton will have no proven senior striker to replace him. The failed Balogun deal means no Plan B.

Contrarian view: Financial pressure and PSR

Many will say Moyes is shifting blame. But the reality is more complex. Everton received two points deductions in the 2026/24 season for breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). They are walking a tightrope – between financial compliance and maintaining competitiveness. The sale of Ndiaye may have been a financial necessity, but the failure to reinvest those funds suggests other liabilities – possibly the cost of building the new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium – are eating up the budget.

Monaco's CEO revealed that Everton raised last-minute concerns about Balogun's medical issue. This raises the question: was that an excuse for Everton to back out of a deal they couldn't afford? In football, the line between 'cannot' and 'will not' is sometimes very thin.

Dressing room atmosphere: A season of instability

There is one interview I will never forget – because I didn't ask anything at all. It was when I stood in the mixed zone after Japan's defeat at the 2026 World Cup, and realized that sometimes silence says more than any question. I feel the same from Moyes's statements. He is publicly managing expectations, deflecting criticism to the board. This is a classic survival tactic of a manager under pressure.

Everton's dressing room may be unsettled. The departure of Ndiaye – a player beloved by his teammates – leaves a void both professionally and spiritually. Young academy players, if pushed into the first team too early, could face heavy psychological pressure. And if results are poor, the frustration from the stands could turn into resistance.

The Premier League landscape: Where is Everton?

In the context of the 2026/25 Premier League season, Everton sits among the relegation candidates. Newly promoted teams like Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton may have stronger squads thanks to better transfer planning. The truth is: Everton is a selling club, unable to resist the pull of bigger teams.

In 2026, the stands fell silent, but tweets took turns applauding. Four years later, Goodison Park's stands may fall silent in a different way – the silence of disappointment. The fan community of 2026 taught me: distance only makes the heartbeat clearer. And Everton's heart is beating restless rhythms.

Risks and opportunities: Two sides of the same coin

The biggest risk is an injury to Calvert-Lewin. If the English striker is absent for two weeks or more, Everton will face a goalscoring crisis. No proven backup striker, and academy players untested in the Premier League.

But there are also opportunities. Moyes once helped West Ham survive relegation under difficult circumstances. His experience in relegation battles is invaluable. If young players – like faces from Everton's U21 squad – seize their chances, they could become unexpected pillars.

Conclusion: Winter will provide the answer

I don't create the heartbeat of sports; I'm just lucky enough to listen and tell the story. And what I hear from Goodison Park is a symphony of anxiety. The January transfer window will be the decisive moment. If Everton are still near the relegation zone, they may be forced to sell Jarrad Branthwaite – their most valuable remaining asset – to raise funds. That would make the squad even thinner, and the downward spiral would be hard to stop.

Can Moyes work miracles once again? Or will Everton become the next textbook case of modern football's brutality, where financial rules squeeze so tight they kill dreams? The answer will come from the early season matches – and from the breath of those who still love Everton, no matter how broken everything becomes.