Everton's transfer deadline day descended into chaos, leaving manager David Moyes with a weaker squad than he started the summer with and undermining chief executive Angus Kinnear's pre-season ambitions, writes Andy Dunn.
Grealish return dragged to the wire
Even after Jack Grealish had returned to Manchester City, he never removed Everton from one of his social media profiles. Grealish repeatedly spoke about how much he loved life at the club. He was a substitute for City on the opening day, but then was not part of City's squad in the 4-1 win over Crystal Palace on August 28.
The world and his wife knew Grealish was interested in returning to play under David Moyes and at Hill Dickinson Stadium. No clubs were interested in signing Grealish, even though his Etihad contract expires at the end of the season, on a permanent deal.
For all intents and purposes, the return of the England international was a formality. Yet it was a formality that did not happen until an hour or so ahead of the transfer window closing. It is only a minor point in the grand scheme of what has been a truly awful transfer window for Everton. But it is a significant one.
A deal for Grealish should have been sorted well before the deadline. No ifs or buts. It should have been done and thus allowed Everton executives to focus completely on sorting out the mess that their pursuit of a striker had become.
Striker crisis and Ndiaye exit
It's little wonder USA striker Folarin Balogun decided to walk away from the shambles and return to playing in front of one man and his Ferrari in Monaco. Talk about amateur hour!
How else can you describe a transfer window that has left David Moyes with a squad smaller than when it started? How else can you describe a transfer window that has left Moyes with one striker?
Only five clubs scored fewer than Everton's 47 Premier League goals last season. Thierno Barry only scored eight in 41 games in all competitions last season - and a couple of those went in off his backside! He might've scored a couple against Preston reserves in the Carabao Cup to start this season, but while he might work hard and have a great attitude, he's not a thoroughbred Premier League striker.
Hell, he wasn't even Everton's top scorer in the Premier League last season. That was Beto, who bagged nine. His reward this transfer window - being offloaded to Fiorentina late in the day. Yes he was in the last year of his contract, yes he's no Harry Kane or Erling Haaland, but Beto was better than nothing!
Instead, he was sold before another striker’s services were secured. Again, amateur hour.
Then you look at Everton selling their best player, Iliman Ndiaye, for £65million, to Manchester City. Great move for Ndiaye, no doubt. But he had three years left on his deal. Everton could have said no - just like Liverpool did when City moved first for Cody Gakpo. Instead, Ndiaye went with the club’s best wishes.
Armstrong saga and fan backlash
And let's not forget the entire Harrison Armstrong situation before we even reached deadline day. The club were ready to make a quick buck by selling the 19-year-old local lad to Nottingham Forest for £35million. They only called off cashing in on their homegrown star after supporters threatened mutiny.
And it will certainly be mutinous at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday if Manchester United arrive and take advantage of Moyes' limited options.
But, ironically, and in a distinctly unwelcome way for the manager, it has probably strengthened his own position.
After an encouraging start to the Premier League season - a home win over Crystal Palace and a draw at Bournemouth - any downturn will now be put firmly at the door of owners The Friedkin Group, chief executive Angus Kinnear and the recruitment department. And rightly so.
It was embarrassing that Everton were scrambling around for striking alternatives late on deadline evening - asking Man United for Joshua Zirkzee and Aston Villa for Tammy Abraham.
I suppose at least they got a player who would have walked from Manchester to Merseyside to sort the loan deal out himself.
Grealish might have a wonderful season. But he is no miracle worker. Neither is Moyes.
Kinnear's ambitions ring hollow
Ahead of the season, Kinnear said: “Everybody is thinking about how we mount a challenge for Europe and don’t fade in the last critical matches.”
Everybody, it seems, but Kinnear and the owners.
