Everton kick-start their pre-season preparations against Dundee on Saturday, July 18, 2026, with a 2pm kick-off. The friendly will round off the Blues' week-long training camp in Scotland and will give travelling supporters a chance to see the club's new signings in action. Two are already well-known given Merlin Rohl and Tyrique George were on loan at Hill Dickinson Stadium last season. Hayden Hackney, however, is a brand new arrival. But just how many more additions are needed as Everton aim to improve on back-to-back 13th-placed Premier League finishes? We take a look.
Goalkeepers
This seemed the most stable area of David Moyes' squad with Jordan Pickford the club's undisputed No.1 and Mark Travers the England star's back-up and Tom King third-choice. However, it would appear that a new addition is being sought given the links to the likes of Karl Darlow, who has now moved to Manchester United, Sam Johnstone and Norway World Cup star Orjan Nyland. These links have also come at a time when Travers has been reportedly targeted by Frank Lampard at promoted Coventry City. Verdict: If Travers is pushing for a move in order to get first-team football, the Blues will have to find a capable replacement for the Republic of Ireland international - someone with Premier League experience but someone who will know they will spend most of the campaign on the bench.
Defenders
Everton are not searching for a new centre-back this summer given James Tarkowski and Michael Keane, like Pickford before them, have penned new contracts. But in an even bigger boost for the Blues, Jarrad Branthwaite has returned to training at the start of pre-season. With Jake O’Brien a natural centre-back, Moyes has four strong options there. However, O'Brien could well find himself at right-back again against Dundee given the club has yet to sign a specialist in that position. That is more pressing than ever with the great Seamus Coleman having called time on his playing career at the club and given Nathan Patterson is attracting interest from home and abroad and will seemingly be allowed to leave. Over at left-back, Vitalii Mykolenko looks set to start the season as first choice once more with Adam Aznou playing a supporting role if he isn't sent out on loan. Verdict: Quite simply, Everton have to sign a right-back. And potentially a left-back, too, if Aznou, for the second season running, is not deemed ready for first-team football. That's what makes the links to Djed Spence intriguing. With Tottenham Hotspur seemingly willing to let Spence leave, he has shown at the World Cup he can play on both flanks. But with Inter, and even rumours of Liverpool, being interested, the Blues may have to move fast once he returns from North America.
Midfielders
James Garner, the club's Player of the Season, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who pushed the new England international close for that honour, are two definite starters in an area of the field where Moyes has a wealth of options. Those options also include new signings Rohl and Hackney, Tim Iroegbunam, Carlos Alcaraz and Harrison Armstrong, while a new contract for Idrissa Gueye has not been ruled out. Verdict: Given how crowded the midfield looks, and given the club will have to sell as well as buy this summer, there are question marks over the futures of Iroegbunam, who has interest from Hull City and Ipswich Town, and Alcaraz, who has been linked with a return to Argentina with River Plate. The highly rated Armstrong, too, may feel a full season out on loan will be better for his development. Should some of those players leave, and the long-serving Gueye not return, that could free up space and funds for a new No.6, with Parma's Mandela Keita reportedly someone of interest.
Wingers
George's return means Moyes has four wingers on the books - the others being Tyler Dibling, Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye, who is currently enjoying time off after playing for Senegal at the World Cup. Everton are also expected to explore the possibility of bringing back Jack Grealish, whose loan spell from Manchester City last season was a resounding success until he sustained a serious injury. Verdict: A new deal for Grealish, which will be dependent on the finances involved and his return to fitness, would appear to leave the Blues well stocked in the wide positions. But given the club was prepared to sell McNeil in the January transfer window, and given he has just 12 months on his contract, another winger may be required, especially if one of the clubs interested in Ndiaye comes calling with a serious offer. But it would take something like that to persuade Everton to do business.
Strikers
Moyes does not need more than two centre-forwards given the formation he plays so it therefore would appear unlikely another will be signed unless Beto or Thierno Barry leave. However, that cannot be ruled out given this is the final summer in which the Blues could cash in on the former while they could yet have the chance to recoup the £27m they spent on the latter if RB Leipzig follow up their interest. Verdict: At the time of writing, a poll running on the ECHO's website shows that 47% of readers think a right-back is the club's transfer priority and another 47% think a striker should be. That's quite telling. But it feels like unless Beto or Barry are sold, some of those readers won't get what they crave.
