Everton supporters are questioning The Friedkin Group's long-term ambitions for the club after a difficult end to the transfer window. The Blues remain unbeaten after five Premier League games and have reached the last 16 of the Carabao Cup, but David Moyes has been left with just 18 senior outfield players and one recognised striker.
Friedkin Group intentions under scrutiny
The precise intentions of the Friedkin Group remain unclear, but it appears they are open to outside investment. Given how much Liverpool's owners FSG raised through the sale of a minority stake to a consortium involving Amit Bhatia and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, it is not hard to see why other Premier League owners might follow suit.
With Hill Dickinson Stadium nearing completion, TFG own a club worth significantly more than the roughly £330m they paid for it. Even if they seek to recoup some of that money, being open to investment often includes an awareness that interested groups may seek more than a minority stake.
Something changed towards the end of the window. CEO Angus Kinnear spoke with confidence about the final weeks, which is tough to explain had he known what was to follow. It could be construed as a desire to make Everton sustain their own spending, which does not chime with the ambition set out at the end of last season.
Recruitment review unlikely
There is no suggestion of a deep dive into the summer's transfer activity. A view within parts of the club is that the window went well before being derailed by the late switch to a sell-to-buy basis and bad luck with the collapse of the Falorin Balogun deal.
There is debate behind the scenes over how many more players Moyes actually needed, and some pride in the deals that brought Hayden Hackney and Tyrique George early in the summer. The club avoided getting dragged into expensive, messy business like other clubs did, but several issues deserve scrutiny.
Best memories covering Everton
Joe Thomas picks three standout memories. The 1-0 win over Chelsea - with Myra the dog, the first coach welcome, Richarlison with the flare, and Jordan Pickford's wondersave - marked the beginning of the late push to safety.
Another was the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace under Frank Lampard, with goals from Alex Iwobi, Dwight McNeil and Anthony Gordon. It felt like the highpoint of Lampard's reign, though it proved to be his last win with Everton.
The win at Brighton after David Moyes returned in January 2025 was also special. Moyes went over to the away end on the final whistle, and it felt like an 'Everton are back' moment.
Injury latest on Rohl and Norgaard
Merlin Rohl was close to a return before the break and is expected to be fit when domestic football returns. There is less certainty on Christian Norgaard, with the Hull City game the target for some time, but the problem has caught those at the club by surprise.
