Former Everton captain Seamus Coleman has criticised the club's transfer window under owners The Friedkin Group (TFG), saying he cannot "understand how that can happen" after the club sold strikers without bringing in replacements. Speaking on the Overlap Fan Debate, Coleman and Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher both expressed concerns about the squad's current state.
Deadline Day Sales and Squad Shortages
TFG generated over £100million on deadline day, selling Iliman Ndiaye, Beto, Tim Iroegbunam, and Nathan Patterson, while loaning out Adam Aznou. A proposed £40million sale of Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest was reversed after fan protests, but a late move for Folarin Balogun from Monaco collapsed.
This left Everton with a first-team squad of just 18 outfield players, including only one striker, one left-back, and one right-back. On October 9, the club was put up for sale, less than 22 months after TFG's takeover.
Coleman's Frustration
Coleman, who made 435 appearances for the club, said: "In the summer, who sells a striker before you get one in?" He added, "We're talking about a Premier League-level club. I just don't understand how that can happen."
The 38-year-old acknowledged fan frustrations, saying, "You can't blame the Everton fans as well for wanting better." He noted that Ndiaye and Beto were not adequately replaced.
Carragher's Assessment
Carragher said manager David Moyes "has been dealt a bad hand" transfer-wise, adding, "What did you expect this season with what David Moyes was left with?" He warned that without proper management, the squad could "easily find itself fighting for its life."
Everton have lost their last two matches, both 2-0, to Chelsea and Arsenal, after an earlier eight-match unbeaten run.
