Everton reporters Joe Thomas and Christopher Beesley have answered readers' questions on the key issues at the club, including Iliman Ndiaye's future, a potential return for Jack Grealish, David Moyes' silence, and the search for a right-back.
Ndiaye's future at Everton
Iliman Ndiaye currently looks set to stay with Everton. Interest from Al-Hilal was intriguing because it offered him a significant pay rise and the chance to win silverware regularly, but a move to Saudi Arabia would have threatened his ambition to prove himself at the highest level, namely the Champions League.
Staying true to that goal appears to have scuppered a move to Al-Hilal, and he has settled well since linking back up with the club. Everton want to keep him and will not make it easy for a club to prise one of their star players away.
Contract talks have failed so far, with Ndiaye's camp keen on a mechanism setting terms for his departure should one of Europe's biggest names come knocking. Arsenal are on the lookout for a left-sided attacker, having sold Leandro Trossard to Besiktas and being open to offers for Gabriel Martinelli. Ndiaye is Premier League proven, and Arsenal could reach a figure Everton would likely listen to. Manchester United could also act on their interest, depending on the Marcus Rashford situation.
Would Grealish return be a good move?
Jack Grealish's merits are obvious, but a return would put him ahead of a younger team-mate. The first £100 million English footballer when he joined Manchester City from Aston Villa in 2021, Grealish turns 31 next month and is still a class act.
There is nobody in the Everton squad who can match his ability to carry the ball up the pitch, win free-kicks, or slow things down to play at his own pace. He still has to prove his fitness after a serious injury in January that curtailed his previous spell at Hill Dickinson Stadium, but his comments and social media activity suggest he still has a lot of love for the Blues and seems eager to return.
A year on, would he be worth another punt? Or would he hamper the progress of someone like Tyrique George, who capped a sparkling display in the 3-1 win against Newcastle United at Murrayfield by netting his first goal for the club? With Brennan Johnson signed and Tyler Dibling looking to step things up, Iliman Ndiaye could revert to the left if Grealish doesn't return. Ultimately, Grealish improves this Everton squad, so if they can re-sign him, they probably should.
Why has Moyes been silent?
It is unusual not to have heard from David Moyes through pre-season. Getting a chat with an Everton manager is often a cat-and-mouse game during the summer, but we would usually expect some dealings by now, especially given the expense of covering two games in Germany and two in Scotland.
He has not done anything with club media channels either, so he is yet to share his thoughts with supporters at all. This will largely be down to the manager's own decision-making, but it deprives supporters of the club's own narrative through an important summer. He did do the obligatory interviews with rights holders this week, and he will have to hold a press conference ahead of the Crystal Palace game.
Why not sign Daniel Munoz?
It feels like there could be differences of opinion from the recruitment team over Daniel Munoz if he is available. Perhaps Everton got wind that he was available when negotiating with Crystal Palace over the Brennan Johnson-Dwight McNeil swap deal.
Munoz is one of the few targets who could hit the ground running and be available for the start of the Premier League season, with Everton facing his current employers at home in their first fixture. He's Premier League proven, was one of the most mobile right-backs in the division last season, and is a winner, having helped the Eagles lift the first two major trophies in their history. He also has an eye for a goal. Given how players look after themselves these days, 30 isn't that old, especially when the Blues have already snapped up 32-year-old Christian Norgaard.
Who is to blame for the right-back situation?
There is no hiding for anyone involved if a right-back is not sorted by the end of the window. This is a longstanding issue that pre-dates the arrival of the Friedkin Group and the return of David Moyes, but both have been in place long enough for it to be clear this area needs addressing. Moyes has spoken publicly about the need for a right-back, so he is aware of the problem.
Whether Moyes and the committee agree on everything or not, both will have to shoulder blame if this problem is not sorted, as both should be working in the interests of the club. Vitalii Mykolenko has had a difficult pre-season but has long been trusted at Everton and was rewarded with a new contract towards the end of last season. Adam Aznou has had a few opportunities this summer, and if the club opts not to enter the market for cover and competition for Mykolenko, then they should give Aznou a genuine chance to provide it.
