Everton have so far made three permanent signings in the summer transfer window, but two more would really transform the mood of the fanbase.
Spirits were low after the second-half collapse against Sunderland in the final Hill Dickinson Stadium game of its debut season and after the no-show at Tottenham Hotspur on the last day. Had Everton managed to hold on to the half-time lead they held over Sunderland, and managed to lay a glove on a Tottenham team fraught with relegation nerves, it may still not have been enough to secure European football. But what it would have done is change the narrative surrounding the club among its own supporters. Up until those last two matches, despite the disappointment, frustration and heartbreak of the dropped points against West Ham United, Crystal Palace, Manchester City and Liverpool, the Blues' season could still have been painted as one of progress.
After the losses to the Black Cats and Spurs, Evertonians did not want to hear that. Time is a great healer, though, and while it is important that David Moyes' men get off to a good start in the new campaign, beginning against Crystal Palace in one month's time, the mood among the fanbase has mellowed somewhat, helped by the transfer business the club has done so far.
Signings so far
Versatile midfielder Merlin Rohl was always going to become a permanent member of the squad after Everton's Premier League safety was secured, which thankfully, compared to three if not the previous four seasons, was never in any doubt. But there was no certainty that Tyrique George would return. However, after renegotiating a more favourable deal with Chelsea, the winger is also back on Merseyside for good. Throw in the fact that the club managed to see off stiff competition for the signing of Middlesbrough midfielder and Championship Player of the Season Hayden Hackney, there is a degree of satisfaction at Finch Farm about the deals done.
But if Everton really want to lift the spirit of Blues, they will do two more deals before the visit of Palace and their new manager Pierre Sage to the Mersey waterfront on August 22.
Right-back priority
While it is reassuring that a new right-back remains the club's transfer priority, put it simply, there is no excuse for a new one not being in the squad, if not the starting line-up, against the Eagles. We've all seen the names now - Raoul Bellanova, Guela Doue, Djed Spence, Ben White, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, among many others. But we are getting to the point now where one must be settled on, identified and signed.
Of course, it's not always as easy as that. The World Cup has slowed activity across the Premier League while other factors come into play like the number of managerial changes in the English top flight and what increasingly appears to be an inflated domestic market. But an out-an-out, attacking right-back would not only overhaul the team's capabilities, but it would also send a clear message to supporters that the glaring issue in the squad had, at long last, been addressed.
Jack Grealish return
The cherry on the cake would then be the return of Jack Grealish. Internally, the discussions over bringing the England international back may be bigger than they were over signing him in the first place 12 months ago, given he is still recovering from the serious injury that brought his loan spell with the Blues to an end. But with Grealish closing in on a return to training at Manchester City, one of two two big questions facing Everton - the success of his recovery - will be answered. The second centres on the finances involved. The 30-year-old is now in the final year of his contract at City, who would prefer a permanent sale rather than another loan, which is likely to be the Blues' first choice. Throw in the fact that Grealish earns a reported £300,000 per week, and it's not an easy deal to do.
But after two late, match-winning goals, in addition to six assists, in the first half of season, his return would be a hugely popular one with his team-mates - and undoubtedly, the fans.
