Everton’s players are now back at Finch Farm but as the Blues embark on their preparations for the 2023/24 campaign, who will might be the breakout star of their first pre-season under Sean Dyche? Three of the ECHO sportsdesk have their say.
Chris Beesley
When Everton paid Burnley £20million for Dwight McNeil last summer there was a lot of pressure to deliver on the Rochdale-born player’s shoulders. His final season at Turf Moor had ended in relegation and the winger had failed to score in any of his 40 outings for the Clarets that term.
Although the early signs were promising for him in a royal blue jersey – coming off the bench to bag a brace in front of the Gwladys Street in a 3-0 friendly win over Dynamo Kyiv just a day after signing – his first few months at Goodison Park were generally difficult. There were glimpses of what McNeil was capable of with his winning goal at Southampton and sumptuous finish to cap a fine team move in a rare 3-0 romp against Crystal Palace but it was only when he was reunited with Dyche, the gaffer who gave him his big break in the professional game as a teenager, that things took off for him.
In what was a fretful campaign for Everton – the worst in the club’s history in terms of performance given that they posted their lowest equivalent points total – the 23-year-old ended up finishing top scorer with seven goals, including his quick-fire winner against Brentford just 35 seconds into the contest and double strike in the 5-1 thrashing of Brighton & Hove Albion that set the team on their way to survival. Hopefully with a full pre-season with Dyche under his belt, McNeil can kick on further in 2023/24 having rediscovered his mojo and starting to unlock the immense potential he possesses.
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Paul Wheelock
With five first-team squad members already gone, including Ellis Simms who last night signed for Coventry City, and as of yet, no new arrivals through the Finch Farm doors, it looks like pre-season could give an opportunity to the young players who, understandably, did not get much of a look in under Sean Dyche in the relegation run-in.
Tom Cannon had already signed for Preston North End on loan before Dyche arrived but at Goodison Park, given the limited game time Simms had after being recalled from Sunderland, perhaps that was for the best. And after a slow start, in terms of goalscoring if not performances, Cannon exploded into life and Preston would love to have him back at Deepdale for the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign. That may well come to pass, if Dyche decides the additional forwards he desperately needs must have time-served experience. But for now it appears that Cannon will be part of the Blues squad that heads to Switzerland next week and then returns to England to face Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City.
The striker has already proved more than a match for such opposition - the first of his eight goals in 20 games for Preston came against Wigan last season - and I've got a feeling, given the chance, he will be on the scoresheet in the summer friendlies. If he is, that would clearly give Dyche something to think about. And equally, with money seemingly tight for new signings, Cannon could well allow the Everton boss to redistribute whatever funds he does have to the other areas of concern in his paper-thin squad.
Connor O'Neill
My breakout star of the first pre-season under Sean Dyche is a player who hasn’t even returned to training yet. In fact, his 2022/23 season hasn’t finished.
James Garner will line-up for England in the European Under-21 Championship final against Spain this evening. Managed by former Everton midfielder Lee Carsley, the Young Lions are within touching distance of European glory, with the former Manchester United man carrying his end-of-season form into the tournament.
The midfielder is expected to enjoy some well-deserved time off once this evening's game is complete before returning to training late this month. However, when he does, I suspect he will very quickly become a key part of Everton’s midfield ahead of the start of the new season.
After joining from United last summer, Everton supporters saw very little of Garner under Frank Lampard, but under Dyche, the 22-year-old was a standout performer as the Blues managed to avoid relegation to the Championship.
His ability to play at right-back in the final few weeks of the season really caught the eye, but one suspects he will return to midfield this summer, and when he returns to action, he will pick up where he left off back in May and start to show Everton why the club were so delighted to sign him last summer.
