Everton are without some familiar faces as the team returns to Finch Farm for the start of pre-season.
Thursday marks the beginning of preparation for the next campaign with Sean Dyche set to do everything within his power to try and prevent the club from becoming embroiled in a third consecutive relegation battle.
Dyche was at the training complex early in order to welcome his players, the first of whom included Dele Alli, Nathan Patterson and Dwight McNeil. Academy starlets including Lewis Warrington and Tom Cannon - two young players who will be hoping to catch Dyche’s eye this summer - were also early arrivals. But the full squad has not met in its entirety on day one - and even when it does there will be fewer players than when last season ended in May.
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Three players who will not be at Finch Farm this week - but who are on top of their fitness - are Jarrad Branthwaite, James Garner and Demarai Gray. All three are on international duty. Garner and Branthwaite are with the England Under-21s in Georgia for the age group's European Championships. Victory over Israel on Wednesday night means Spain now await the side in the final this weekend. Garner has started most of the games and has done so by slotting in at right back, which might help Dyche. Garner performed well in that position in the final game of the season, the must-win over Bournemouth, and his summer will boost his experience in a position he may end up providing back-up for at club-level.
Gray, meanwhile, is competing in the Gold Cup with Jamaica. His form has been impressive in the tournament and he will face Guatemala in the quarter-finals on Sunday night. Jamaica are big favourites and a win would pave the way for a semi-final in the early hours of Thursday. Whatever the outcome, a win at the weekend will mean there is no chance of Gray returning to Everton next week. The final is in the early hours of the following Monday.
Several other players are not at Finch Farm today, including a number of big names. They include Jordan Pickford, Amadou Onana and Alexander Iwobi. Players who were involved in international action at the beginning of the domestic close season have been given the opportunity to join their teammates slightly later. That does not mean the hard work is not already underway, however. Onana, who has been in Miami, released clips showing work with a personal fitness trainer.
Even at full strength, the squad is much lighter than how it started the summer. Tom Davies, Asmir Begovic, Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend have all left following the expiration of their contracts while options to purchase loanees Conor Coady and Ruben Vinagre were not taken up.
