Another day and the frustration grows.
For a club in desperate need of reinforcements, Everton’s work in the transfer window has left supporters, so far, somewhat dejected. 10 days into the window and not one new player has arrived.
But what makes things worse is that Frank Lampard has been so open about the need for new faces this month. The Blues boss has been vocal about his side’s need for reinforcements ever since the Premier League paused for the World Cup.
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Everton are in desperate need of attacking options as they aim to move out of the relegation zone. Work, the ECHO understands, has been on going for some time and the Blues are looking at all options available to them.
Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga is among what is said to be a detailed list of targets. The Blues also made the decision to recall Ellis Simms from his successful loan spell at Sunderland at the start of the month.
But the lack of activity has left some supporters scratching their heads in disbelief. Everton’s mistakes in previous transfer windows have been well documented.
We all know about the £500m plus that has been wasted. The Blues are paying the price for those previous mistakes and they make Kevin Thelwell’s job even more difficult than it already is.
But one transfer that could happen before the month is out highlights the sticky situation those at Everton find themselves in. To say eyebrows were raised when it was first reported that Wout Weghorst was wanted by Manchester United over the weekend would be understatement.
But the move highlights a huge problem clubs are facing this window. January has always been a tough month to conduct business in, as plenty of club executives and managers have been quick to point out.
However, the fact United are trying to persuade Besiktas to cancel Weghorst’s season-long loan from Burnley so that they can sign the 30-year-old on a short-term deal until the end of the season, shows there really isn't much available in terms of attacking players out there at the minute, unless, of course, you are ready to break the bank.
Weghorst enjoyed an impressive World Cup campaign for Holland, with his brace against Argentina being the highlight. However, this is also the same player who struggled at Turf Moor last season.
Signed for a fee understood to be around £12m during the winter window, the forward joined Burnley from Wolfsburg and was chosen as the man to fire the Clarets up the Premier League table and away from the relegation zone.
Instead, the total opposite happened. The Dutchman struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League and his two goals weren’t enough to prevent the Turf Moor club from being relegated to the Championship.
Speaking ahead of his side’s FA Cup tie against United at Old Trafford on Friday night, Lampard himself alluded to how difficult it is to sign the right players this month.
“We have a budget to spend, but as I mentioned, we may look at loans as well,” the Blues boss said. “We have to look at what we can bring in, a player to impact us now, because that is what we want and need.
“But also not to bring in players who become our players, that are not the right players for Everton and our squad. That is a process we have to go through to make sure we don't make those mistakes.
“That doesn't make it easy because it is not a big market at the minute, particularly at the top end of the pitch, that is the hardest market to find people who will come and deliver for you. But we have to work out our best way to do that.”
Danny Ings is a name that has been linked with a move to Goodison Park over the past week, but again those reports weren’t met with smiles and joy from Blues supporters.
In many ways Lampard’s comments last week were a warning to fans about what to expect, but if supporters needed any evidence as to how hard it is trying to sign a forward this month, then United’s interest in Weghorst is all the evidence they need.
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