Everton's Remarkable Revival Under David Moyes
In January, David Moyes was appointed as Everton's manager for the second time, with the club just one point above the relegation zone.
Eight months later, the club has made significant progress, avoiding relegation by a margin of 23 points, relocating to the state-of-the-art Hill Dickinson Stadium, and welcoming nine new players during a record-setting summer recruitment.
No team has accumulated more points than Everton since the start of May, and they currently sit fifth in the Premier League standings.
BBC Sport explores the factors contributing to Everton's resurgence.
Record Spending to Overhaul the Squad
The primary challenge for Everton this summer was to revamp a depleted squad following the departure of nine senior players, including first-team regulars Abdoulaye Doucoure, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jack Harrison, and Ashley Young.
The response has been thorough.
Everton has signed nine players at a net cost of £97 million, marking their highest net expenditure in a summer transfer window and exceeding the total spent over the previous seven seasons combined (£71 million).
This £97 million figure far exceeds any previous season in the club's Premier League history, with the potential for additional signings in the upcoming January window.
Exciting Times for Everyone
This represents a remarkable turnaround for a club that has faced points deductions for breaching profit and sustainability regulations and narrowly escaped relegation on the final day of the season two years ago.
"If you had told me that we would have a net spend of this magnitude this summer, I would have been excited and delighted," said former Everton midfielder Leon Osman.
"While we could use another defender due to injuries and a goal-scoring striker, this summer's performance is outstanding for just one window. It’s exciting times for everyone involved."
If Merlin Rohl's loan move from Freiburg is made permanent for an agreed fee of £17 million—conditional on avoiding relegation—the club's net spend would rise to £114 million.
In the summer of 2020, under Carlo Ancelotti, Everton recruited six players, including Real Madrid's James Rodriguez, for a net spend of £77 million.
In 2017, they brought in three number 10s, including record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson, as part of a £140 million summer expenditure, but Romelu Lukaku's £75 million transfer to Manchester United reduced Everton's net outlay to £48 million.
Why Everton Can Afford to Spend
Everton's financial situation has been bolstered by several factors.
From January 2021 to January 2025, spending was minimal, with the club generating £86 million in profit from player sales to help balance its finances.
The takeover by the Friedkin Group has been transformative, converting Everton's significant debts into equity, and refinancing on more favorable terms.
Importantly, most of this summer's signings were completed after the Premier League's financial year ended on June 30, which aids in managing future profit and sustainability regulation calculations.
Only the decision to make Carlos Alcaraz's loan move from Flamengo permanent was finalized before July.
Future income is also expected to rise with increased revenues from the Hill Dickinson Stadium, which has a capacity of 52,769—over 13,000 more than Goodison Park—allowing for more lucrative corporate hospitality opportunities.
Grealish: The Signing of the Summer
The second aspect of Everton's challenge this summer was to learn from previous errors.
During Farhad Moshiri's nearly nine-year ownership, eight players signed for at least £20 million left the club for free, resulting in a loss of £188 million in fees—an unsustainable model for a club with limited resources.
Osman notes that Everton has realigned its transfer strategy to align with the club's needs, highlighted by the marquee loan signing of Jack Grealish, who is set to face his former club Aston Villa on Saturday.
The England winger has provided two assists in each of his two Premier League starts for Everton, a feat he accomplished only twice in his previous 191 league appearances.
"He’s arguably the best signing by any club this summer," Osman remarked, having made 437 appearances for Everton between 2003 and 2016. "The club is striving to reach the top again."
More Leaders in the Dressing Room
Another new signing, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, acquired from Chelsea for an initial £24 million, has created more chances per game than any Everton player since the start of last season. Meanwhile, young forward Thierno Barry, a £27 million signing from Villarreal, has impressed with his hold-up play in four appearances.
Tyler Dibling, Everton's most significant summer acquisition—potentially rising to £40 million—has yet to feature in the league but adds another dynamic option to an attack that ranked 18th in the league for goals from open play last season (25).
Early indications suggest that Everton's recruitment has been more successful than in recent seasons, culminating in a satisfactory end to a window where Moyes had previously voiced frustrations over a lack of activity.
"Moyes has brought in players who will contribute positively to the dressing room—they inject energy and versatility," Osman noted. "It was also crucial that the club retained Seamus Coleman and Michael Keane, with Keane performing exceptionally this season."
Aiming for a First Trophy Since 1995?
Despite their substantial spending on transfers, Everton has not become one of the Premier League's highest spenders.
They ranked seventh in net expenditure this summer, £24 million behind Manchester City in sixth place, while data from Opta indicates that only Liverpool is outperforming their expected points this season more than Everton, based on the quality of chances created and conceded.
Osman, who participated in Everton's pre-season tour to the US, believes Moyes will be aiming for the club's first trophy since the 1995 FA Cup.
"This is what Premier League football is all about—doing an excellent job and suddenly facing heightened expectations," Osman commented. "However, if we take a step back, a mid-table finish would be a significant improvement. David Moyes will manage those expectations effectively.
"The team must continue to enjoy their football. They have demonstrated their quality and performance levels, and they need to hold each other accountable. This is a great opportunity, and everyone at Everton is eager to win a trophy. Moyes would love to achieve that for the club."