In recent years, Everton has been plagued by significant errors, yet the decision to hire Kevin Thelwell stands out as a commendable exception.
Thelwell, formerly the Director of Football for Wolverhampton Wanderers, entered Everton with a stellar reputation in the field. He made the bold move to relocate from New York to Merseyside to contribute to the club supported by his father.
His personal investment in the club’s success, coupled with his direct connection to someone intimately aware of the magnitude of the rebuilding task, positioned him as an ideal candidate to spearhead their turnaround.
Thus far, Thelwell has performed admirably. Through astute player acquisitions and offloading high-earning individuals, Everton has experienced a significant reduction in its wage bill. Notably, the club has also begun to generate net profits during recent summer and January transfer windows.
While Thelwell has demonstrated remarkable competence, there have been scant errors attributed to the 50-year-old. Arguably, his most notable misstep stemmed not from an action taken, but rather from an opportunity missed.
Kevin Thelwell made his biggest Everton mistake last summer
Operating within strict financial constraints, the ability to secure any noteworthy signings last summer was regarded as miraculous. Despite their reluctance to invest in transfers, evident even after offloading Alex Iwobi late in the market, the situation could have potentially changed due to his sale. Moreover, significant profits were generated from the departures of Ellis Simms, Tom Cannon, and a majority of Demarai Gray’s exits.
In aggregate, the proceeds from these four sales amounted to approximately £42.5 million, surpassing half of Sporting CP’s expenditure on Viktor Gyokeres. Everton had long pursued the Swedish striker, but their financial limitations seemingly led him to join the ranks of the Portuguese giants instead. Gyokeres’s success at Sporting CP now serves as a source of regret for Everton’s decision-makers, particularly Thelwell, who may have underestimated the necessity of a more aggressive approach.
Everton would be thriving with Viktor Gyokeres
If Sean Dyche were to have a dominant, elite, and ‘lethal’ striker in his squad, as described by journalist Brian Fonseca, Everton would likely find themselves significantly distant from the relegation zone.
This season has predominantly witnessed positive progress on the field, albeit overshadowed by financial challenges leading to a deduction of six points.
This trend is evident in the underlying statistics, with Everton having scored only 29 goals in the Premier League despite accumulating an expected goals tally of 48.95.
They are underperforming against this metric more than any other team in the division, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin statistically being the least effective finisher in the entire league.
In contrast, Gyokeres has an impressive record of 36 goals and 14 assists in just 39 games across all competitions, commanding a price tag of £85m.
Therefore, had Everton taken the opportunity to invest in him during the summer, they would have had the advantageous option of retaining this unstoppable forward or selling him for a substantial fee to address their financial difficulties.