'A long way away' - David Moyes makes honest Everton transfer admission as Leeds United trip edges closer

Everton manager David Moyes admits his side are behind schedule on the transfer front with their opening-weekend trip to Leeds United just three weeks away.

The Toffees were set for a major summer rebuild following their takeover by The Friedkin Group (TFG) in December, but business has been slower than expected so far. Only two new faces have arrived in the form of promising £27m forward Thierno Barry and £4m back-up goalkeeper Mark Travers.

Carlos Alcaraz’s loan from Flamengo has also been made permanent but 11 senior players have left as loan deals come to an end and expiring contracts are not renewed. Among those exits are Leeds returnee Jack Harrison, experienced striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Everton’s pre-season preparations have not got off to the best start, with a 1-0 defeat against Blackburn Rovers followed up by Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League’s USA Summer Series. Moyes only had one fit centre-back for the latter clash, with Jarrad Branthwaite, James Tarkowski and Michael Keane all absent.

“We’re a long way away just now,” Moyes told The Athletic. “I would have hoped it would have been much further down the line than we are. I would hope by the time we get to the end of the window, we’d be closer to 10 [new players]. So you can imagine the amount of work we’ve got to do.”

With just three weeks until their 2025/26 campaign gets underway with a trip to Elland Road, Everton face an uphill battle to strengthen their squad in time for that fixture. They are thought to be closing in on a move for young Bayern Munich full-back Adam Aznou while there are talks to sign Lyon winger Malick Fofana, but deals will need to be wrapped up relatively quickly for them to be fully settled come August 18.

Late Everton transfers could miss Leeds United Premier League opener

Any later additions - the window doesn’t close until September 1 - could end up missing Everton’s trip to Elland Road, which would of course be a boost for a Leeds side hoping to start fast. But Moyes insists his side’s slow business hasn’t been for a lack of trying.

“The club are trying really hard to get the players I want and I’ve found it really difficult because in my last few years [as West Ham manager], I’ve been involved in European competition,” he explained. “It’s a bit easier when you’re a club in Europe. You get a better chance of attracting a lot of players.

“We’ve been in for a lot of really good players. Unfortunately, a lot of them have said no at the moment. If we’re going for players, we’re not going for bad players. Our attraction is maybe to some younger ones who are up and coming, or also those from lower leagues. In those cases, it is not a problem. But if you’re trying to take players who have had European experience or playing at the top end, they’re the ones where the ones we will find it harder to attract.

“We need them to want to come. They have to come and buy in a wee bit to what Everton have got, the culture here. There’s a strong, hard-working ethic and we want to build on it and bring in more quality.”