Liverpool, Sep 12: When David Moyes returned to Everton in January for his second spell at Goodison Park, the club sat precariously above the relegation zone, just a point clear of danger. The situation looked grim, the mood among supporters was anxious, and many wondered if the Toffees could even hold on to their top-flight status.
Fast forward eight months, and the transformation has been remarkable. Everton are not just surviving — they are thriving. Safe from relegation by a comfortable 23-point margin, settled into their state-of-the-art new home at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and riding high in fifth place in the Premier League, the Merseyside club have begun to dream again. No team has collected more points than Everton since May, a statistic that underlines their resurgence.
The story of Everton’s revival is not one of chance. It is a tale built on record-breaking investment, bold recruitment, a clear financial reset, and the quiet but steady hand of Moyes, who has reintroduced discipline and direction to a side once spiralling into chaos.
Spending Big, Spending Smart
The scale of Everton’s summer rebuild cannot be overstated. With nine senior players departing — among them Abdoulaye Doucoure, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jack Harrison and Ashley Young — the squad was left dangerously thin. Something drastic was needed, and the club responded with their most ambitious recruitment drive in history.
Nine new signings arrived for a net spend of £97m, a figure that eclipsed Everton’s outlay across the previous seven summers combined. Not only is it the largest net spend in the club’s Premier League history, it also places them among the division’s top spenders this window. And with a potential permanent move for Freiburg loanee Merlin Röhl, worth £17m if Everton avoid relegation, that figure could rise to £114m.
Former midfielder Leon Osman summed up the sense of surprise:
“If you’d told me we’d do a net spend like that this summer, I’d have been excited and delighted. Yes, you’d still like a 30-goal striker, but for one window this is outstanding. It’s exciting times for everyone.”
Compared with past windows, the shift is stark. In 2020, under Carlo Ancelotti, Everton’s net spend was £77m, though largely offset by player sales. In 2017, even a lavish £140m splurge was softened by Romelu Lukaku’s £75m departure. This time, Everton have invested without compromise, marking a decisive change in strategy.
The Financial Reset
How can a club once drowning in debt suddenly afford such investment? The answer lies in restraint, restructuring, and new ownership.
From 2021 to early 2025, Everton’s spending was virtually frozen. Instead, the club posted £86m in profits from player sales, balancing their books and reducing exposure to financial fair play breaches.
The arrival of the Friedkin Group as majority owners has proved transformational. Debts were converted to equity, refinanced, or repaid, giving Everton breathing space. Importantly, most summer signings were finalised after June 30 — the end of the Premier League’s financial year — which eased immediate pressure on PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules).
Future revenues are set to grow as well. The new Hill Dickinson Stadium, with a capacity of 52,769, represents a 13,000-seat increase on Goodison Park and promises lucrative corporate hospitality opportunities. After years of financial mismanagement under Farhad Moshiri, during which £188m worth of signings eventually left for nothing, Everton appear to have finally learned their lessons.
Recruitment with Purpose
This summer’s recruitment drive has been characterised not only by quantity but by quality and balance. Moyes has sought leaders, workhorses, and players who can handle the pressure of a big club.
Jack Grealish, the marquee loan signing, has been electric, contributing two assists in each of his first two league starts — a level of output he rarely produced at Manchester City. Osman even hailed him as “arguably the best signing by any club this summer.”
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, brought in from Chelsea for £24m, has immediately become Everton’s most creative player, averaging more chances created per game than anyone in the squad last season.
Thierno Barry, the £27m striker from Villarreal, has impressed with his physicality and link-up play, hinting at a long-term solution to Everton’s striking woes.
Tyler Dibling, their biggest signing at potentially £40m, has yet to debut but adds depth and attacking unpredictability.
Equally important was retaining experienced figures like Seamus Coleman and Michael Keane, both seen as stabilising presences in the dressing room.
Moyes himself admitted frustration early in the summer at the slow pace of signings, but the final outcome has been a window of balance and intent. Osman observed:
“Moyes has signed players that will be good in the dressing room. They bring energy, leadership, and a bit of everything.”
A Club Reborn
The early signs are undeniable. Everton, once criticised for wasteful spending and lack of direction, are now outperforming expectations. Opta data shows only Liverpool are currently surpassing their expected points tally by a greater margin, proof of efficiency and newfound resilience.
Despite their heavy recruitment, Everton ranked just seventh in the Premier League for net spend this summer — behind the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea — suggesting the club’s rise is not purely a function of money, but of strategy and cohesion.
For Moyes, the challenge now is managing expectations. Evertonians, starved of silverware since their 1995 FA Cup triumph, dare to believe again. Osman thinks Moyes may even have his sights set on ending that drought:
“Everyone at Everton wants to win a trophy. Moyes would love to come back and do that for the club.”
Looking Ahead
Mid-table security would, in reality, represent a major step forward after years of flirtation with relegation. But such is the nature of football that success breeds ambition. The Toffees are dreaming bigger.
Moyes insists the team must continue enjoying their football, maintaining the intensity and togetherness that have defined their revival. With new stars bedding in, old leaders holding firm, and the finances finally aligned with ambition, Everton may at last be on the path back to the upper reaches of English football.
For now, the story is one of rebirth — a proud old club that stared at the abyss, restructured, spent smart, and emerged revitalised. And if the current momentum holds, the echoes of 1995 may not be the last taste of glory Everton fans experience. (Agencies)
