Where do we even start with fullbacks? The most problematic position group at Everton is the next one we look at in the 2026-27 Season Preview series.
Has there ever been a more problematic position in an Everton team than right-back?
The club’s failure to plug such a glaring gap in the side is bordering on the farcical. And when the Prime Minister himself wades in, you know this has become a major issue.
With Seamus Coleman now gone the Toffees have just one senior specialist right-back in Nathan Patterson, who has no long-term future at the club after failing to impress all three of the managers he has played under.
The Scotland international has been linked with a move away but is likely to remain until a replacement is brought in – if that ever happens.
The club can’t say this is has taken them by surprise. Coleman had been on the decline for many years and it became clear Patterson was not a long-term solution. Kenny Tete came close to signing at the start of last year’s summer window but opted to stay at Fulham. Everton were unfortunate that Tete changed their mind at the last minute, but the recruitment team had the rest of that window, the winter window and this year’s window to try and bring someone in, with no luck so far.
That means Everton will once again begin the season having to play someone out of position. Jake O’Brien has gamely filled that role for 18 months but it would be unfair to force him to continue. The likely candidate for the Crystal Palace game is Merlin Rohl, who has enjoyed a productive pre-season and looks much more settled.
His versatility is both a blessing and a curse, as he may well feature more this season but not always in his preferred position. His performances in pre-season suggest he will be fine for the game against the Eagles, but he should not be Everton’s first choice for the rest of the season.
As to who that elusive player will be, take your pick. Guela Doue of Strasbourg is reportedly top of the shortlist but his £40m fee is a sticking point. Daniel Munoz of Crystal Palace is also a contender, though a fee close to £20m for a 30-year-old would be a risk. Other names mentioned include Timothy Castagne, Matty Cash, Hector Fort and Brooke Norton-Cuffy.
I am still of the belief that the club will bring at least one right-back in before the deadline. But with time running out it I fear they may have to work their way well down their shortlist before landing a target.
The left side is proving equally problematic. Vitaly Mykolenko is the target of the fans ire after some shaky pre-season performances. I don’t think Mykolenko’s performances have got any better or worse, but the club’s failure to reinforce that position means he has become a bit of a lightning rod.
Full-backs in the past were not seen as particularly important and a position you could fudge. But now in the modern game it is fundamental to how the team works. The absence of an overlapping full-back caused numerous Everton attacks to break down last season, forcing the wingers into a crowded middle of the park. Repairing that weakness should have been a priority this summer.
One reason for optimism is the productive pre-season enjoyed by Adam Aznou. The 20-year-old got nowhere near the senior team last year following his move from Bayern Munich, bar a lively cameo against Sunderland in the FA Cup. The suggestion from David Moyes was that he was not physically ready for the rigours of the English game, but to not use him at all or even send him out on loan was puzzling.
Fast forward 12 months and things seem to have shifted. He featured more in the summer friendlies and Angus Kinnear intimated in his interviews earlier this week that the Morocco international is ready to be part of the first-team squad. Aznou certainly offers more attacking threat than Mykolenko and it will be fascinating to see how he dovetails with the likes of Tyrique George, Iliman Ndiaye and – if he returns – Jack Grealish.
But the success or failure of the transfer window is likely to hinge on whether the right-back position is addressed. Kinnear hinted that several of their top targets are still available, so it may be that Everton are holding their nerve to try and get the best deal. If they get one over the line then that approach will be vindicated. Fail to do so and it should be viewed as nothing else but a failure.
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