Everton manager David Moyes made the decision not to sign a “top class” attacker in the January transfer window, according to a new claim from reliable journalist Alan Nixon.
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After the 2-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, the Blues are preparing for one of their biggest games of the season on Wednesday night – a mouthwatering Merseyside derby clash with Liverpool.
It is a huge Premier League game, not least for the Reds in the title race, and Everton will know they can dent their rivals’ hopes of glory, in what is the last-ever meeting between the two clubs at Goodison Park.
When it comes to transfer stories affecting the Blues currently, a sensational reunion with Richarlison has not been completely ruled out, with The Friedkin Group reportedly liking the idea of bringing the Brazilian back to Merseyside after a good first spell there, making him their record signing.
Meanwhile, another report has suggested that Dominic Calvert-Lewin could now stay put at Everton beyond this summer, potentially signing a contract extension that will keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.
Moyes opted not to sign Batshuayi for Everton
According to Nixon on Patreon [via Give Me Sport], Moyes opted not to bring Michy Batshuayi to Everton in the January window, not being convinced by him as a signing. The manager made ‘thorough’ background checks on the forward but changed his mind at the last minute.
The chance was there to sign the Belgian on loan from Galatasaray until the end of the season, but the 31-year-old ended up joining Eintracht Frankfurt on a permanent deal instead.
There were obvious merits to Everton snapping up Batshuayi, at a time when additional firepower is needed at Goodison, with Frank Lampard once heaping praise on him during their time together at Chelsea, saying:
“It was interesting to see not just the player – I kind of knew the quality Michy had and it’s always good to see that up close – but also the personality. Since early season, how he’s trained, his demeanour, his positivity, and quality when he’s come on, which is obviously the most important thing, have been top class.”
Batshuayi is a player with genuine pedigree, having scored a hugely impressive 27 goals in 56 caps for Belgium, as well as 25 in 77 appearances for Chelsea. One of those came at Goodison Park in a 1-1 draw back in 2020/21.
That said, the striker is now 31 years of age and potentially on the wane, and Everton need to become a club who are signing players before or during their prime, rather than taking a punt on ageing figures.
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Not only that, but Moyes has to be trusted by Dan Friedkin, in terms of the players he wants to bring in, and it seems clear that the Blues boss simply felt the attacker wasn’t the right fit for him and his side.
