Everton's Transfer Ambitions Intensify as Moyes Eyes Franculino
Everton’s start to the season has been impressive. It has not dulled their transfer ambition. It has sharpened it.
The 2-0 win over Crystal Palace underlined the impact of the early signings, but inside Goodison the mood is clear: the squad still needs surgery, and it needs it fast. David Moyes is pushing hard for reinforcements across the pitch as the window ticks towards its close.
According to TeamTalk, Everton are preparing a major late push, with four positions firmly on the agenda: striker, right-back, left-back and centre-back. The report states that “late moves for a striker, right-back, left-back and centre-back are all on the cards for David Moyes’ side” – a line that speaks of urgency as much as intent.
Franculino at the heart of striker search
The headline name is Franculino. Everton have not stumbled across the Midtjylland forward by accident in the final days of the window; they have been tracking him for a long time.
TeamTalk report that the club have “held fresh talks with the agents of Midtjylland striker Franculino, whom they have scouted extensively.” That matters. It suggests a plan being activated, not a panic call from a cluttered shortlist.
His numbers jump off the page: “58 goals in 115 games for Midtjylland.” For a 22-year-old, that is a serious return. Earlier in the year, injury stalled the prospect of a move, but he is now “fully fit again and is open to a move to the Premier League.”
The price looks defined as well. The report claims “€25million (£21.4m / $29.2m) could be enough to sign him this summer,” though Newcastle United are also credited with interest. If Everton want him, they will have to move with conviction.
Their thinking up front is closely tied to Beto. TeamTalk state that the club are “anticipating offers for Beto ahead of the deadline,” but with one non-negotiable condition: Everton “would not allow him to leave without first lining up a replacement.”
Burnley’s Zian Flemming has been discussed. So has a more familiar name. Richarlison has re-emerged as a possibility, with the report claiming: “The Brazilian would jump at the chance to re-join his former club, with Tottenham considering a sale.” The sentiment is clear; whether the finances and timing line up is another question.
Right-back hunt refuses to go away
Inside Finch Farm, right-back has been circled in red for months. That view has not shifted.
TeamTalk write that “one of Everton’s top priorities is to sign a new right-back, and the situation remains the same.” Strasbourg’s Guela Doue has long been the preferred option, but that chase is becoming increasingly tangled.
The report says Everton “have made multiple approaches for the Ivorian international, but the player has been holding out for a move to a Champions League club.” With Paris Saint-Germain now mentioned as a potential destination, the risk is obvious: Everton cannot afford to be left waiting at the door while the player stares at another one.
So eyes turn elsewhere. Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz “remains under serious consideration,” with Palace said to value him at around £25million and to be open to offers. Munoz would arrive as a ready-made Premier League full-back, not a project.
Full-back balance and centre-back contingency
On the left, Everton are also looking. Nice defender Melvin Bard is among those being assessed as the club seek genuine competition for Vitaliy Mykolenko and a more natural balance across the back line for what promises to be a demanding season.
At centre-back, everything hinges on outgoings. TeamTalk report that Everton “look set to make a late move for a new centre-back, due to the fact that Jake O’Brien could leave before the deadline.” The stance mirrors the Beto situation: “they would not let him go without signing a replacement.”
Leeds United, Crystal Palace and Sunderland are all mentioned as possible destinations for O’Brien. If one of those clubs firm up their interest, Everton will have to react quickly.
A window with a clear blueprint
Strip away the noise and one thing stands out: this is not a club scrambling in the dark. The strategy looks joined-up.
Everton are working on a striker, two full-backs and a centre-back. It fits what the squad has lacked in recent seasons – depth, athleticism, and real competition for places. The report paints a picture of a recruitment team trying to stay disciplined while staying alive to late opportunities and potential exits.
Franculino is the wild card that excites. “58 goals in 115 games” and a mooted fee of around £21.4m place him in the category of deal Everton rarely get right: a young, upwardly mobile forward with resale value. If Beto does go, replacing him with a striker who looks on the way up, not on the way down, would be a statement about where Moyes wants to take this team.
The right-back situation feels the most urgent. If Guela Doue is intent on Champions League football, Everton cannot afford to be strung along. Daniel Munoz, at around £25million, carries a different appeal – proven, robust, and available now.
At left-back and centre-back, the logic is simpler: numbers and reliability. Everton have been here too often before, running into October already stretched and improvising. This time, the opportunity is to get ahead of the problem.
Everton have started the season well. The mood is positive, the football more assured, the direction under Moyes clearer. Now comes the test: can the club turn that platform into a stronger, deeper squad by deadline day – or let a rare wave of momentum slip through their fingers?
