‘I know from the club’ – James Garner set for new Everton role after twist
James Garner could be set for a new role at Everton after a failure from the club in the transfer market.
David Moyes’ side have started the season relatively well, winning two of their opening three games in the Premier League.
New signings Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have been standout players for the Toffees, quickly forming a good attacking partnership.
Garner has also impressed for the Merseyside club, and even managed to get himself on the scoresheet during a 2-0 win over Brighton.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the 24-year-old may be utilised at right-back this season after the club didn’t sign one in the transfer window.
Everton will be looking for free agents to cover right-back role
This article contains exclusive comment from Keith Wyness, former Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen CEO.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that Everton will be looking for ways to fill their vacant right-back role and may be forced to use Garner there if they cannot find a free agent.
The Englishman is naturally a midfielder, but has already deputised at left-back this season and could be set to switch flanks after Vitali Mykolenko’s return from injury.
Wyness added that Garner has been a revelation since the start of the campaign, wherever he has been playing.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I know from the club they were looking for a right back, and that’s one area that Everton didn’t get done, but we’ll have to see if there’s any free agents or anyone else who can come in.
“Otherwise, I think it’ll be James Garner at right back, who has been one of the revelations of the start of the season, and he’s had a good start.
“Overall, I’ve got to give Everton eight out of 10 for getting things done. A better window than for a long, long time. But still, again, I think Everton have been fairly lucky with a couple of the results so far.
“I think they were quite lucky against Brighton. The results have gone well, and there’s a momentum and a good feeling, and that covers up a multitude of sins.
“It just shows you what a results business we’re in, because if things go the other way, that media is on you, social media is on you. You’re right in the spotlight.
“So Everton, everybody’s looking at the glass half full, rather than the glass half empty. They’ve got the points on the board and there’s no doubt the fan base feels very positive right now.”
Everton owners bankroll £46m injection
Meanwhile, Everton have received a £46million injection from their owners in the form of a new share issue, sources have told Football Insider.
A Companies House submission published on Thursday (4 September), backdated to 12 August, revealed Everton Football Club Company Limited has issued 262,863 shares.
Each share was purchased at £175 per one pound share, taking the total investment to £46m.
The Friedkin Group (TFG), which is spearheaded by Dan Friedkin, took over Everton last December, bringing to an end Farhad Moshiri’s eight-year spell on Merseyside.
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