Sources: Everton January kitty revealed after £9m deal finalised
Everton will not spend big in January as they will again be constrained by the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.
The Merseysiders signed five players during the recent summer window but paid only one fee, a cut-price £1.7million for Demarai Gray.
An Everton source has told Football Insider it will be a similar situation for manager Rafael Benitez in January with the club set to target potential free transfers and loans.
Benitez and recruitment chief Marcel Brands will have a small kitty to work with following the sale of James Rodriguez last month.
That month freed up considerable space on the club's wage bill, with the former Real Madrid man earning an astonishing £250,000-a-week, as first revealed by this site.
That effectively saved Everton £9m for the remainder of the season.
But the club's management will have to wait until next summer to take proper advantage once again of the riches of owner Farhad Moshiri.
Everton have strived to reduce losses that have totalled almost £265m in the past three financial years.
Premier League rules allow for a £105m loss in a three-year period, although last year’s figures were relaxed because of the pandemic.
Benitez has been hailed for a hugely impressive start at Everton, with particularly strong contributions from Gray and Andros Townsend.
The free transfer from Crystal Palace was one of four players signed for no fee along with Salomon Rondon, Asmir Begovic and Andy Lonergan.