Everton 2026/27 Season Preview: Transfers, Squad Depth & Fixture Outlook

 

 

Everton are about to play their first full season at Hill Dickinson Stadium, but the attention is on what Moyes can get out of this group on the pitch. Last year they finished 13th, and for a while there, European qualification actually looked achievable. Then the form dropped off late, and they ended up well outside the top eight.

 

What I find interesting is Moyes's response. He hasn't just added new players. He's reshaped the squad. The headline move is a straight swap with Crystal Palace, sending Dwight McNeil to Palace and bringing Brennan Johnson to Everton. On top of that, Hayden Hackney, Tyrique George, and Christian Nørgaard have joined.

 

So the question I keep circling back to is whether these changes give Everton the depth and consistency to push into the top half and bring European football back to Goodison.

 

How Has Everton’s Squad Changed This Summer?

 

Everton New Signing Players (2026/27)

 

 

Everton Departure Players (2026/27)

 

Note: Updated on 10 Sept 2026

 

Everton’s summer business has significantly reshaped David Moyes’ squad, with the biggest changes coming in midfield and the wide areas. The departure of Iliman Ndiaye is arguably the most significant loss. Ndiaye was one of Everton’s most important attacking players last season, contributing six goals and three assists in the Premier League. With Beto also leaving for Fiorentina, the decision not to bring in Folarin Balogun or Joshua Zirkzee leaves Thierno Barry as the only recognised senior striker. This could become Everton’s biggest weakness, particularly if injuries hit their attacking options.

 

Brennan Johnson should add pace and directness after arriving from Crystal Palace in the swap for Dwight McNeil. However, while Johnson offers a different attacking threat, I don’t think he completely replaces the creativity and versatility Everton lose with Ndiaye.

 

In midfield, the picture is more encouraging. Hayden Hackney adds energy and progressive passing, while Christian Nørgaard provides experience and defensive cover following Idrissa Gueye’s departure. Jack Grealish’s return also gives Moyes a proven creative outlet. However, the lack of a specialist right-back remains a concern, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles offering versatility rather than a natural solution to that position.

 

More on this: Can Everton Signings Make the Difference?

 

Which Is Everton’s Strongest Position in 2026/27?

 

Goalkeepers – 3/5 (GoalBible Score)

 

Players: Jordan Pickford, Mark Travers, Fraser Barnsley, Tom King

 

Jordan Pickford remains Everton’s undisputed No.1 and arguably the least uncertain position in David Moyes’ squad. After almost a decade as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, Pickford continues to provide experience, leadership and proven Premier League quality. Last season, he started all 38 league matches, making 99 saves with a 66.4% save percentage and keeping 11 clean sheets, according to FBref. 

 

However, Pickford’s importance also highlights a potential weakness. There is still no obvious long-term successor ready to challenge him for the starting role. Mark Travers is the established second choice, but his opportunities have been extremely limited. He made only two Carabao Cup appearances last season, meaning there is little evidence that he can seriously pressure Pickford for Premier League minutes.

 

Tom King remains the third-choice option, while young goalkeeper Fraser Barnsley is also registered within the wider squad structure. For me, this is one area where Everton are relatively secure in the short term but vulnerable in the long term. 

 

Defence – 3/5 (GoalBible Score)

 

Players: Jarrad Branthwaite, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, Vitalii Mykolenko, Jake O'Brien, Ainsley Maitland-Niles

 

Everton’s defence remains one of the more experienced areas of the squad, but its success may depend heavily on the fitness of Jarrad Branthwaite and the solution to the right-back position. Branthwaite offers the pace, size and recovery ability that allow Everton to defend deeper while still having some protection against counter-attacks. His availability could therefore have a major influence on how aggressively Moyes can set up.

 

James Tarkowski remains the defensive leader and a key presence in Everton’s physical, organised style. He started 37 Premier League games last season, while Michael Keane also played an important role during Branthwaite’s injury absence. Tarkowski played 3,330 league minutes and anchored the defence with 321 clearances, 42 blocks, 27 tackles and 13 interceptions, underlining his importance to Moyes’ defensive system. 

 

Jake O’Brien provides an interesting tactical option. Although he spent much of last season at right-back, he is arguably more valuable in the centre. This creates a dilemma: if O’Brien has to cover at right-back, Everton lose one of their better centre-back options. Maitland-Niles’ deadline-day arrival partly addresses this issue, although I would still question whether he completely solves the specialist right-back problem. 

Midfield – 4/5 (GoalBible Score)

 

Players: Christian Nørgaard, James Garner, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Hayden Hackney, Merlin Röhl

 

Midfield might be Everton's best and most interesting position after the rebuild. Gueye leaving took away an experienced defensive midfielder, but Nørgaard is a natural replacement with more experience at the top level. His ability to protect the defence should give Moyes freedom to use progressive players ahead of him.

 

Garner is particularly important after an outstanding 2025/26. He played 3,413 Premier League minutes last season, more than any other Everton outfielder, plus two league goals and seven assists per FBref. His versatility also gives Moyes an emergency right-back option, though I think Everton are better when Garner stays in midfield.

 

Dewsbury-Hall adds another attacking dimension. Eight goals and four assists last season made him Everton's most productive player in terms of goal contributions.

 

Hackney is the most intriguing addition. After winning Championship Player of the Season and recording seven league assists for Middlesbrough, he should add passing quality, energy and progression.

 

This is where I feel Everton have clearly improved. The midfield has enough variety to play more progressively, but Moyes still needs to find the right combination rather than simply fitting everyone into the team.

 

Forwards & Wingers – 3/5 (GoalBible Score)

 

Players: Jack Grealish, Brennan Johnson, Carlos Jonas Alcaraz Duran, Thierno Mamadou Barry, Tyrique George

 

This is by far the most difficult area to assess after the transfer window. Everton lost Iliman Ndiaye and Beto but failed to complete a replacement for Beto after the proposed £40m move for Folarin Balogun collapsed on deadline day. As a result, Thierno Barry is the only recognised senior striker in the final squad. 

 

Barry enters the season with plenty to prove. He scored eight Premier League goals last season, while Beto scored nine, but both were inconsistent. With Beto now gone, however, Barry faces much less competition for the starting role. That could actually benefit him: regular starts and greater stability may allow him to develop the movement and link-up play he showed during pre-season.

 

Brennan Johnson is the most important attacking arrival. His pace and direct running add something Everton lost when Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye left. Last season he managed two Premier League goals for Tottenham but none in 18 league appearances for Crystal Palace. That form raises doubts, but Everton will be hoping a fresh start under Moyes gets him back to his best.

 

Jack Grealish’s deadline-day return adds another creative outlet, but I think his biggest value may be reducing the creative burden on the younger players. 

 

More on this: Everton’s Most Important Player in 2026/27

 

Are Everton’s 2026/27 Fixtures a Tough Start or a Chance to Set the Tone?

 

It's a hard start. But honestly? I think it's a chance for Everton to set the tone early. The first five games against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Manchester United, Tottenham and Ipswich are a real mix. The problem is Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle come not long after. So yeah, a fast start really matters here. Everton can't afford another slow opening like the Leeds trip at the start of 2025/26. The squad just wasn't ready back then.

 

December doesn't get much easier either. Aston Villa and Manchester City are also coming up around some games Everton should be looking to win. Then January and February give them a proper window to build something. Leeds, Coventry, Brentford, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest. 

Those are the games that shape a season. March? Another rough patch. Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham. The run-in is fairly balanced, but Chelsea and Arsenal are still there. And if Europe is the goal, beating the teams around them probably matters more than nicking points off the big boys.

 

August 2026

 

September 2026

 

October 2026

 

November 2026

 

December 2026

 

January 2027

 

February 2027

 

March 2027

 

April 2027

 

May 2027

Note: Updated on 10 Sept 2026

 

Is David Moyes the Right Man to Lead the Blues Forward?

 

So yes, for now is my answer. Moyes deserves the chance to lead Everton forward, but 2026/27 is where he has to show that stability can actually turn into progress.

 

When Moyes returned in January 2025, Everton were 16th and just one point above the relegation zone. He deserves plenty of credit for turning that situation around and helping Everton finish 13th with 48 points. But that was then. Two seasons later, the question is no longer whether Moyes can keep Everton safe. It is whether he can actually move them forward.

 

They also ended last season with seven league games without a win, which was particularly frustrating for me because Everton had been pushing for Europe earlier on, and that 3-0 win over Chelsea in March moved them up to eighth and showed they could compete higher.

 

The bigger concern, as I see it, is consistency. Moyes has made Everton harder to beat, but they still need to be more ambitious and productive in attack, and his cautious approach becomes a problem when they struggle to create chances against teams they should be competing with, which is the part I would be watching most closely this season.

 

 

His use of younger players is another important issue. Everton’s under-21 players recorded only 1,088 Premier League minutes last season, ranking the club 17th in the league. That becomes even more interesting when looking at the squad’s overall age profile. Opta Analyst classified just 18% of Everton’s squad as pre-peak players under 24, compared with 45% in the peak-age group and 37% in the post-peak group aged 30 and over. This suggests Everton’s squad was built more around established and experienced players than youth, which makes Moyes’ limited use of younger players even more noticeable.

 

However, there are signs that this could change in 2026/27. Hayden Hackney, Tyrique George, Merlin Röhl and Harrison Armstrong have featured more prominently during pre-season, giving Moyes more young options to work with. The question now is whether that willingness to use youth in pre-season will carry over into competitive Premier League matches.

That could be one of the biggest tests for Moyes. He now has more options, but having them and actually trusting them are two different things.

 

So, does Moyes deserve another season? Absolutely. But the target should be higher this time. Everton have already shown they can survive. Now Moyes needs to show that he can make them progress.

 

More on this: Can Everton Turn Pre-Season Promise into Premier League Form?

 

How Is Everton Performing This Season?

 

To get a sense of where Everton are heading, I think it helps to be honest about how close they came last season. Below are the confirmed stats from 2025/26, which are the only reliable full-season data I have to work with.

 

2025/26 Premier League Stats

 

Why Everton Need to Change Their Formation for 2026/27

 

 

Everton need a formation that makes better use of their improved midfield options and gives Moyes more flexibility than last season’s 4-2-3-1. That system was used in all 38 Premier League matches in 2025/26, but the completed summer rebuild has changed the balance of the squad. The arrivals of Christian Nørgaard and Hayden Hackney, alongside James Garner and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, give Everton considerably more midfield variety. In my view, this makes a three-man midfield worth serious consideration rather than simply returning to the same structure.

 

Hackney is particularly important. The 24-year-old recorded 68 tackles, 83 chances created, 98 shots and 54 successful take-ons for Middlesbrough last season, while contributing 12 goal involvements. For me, those numbers show that Hackney is more than just a defensive midfielder; giving him freedom to move between defence and attack could make him one of Everton’s most useful players in a midfield three.

 

Garner and Dewsbury-Hall could also benefit. Dewsbury-Hall is naturally more of a No.8 than a traditional No.10, while Garner’s work rate and defensive ability could be better utilised alongside two midfielders. Nørgaard, meanwhile, could provide the defensive base.

 

The change could also help Everton’s attacking structure. Brennan Johnson and Tyrique George offer pace and direct running, while Jack Grealish provides creativity from the left. I would also like to see Merlin Röhl used more centrally, where his movement could be more effective than simply asking him to play as a wide player.

 

The 4-3-3 is not automatically the solution, but I believe it gives Everton a better platform to control games and use their strongest midfielders. Moyes should at least be willing to make it a serious alternative rather than automatically returning to last season’s system.

 

How Do Everton’s Latest Betting Odds Compare With the Top Teams?

 

Compared to the top teams, Everton's odds show a clear gap. Roobet lists them at 400.0 for the title, miles off Arsenal at 1.72 and Manchester City at 3.80, and 21.0 for a top-four finish, confirming European qualification is viewed as unlikely. With relegation odds of 11.0, there's some risk involved, but the market still leans towards them staying up.

 

Note: Odds are accurate as of 10 Sept 2026

 

GoalBible Final Verdict

 

Everton enter 2026/27 with reasons for optimism, yet plenty remains unresolved. I'm genuinely encouraged by the young players breaking through, and Hackney alongside Nørgaard should give the midfield more quality and control. That said, right-back and the attack still look thin to me. So much depends on Branthwaite's fitness, Johnson rediscovering his form, and whether Everton can strengthen the squad before the deadline. Moyes needs a better season, and Europe is achievable, but only if nearly everything goes right.

 

 

Who Will Score the Most Goals for Everton This Season?

 

Thierno Barry is my pick to score the most goals for Everton this season. The predictions and ranges below are built around each player's known profile and recent form, projected forward into the Premier League's new season, using stats from FBref.

1. Thierno Barry

 

No. of Goals: 11–14

No. of Assists: 2–4

 

Barry is the most natural choice to lead Everton’s scoring charts. He scored eight Premier League goals last season from 1,914 minutes, averaging 1.79 shots per 90. He should now have a more settled role as Everton’s main No.9, giving him a better platform to improve on that total. With limited competition for the central striker position, regular starts should bring plenty of opportunities. 

 

2. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

 

No. of Goals: 7–9

No. of Assists: 4–6

 

Dewsbury-Hall's eight Premier League goals and four assists last season, along with 1.34 shots per 90, show that he gets into dangerous positions regularly. His late runs into the box are a genuine goal threat beyond Barry, and with Ndiaye no longer in the attack, I think he could carry even more of the creative responsibility this season.

 

3. Tyrique George

 

No. of Goals: 5–8

No. of Assists: 3–5

 

George is my breakout pick. Not much Premier League experience yet, only four games for Chelsea and 11 games for Everton last season, but his youth and cup form show he can score and create. He is quick, direct and comfortable on either flank, giving Everton a useful extra option in attack.

 

4. Brennan Johnson

 

No. of Goals: 5–8

No. of Assists: 3–5

 

Brennan Johnson brings the experience and off-the-ball movement to make a real difference, though his recent numbers suggest we shouldn't get carried away. Two Premier League goals and one assist across 34 appearances last season is a modest return. At Everton, I think his value comes from attacking space out wide and running beyond Barry. If he can find the consistency he showed at Forest and Spurs, that goal tally should climb.

 

5. James Garner

 

No. of Goals: 3–5

No. of Assists: 5–7

 

Garner may be the less obvious name on this list, but his creative output makes him difficult to overlook. He recorded seven Premier League assists last season while scoring twice, and FBref shows he played almost every available league minute. His ability to deliver crosses and set pieces gives him opportunities to create chances even when Everton have less possession. I would not expect a major increase in his goals, but another productive campaign creatively is realistic. Three to five goals and five to seven assists represents a fairly neutral expectation if he remains fit and starts regularly.

 

Where Will Everton Finish in the Premier League in 2026/27?

 

Prediction: 9th Place

 

I'm backing Everton to finish higher than 13th this time and push for the top half. The midfield looks better with Hackney and Nørgaard, younger players like George and Dibling should contribute more, and Johnson gives the attack another option. Full-back and squad depth remain issues, along with consistency up front. Keep everyone fit and ninth is achievable.

 

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