Sean Dyche comments on whether Everton can work within the transfer market in January

Sean Dyche confirmed that Everton are fated to remain financially sensible unless the Friedkin Group complete their takeover.

The American business group are in the process of completing a majority takeover from Farhad Moshiri and are awaiting Premier League approval. With the January window on the horizon, if they are brought into power before then we could see them endear themselves to the fans by greenlighting a signing or two.

While the squad at full strength is relatively deep, there are four players on loan who will likely exit in the summer never to return and a handful of other players whose deals will expire too meaning there is room to potentially bring someone in to boost them in the second half of the season.

Speaking ahead of their clash with Brentford, Dyche insisted that it will be the same process in the market unless the takeover is completed. “There’s no news so we are working to the current situation of the club which is being very, very sensible financially. If the Friedkin Group do get their hands on the club then things might change but we are working with the guidelines we had before.”

Asked whether he needs to bring anyone in due to the fact there are players ready to return from injury, he said: “When you carry a lighter squad, if you carry a few injuries then it dilutes very quickly. I’ve spoken about it freely; on one hand, the younger players get a feel of what it is like perhaps before they are ready but it enhances their development. But you then lose that depth and that competitive edge due to the sheer numbers missing. “I think if the right players and the right finances are available then you are always looking in the market.”

As mentioned, contracts for Idrissa Gueye, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Michael Keane, Seamus Coleman, Ashley Young and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are all up at the end of the season. Add on four loan players set to exit and that’s 11 first-team members who may well be heading out of the door.

Logic tells us that only a select few could renew and that would mean they need to scour the market for quality and frugal deals in order to pad out the squad and look to build a set of players that can move forward rather than stagnate around the bottom three.