David Moyes confirms Everton’s urgent hunt for right-back before transfer deadline

Everton manager David Moyes has unequivocally confirmed the club’s urgent pursuit of a new right-back ahead of the summer transfer deadline on September 1. Despite a flurry of activity in the market, including a £60 million investment focused heavily on midfield reinforcements, the Toffees remain short of a specialist replacement for departed former captain Seamus Coleman.

So far, Everton’s summer signings include Hayden Hackney, Tyrique George, Merlin Rohl, and Christian Norgaard, with Brennan Johnson arriving from Crystal Palace in a swap deal that sent Dwight McNeil to Selhurst Park. However, the right-back position continues to be a glaring gap, with Moyes openly acknowledging the club’s pressing need for a dedicated player in that role.

Rumours have swirled around targets such as Celtic’s Alistair Johnston and West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka, but Wan-Bissaka’s loan switch to Aston Villa has removed him from contention. More recently, Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz has emerged as a potential candidate to bolster Everton’s defensive options.

Moyes has experimented with Merlin Rohl at right-back, who started in that position during Everton’s 2-0 season-opening victory over Palace. Yet, Moyes remains clear on his priorities: “We definitely would like a right-back. We can still play Jake O’Brien at right-back. He’s proved, certainly against a lot of the quick boys, that he’s really good and he’ll give us something if we need it in that position. But he prefers to be a centre back.”

This statement underscores the vulnerability in Everton’s squad depth and the manager’s determination to secure a specialist right-back before the transfer window slams shut. With only days remaining, the race is on for Moyes to finalize reinforcements that could cement his defensive line and sustain Everton’s ambitions this season.