An overall quiet window was sparked late with the signing of a Senegalese striker.
Who arrived?
Two young players joined the club’s ranks and very much went under the radar. Shani Tarashaj joined from Swiss side Grasshopper while Matthew Foulds signed up from lower league club Bury.
Tarashaj, a 20-year-old striker, and Foulds, an 18-year-old defender, come in with an eye on the future and appear unlikely to see any first team football in the short-term.
Those signings did little to inspire supporters amid the club’s form slump, but the addition of Lokomotiv Moscow striker Oumar Niasse will lift spirits. The £13.5 million deal seemed to be in the pipeline for some time, though was only completed in the final two hours of the window. Nevertheless, there is plenty to be excited about Everton’s new boy.
Manager Roberto Martinez explains what qualities new recruit Oumar Niasse will bring to #EFC‘s squad. #WelcomeOumar pic.twitter.com/4lrbuJUmkP
— Everton (@Everton) February 1, 2016
The attacker, who can play as a striker through the middle or as a winger, netted 13 times in 23 appearances in the current Russian League campaign with an additional 10 assists.
Crucially, he is likely to release the pressure valve on Romelu Lukaku, who has been on an almost non-stop playing schedule this term in the league, FA Cup and League Cup – those minutes appear to have begun to take a toll on the tireless Belgian.
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Who departed?
The Toffees’ most notable loss was popular Scotsman Steven Naismith. He was sold to Norwich for £8.5 million in a deal that went a way to allowing Niasse’s move to eventuate.
While Everton will lose Naismith’s versatility, they are gaining the athleticism and goals of Niasse, a sacrifice that needed to be made.
Aside from former Ranger Naismith, winger Aiden McGeady has bode farewell to Goodison Park, joining Sheffield Wednesday on loan. The Irishman was out of favour and, on a personal level, needed to move on ahead of Ireland’s Euro 2016 campaign.
Liam Walsh, Jonjoe Kenny and promising attacker Conor McAleny also departed on loan deals.
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Who can help the team?
Roberto Martinez still needs to add a new goalkeeper. Tim Howard’s form throughout 2015-16 has been shoddy at best, so the priority in the summer window should be to add a new gloveman.
The American has made a number of blunders throughout the season yet Martinez continues to put faith in the #24, with Joel Robles seeing no minutes in the league, only he League and FA Cups.
The boss has stressed the need to have two adequate number ones on the books, but Howard’s inconsistency suggests he is no longer capable of being a regular between the posts and needs to be replaced. Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy has been a long-term target, though interest seems to have cooled.
Overall Rating
The Toffees’ stuttering season called for money to be spent in January and Martinez probably had to make a high-profile signing with a sum in the teens just to keep the fans onside, or in some cases, get them back onside.
As one favourite waved goodbye, Niasse arrived, boasting incredible attacking stats that would make many froth at the mouth.
He was Everton’s only real major signing, but it was one that could galvanise the dressing room and certainly achieve what Martinez brought him in for: to freshen up the squad.
In that sense, fans can only hope quality prevails over quantity, which Niasse appears to have in spades.
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