Everton are going to “have to be clever” in the transfer window to bolster squad for next season, says Unholy Trinity podcaster Mike Richards.
The Toffees confirmed a number of academy players and graduates would be leaving the club this summer after being released, including Lewis Warrington.
The 21-year-old featured in eight matchday squads towards the end of the season and made his debut off the bench in Everton’s final home game against Sheffield United.
Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside’s Total Sport, Richards said: “Warrington was a standout name. People were looking at him 18 months or two years ago as one we could utilise in the squad. He went on loan, got injured, came back and that obviously hampered things for last season.
“Does he fit into Sean Dyche’s style? Possibly not. But he was full of praise for him in training and he got a few minutes at the end of the season so it’s more of a surprise as he had been part of squads at the back end of the campaign.”
There are questions about what business Everton might be able to do in the transfer market this summer, as uncertainty continues over the club’s ownership situation.
“With the squad being so thin, any youngsters we have been using on the bench have now got to be replaced this summer, and the question is – where is the money coming from in terms of bringing in new players in?” added Richards.
“The club says there isn’t a cash flow issue but there are murmurings of that and we know things are tight. When you release so many players, whether youngsters or first-team players, that is fine if the manager doesn’t think they’re good enough, but you have to replace those players and how do we go about doing that?
“That is the big thing this summer, what can we do? We are going to have to be clever.”
