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Everton's genius £17m next summer transfer window could fix a major problem Everton have the chance to land a long-standing transfer target - but will they follow through and solve their right-back issue at last? With less than two weeks before they get the 2026/27 Premier League season underway with a game against Crystal Palace, Everton still haven’t filled the single most substantial gap in their squad – the one that still exists at right-back. The Toffees have been looking for a permanent solution to their headache in that position all summer having spent much of last season crowbarring centre-back Jake O’Brien into an unfamiliar role down the right. Now they seem to have the chance to land one of their long-term targets for the role – Genoa’s Brooke Norton-Cuffy, a star for England’s age group sides who is set to take the next step in his career. Norton-Cuffy looks primed to leave his current club after two seasons in Italy, but can Everton get a deal done before the curtain comes up on the new campaign? Everton have a chance to sign Brooke Norton-Cuffy – but will they take it? Everton have been linked with Norton-Cuffy consistently over the past year or so, with rumours dating back to last summer in the wake of his impressive performances in the European Under-21 Championship – he was a second-half substitute when England beat Germany in the final – and now the Toffees have a very good chance to follow through on their long-standing interest. Genoa appear to be open to offers as they try to raise funds and the 22-year-old has been held out of recent training sessions with a transfer now expected. Everton, according to Sport Witness and numerous reports in the Genovese press, are among the teams who could be in the mix, although the picture is currently quite murky. That’s because Everton aren’t the only side who are interested. Hull City are also believed to have made enquiries, while AC Milan and Napoli are keen to keep him in Serie A. It’s not currently clear what stage negotiations with his various suitors have reached, although some reports suggest that an initial offer from Hull has been rejected. Everton, according to Sport Witness, hold a “slight advantage” in proceedings, although there’s no indication that Norton-Cuffy has developed a strong preference as yet. Genoa, for their part, are apparently prepared to sell to any team that meets their €20m (£17m) asking price. To add to the confusion, Everton have also been linked with a bid for Atlético Madrid’s Nahuel Molina, a far more experienced alternative, at a similar price. With Everton’s own intentions uncertain, it’s not guaranteed that they formalise their interest. The option of striking a deal for Norton-Cuffy is, however, certainly on the table. Genoa are resigned to his departure and the asking price is well within Everton’s reach. The question now is whether they make a move or stand aside for some of the London-born youngster’s other suitors. Is Norton-Cuffy the kind of player Everton need this summer? Having built his reputation with England’s age group teams (he also won the European Under-19 Championship in 2022) the Arsenal academy product finally established himself as a first-team regular with Genoa over the course of the last year. Norton-Cuffy’s stock has risen accordingly, although he remains a developmental player with rough edges to sand off. He’s also a player whose best position hasn’t yet been established. Although typically referred to as a wing-back – the position Everton are likely to be most keen to play him in – Norton-Cuffy has played just as often as a winger and spent some time moonlighting on the left of Genoa’s attack last season as well. His versatility is a strength, but also means that the sample size with which to make a judgement about his ability to play any given position is somewhat limited. His greatest strength is his perhaps his raw athleticism. A powerful presence with a good turn of pace, Norton-Cuffy his impressive stamina which allows him to get up and down the wing for the full 90 minutes, contributing to defence and attack as often as possible. That high-energy playing style can result in his leaving gaps in behind him for opposing wingers to exploit, however, and his positioning and judgement about when to surge forward and when to hold back will perhaps need to improve in order for him to become a top-level contributor for a side like Everton. Given that he remains a somewhat conservative manager by instinct, Moyes may have some concerns about Norton-Cuffy’s capacity to balance defence and attack. His one-on-one defending, tackling and passing have all been areas of noticeable improvement since he joined Genoa, and while he could stand to become decisive in the attacking third his final ball is improving. At the same time, he is solid enough in one-on-one situations to be an effective defender when he’s in the right place to put fires out. He has all the qualities required to be a hugely impactful presence in all three thirds of the pitch with more experience and the right coaching. Maybe the biggest worry regarding Norton-Cuffy’s future is his injury history. Having missed most of the first half of his debut season in Italy with separate foot and muscular issues, he missed most of the last two months of the 2025/26 season with a hamstring injury. None of the individual issues have been particularly severe, but his medicals may give some teams pause for thought. It’s not yet clear whether he is injury-prone or has simply been unlucky. What he would offer Everton, were they to make a move, is relentlessness and physicality down the right flank, an outlet for quick attacks and counters who can support the forwards more efficiently than the gutsy but limited O’Brien was able to last year, and a player who continues to develop his strengths and improve upon his weaknesses. Whether they will ultimately decide that he’s the kind of player that they want to fill a very clear vacancy, however, remains unknown. But if they want to sign Norton-Cuffy, the time to act is now or the chance will be quickly be gone for good.