news-engine

Everton chief executive Angus Kinnear says The Friedkin Group regarded missing out on Europe last season as a “failure” as the club prepare for the new Premier League campaign with questions still surrounding recruitment, Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Grealish and David Moyes. Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside’s Giulia Bould, Kinnear addressed several of the issues that have followed Everton through pre-season, including the search for a right-back and the possibility of Grealish returning to Merseyside. His assessment of last season was the standout line. Everton had been seventh with two games remaining before a run of seven league matches without a win contributed to a 13th-place finish. According to Kinnear, TFG did not regard that as good enough. That is particularly interesting with Moyes now in the final year of his contract. Kinnear addresses Grealish and Everton recruitment Kinnear also discussed Grealish, whose loan spell at Everton last season was cut short by a foot injury. The chief executive acknowledged the impact the England international had made under Moyes, while pointing to the financial considerations involved in any attempt to bring him back from Manchester City. There was no suggestion that a deal was imminent. Instead, Kinnear placed Grealish within the wider picture of Everton trying to balance their remaining squad requirements with the financial terms of individual deals. Right-back remains one of those requirements. Everton have considered a lengthy list of candidates this summer without yet landing the specialist addition Moyes wants. Ndiaye is another situation which could shape the final weeks of the window. Paul Joyce reported in The Times on Tuesday that the Senegal international has rejected several offers of a new contract and is keen to play Champions League football. Everton would prefer to keep him, but a substantial offer could test that position. For supporters, there may also be some frustration that this conversation has arrived only now. Everton have had a busy summer, yet there has been relatively little public discussion from the club’s senior football figures about Moyes’ contract, recruitment or what is expected this season. Kinnear has now provided some of that context, even if several answers remain to be supplied by what Everton actually do. Calling last season a failure is perhaps the most revealing part of the interview. If missing Europe was below TFG’s expectations then, after another summer of significant investment, the ownership has set a fairly clear standard for what comes next.