A midfielder chase gathered pace, a familiar goalkeeping name surfaced as backup cover, and the club’s academy shake-up looked set to claim two more names. Here’s what mattered we reported yesterday.
Luiz interest turns concrete
Everton have made a formal enquiry to Juventus over Douglas Luiz, according to Calciomercato, with the Brazilian valued at around £15m and Bournemouth also credited with an approach.
It’s a step up from the vague links reported at the weekend. Luiz spent last season out on loan from Juventus at Forest and Villa, having arrived from Aston Villa in 2024, and brings over 170 Premier League appearances — exactly the kind of experience Everton need in the middle of the park with Idrissa Gana Gueye likely to not re-sign.
Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti wants to run the rule over him before sanctioning a sale, so this may not move quickly, but the direction of travel is clear if Everton have their way.
A familiar face for the goalkeeping picture
Everton have approached free agent Ørjan Nyland after his standout World Cup with Norway, report Spanish outlet El Desmarque. The 35-year-old became available when his Sevilla contract expired and was the key figure in Norway’s last-16 win over Brazil before their run ended against England in the quarter-finals.
This is about competition for Jordan Pickford rather than a place in the starting XI — Pickford is going nowhere — and that distinction may end up deciding it. Nyland wants regular football after a big tournament, and Everton can’t promise that with Pickford as Moyes’ number one.
Feyenoord and clubs in Germany and Italy are also credited with interest, some of them more straightforward on game time. Worth watching alongside Mark Travers’ expected exit and the Karl Darlow links for the same ‘deputy’ role.
Right-back search widens again
Genoa’s Brooke Norton-Cuffy has re-emerged as an option, with TEAMtalk’s Harry Watkinson reporting the Serie A club would sell for around £17m. The 22-year-old is said to be open to a Premier League return, and he’d arrive into a dressing room already containing several former England Under-21 teammates if Everton’s other business goes through.
It’s the position that needs solving following Seamus Coleman’s departure, with Jake O’Brien filling in out of position for long stretches last season. Norton-Cuffy joining the queue behind Doué and Wan-Bissaka names doesn’t mean Everton have settled on anyone yet, but does suggest the right-back may run until deadline day.
Academy restructure widens further
Under-18s coach Keith Southern and Head of Academy Sports Science John McKeown are reportedly set to leave Finch Farm, according to a report from X account The Bobble — not yet confirmed by the club.
It follows last week’s confirmation of Dean Rastrick’s appointment as academy manager, and if accurate, shows the review reaching further into the coaching and sports science staff than first suggested.
Southern has been a fixture of the age group for years; losing him alongside McKeown would be the clearest sign yet that this restructure is ongoing.
Pickford gets the last laugh — for now
A lighter one to finish. Everton’s official TikTok account took a swipe at Troy Deeney over his now-familiar criticism of Pickford’s World Cup form, and it landed well with supporters tired of hearing it repeated. Deeney’s original line — that England “can’t win it with that guy in goal” — has followed Pickford around for weeks despite England reaching the semi-finals.
With Pickford facing Messi and Argentina tonight, don’t expect the Deeney moans to disappear just yet. But for one evening at least, Everton’s social team had the better of the ex-Watford striker, who has zero England caps.
