Ronald Koeman has said Everton emerged from the January transfer window with a smaller but stronger squad.
Everton made only two additions to their first team pool – Morgan Schneiderlin and Ademola Lookman – while clearing out a host of players deemed surplus to requirements, notably Oumar Niasse, Tom Cleverley, Gerard Deulofeu, Bryan Oviedo and Darron Gibson. Arouna Koné would also have departed but was unable to agree terms with Crystal Palace on deadline day and can go as a free agent in the summer.
Though reduced in numbers, Koeman believes the quality and spirit within the senior squad has improved as a result of the January changes and must be demonstrated against Bournemouth on Saturday.
“I am very satisfied,” said the Everton manager, who criticised the lack of recruits following the FA Cup defeat by Leicester City. “First of all we had some players who did not have a good future to have any game time and they are now away from the club. They like to have more game time and that is good. All footballers should want to play.
“We have a smaller squad but enough numbers to compete and have competition. There is a different spirit now because all the players have opportunities to play and to be on the bench. It is good for team spirit that everybody is involved. We have been more consistent with results but what I like is that we have been more consistent on the training pitch. I see a different, stronger team and with the new faces the spirit is changing. Now the team needs to show it on the pitch. ”
Everton are unbeaten in six Premier League matches but remain five points adrift of sixth-placed Manchester United. Koeman added: “The target is the same that we had when we started or at the end of the August window – we have ambition. A target is sometimes difficult when you have a new manager and new faces coming in. My personal target is to reach something in Europe for next season.”
