Roberto Martínez has claimed Everton would lose their identity with a major overhaul in the transfer market and will not revert to selling young talent such as John Stones in order to rebuild.
Everton head to Southampton on Saturday as the lowest spending Premier League side in this transfer window – 18-year-old Mason Holgate became only their third summer signing this week with an initial £1m move from Barnsley – and having missed out on several targets. Xherdan Shaqiri became the latest when he joined Stoke City for £12m on Tuesday. Everton had agreed a loan deal with Internazionale for the Switzerland international but the 23-year-old wanted a permanent exit from San Siro.
With Martínez’s side making an inauspicious start to the season against Watford and facing a daunting fixture list, Everton’s frugal spending has increased criticism of the club’s board from supporters. But the manager claims the transfer strategy is deliberate and has pledged Everton’s squad will be stronger by the close of the window.
“As a club we will always be very measured in how we make big turnarounds,” said Martínez. “I don’t agree in six, seven or eight changes each season and losing your identity. Our assets are getting stronger, our young players are getting more mature. Yes, we need three more signings but two young players will join the first-team squad and we will get stronger when we bring the signings in as well. It’s how you can attract the ones we need at this club.
“Many players would love to join Everton but we need to make sure they are the right ones who fit in with what we want to achieve. It is not about how quickly we sign them but whether we will be stronger and I am confident we will be. That is what we have done over the last two years. We bought two very early – Tom Cleverley showed he’s a very good signing and Gerard Deulofeu will give us a lot. Every window to window we become stronger with a clear idea of the continuity we want in the squad.”
Ronald Koeman secured Europa League qualification for Southampton last season despite a summer overhaul that made the club a £60m profit. But, with Chelsea having had bids of £20m and £26m rejected for the England international Stones, Martínez is not tempted to follow the Southampton model and cash in.
He added: “That’s exactly what we don’t want to do. We want to build around young players. Our strategy is to build something and keep what we see as the future. I appreciate what others have done but clubs are different. No one is in the position that we are. I respect what Southampton have done. They’ve been a breath of fresh air and a terrific story in the last three campaigns but every club has to work with what suits them.”
