Moyes: Donovan return unlikely
Everton manager David Moyes has admitted that a move to bring Landon Donovan back to the club is unlikely.
The American had been linked with a move back to Everton where he spent a chunk of last season on loan. Donovan played very well at the World Cup with the U.S. and has ignited interested from a number of clubs.
However, Moyes has admitted that the club do not have the current finances to bring Donovan back to Goodison Park. This is also an indication that there will be no further signings arriving at the club during the rest of the summer transfer window.
A player from the current Everton squad will now have to step up and play wide on the left. This is where Donovan was most effective for the club during the 13 games that he played. There is now going to be even more pressure on an already-small Everton team.
Time to step up
The time has come for a player to step up from within the Everton ranks and really dominate the wide areas of the pitch. The likes of Steven Pienaar or Leon Osman will have to adapt the way they play to have the sort of effect out wide that Donovan possessed.
The American was very influential in setting up a number of goals when he was on loan at the club. Creative players like Mikel Arteta will have to take the extra responsibility to make chances for the strikers to score.
Everton are a club that seem to have been in limbo over the last two to three seasons. They have a small but well organised squad that has produced some impressive results but they need to do a little bit more in order to move the club forward.
Moyes said: "We'd love to have Landon [back] but he looks too expensive for us. We don't have the finances. The price that Major League Soccer wants for him is very big and it's an additional problem because of his age. All we've done is spend £1m on Magaye Gueye so far."
Extra pressure
The problem with not being able to bring in additional players on loan or in permanent moves is that it places extra pressure on the rest of the side. Everton have not got the biggest squad and if one or two of their quality players get injured then they have big problems.
They rely on big characters to help the team attack and push up the league. This is where Donovan was so good at the end of last season because he really helped other players in the side to be creative. Very few players can come in for such a short spell, take the pressure off others and score two Premier League goals in the process.
Moyes added: "Jermaine Beckford and Jan Mucha were free [transfers], so we've spent no money by Premier League standards and will probably be the ones who spend the least this season."
Betting advice
Everton do not have a poor squad by any means. They've got the right balance and the right sorts of players who can take the extra pressure created from losing a quality and influential player.
They are a solid bet to finish in the top six and to secure a European place by the end of the season. Tim Cahill and Jermaine Beckford will start most games in attack and will therefore be the best bets when it comes to top goal scorers at the club.
The best option is to back off, wait to see the team Everton start the season with and then progress from there.
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