Everton manager Willie Kirk says that the club are closing in on three new signings while they are targeting seven new additions in total this summer.
The Blue Girls are aiming to get their transfer business done ahead of their pre-season programme in a bid to hit the ground running next term.
Speaking after his side’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in a Vitality Women’s FA Cup fifth round tie at Kingsmeadow this evening, Kirk confirmed that the club are closing in on their first additions of the summer with deals possibly set to be announced within the next couple of weeks.
“We are close to having three done, I would say seven new players will be in,” said Kirk when speaking about his transfer plans in the post-match press conference in which FAWSL Full-Time were present. “I would hope to be in a position to provide some news, certainly within the next couple of weeks.
“I’m not sure where we stand with announcing before contracts expire and things like that but I am very confident that at least three are nearly done, we are closing in on four and five and we have a bit of work to do on six and seven.”
While there will undoubtedly be plenty of new faces at Walton Hall Park next season, Kirk says that the team will still hold a familiar look with many of those players who have impressed this season staying on for another year.
He added “The core will still be there. The three centre-backs that played tonight will still be there and will be challenged by a fourth centre-back for competition. Obviously, Moe Wold retires after tonight so we will bring a right full-back in.
“Izzy Christiansen, Lucy Graham are central midfielders that are under contract, Valerie Gauvin, Claire Emslie, Nicoline Sorensen in terms of attacking talents, they are all under contract.
“If you add six or seven new players to that core, it is a really strong squad and it is constantly about trying to churn this squad a little bit to continue to add quality and add depth.”
Everton finished the Barclays FA Women’s Super League campaign in fifth and Kirk is determined to see his side capitalise on a summer of change at rivals Arsenal and Manchester United and get off to a flying start once the new season gets underway.
“We need to polish up on our playing identity and we need to turn a positive and competitive culture into a winning culture,” Kirk said. “It’s a case of small tweaks and if Arsenal and Manchester United end up with wholesale changes because of managers and recruitment, we need to capitalise on that. We need to be in a position that if they have slow starts because of new managers coming in that we are ready to start the season well, that’s going to be really important for us.
“A lot of our principles won’t change but it will be just fine-tuning things.”
Everton have long-term ambitions of qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League and a strong summer of recruitment combined with a bedding in period throughout pre-season could help them reach their goal in 2021/2022.
About The Author
