The Big Picture

Everton stand at a crossroads as the August 2026 transfer window enters its final stretch. Chief executive Angus Kinnear set off alarm bells by calling last season's 13th-place finish a failure, while manager David Moyes publicly demanded squad reinforcements. With the move to the new stadium complete and The Friedkin Group having injected funds into the club, the pressure is mounting. Here are the 10 defining moments that shaped Everton's turbulent trajectory over the past year.

The Top 10 Moments

10. The Right-Back Recruitment Chaos

Every transfer window brings a comedy of errors, but Everton’s search for a right-sided defender reached national headlines when Prime Minister Andy Burnham publicly urged the board to buy one. The club eyed Strasbourg’s Guela Doue, but negotiations broke down over price tags. Options like Celtic’s Alistair Johnston suffered injuries, while Fulham slammed the door on Timothy Castagne.

Target Aaron Wan-Bissaka joined Aston Villa on loan from West Ham instead. Moyes wanted immediate defensive reliability, but board hesitation left the squad exposed entering the new campaign. Ranking this at number 10 reflects how administrative stall tactics can undermine progress before the ball even rolls.

9. Missing Morten Hjulmand to Atletico Madrid

Everton’s scouting network thought they had bagged a major win when targeting Sporting Lisbon midfielder Morten Hjulmand to anchor their engine room. The Danish international fit the physical profile Moyes craved to replace veteran Idrissa Gueye. However, European heavyweights Atletico Madrid swooped in with Champions League football and closed the deal before Goodison officials could finalize terms.

Losing Hjulmand exposed the ceiling of Everton’s current pulling power under TFG’s dual-club ownership model. While Roma competes in Europe's elite competition, Everton were left scrambling for secondary options. It sits at number nine because losing an elite target to Atletico hurts worse than failing to land squad depth.

8. The 3-1 Home Collapse Against Sunderland

Everton held their destiny in their own hands during the penultimate fixture of last season. Sitting in one of nine European spots on offer to English clubs, Goodison Park was ready to celebrate a European return. Instead, the team collapsed defensively, conceding three unanswered goals to lose 3-1 to the Black Cats.

That home defeat sparked a tailspin that saw Everton fail to win any of their final seven league matches and fall to 13th place. It lands at number eight because it turned a promising campaign into a bitter disappointment and sparked the current rift between Kinnear and Moyes.

7. Snagging Christian Norgaard for £7m

When Sporting Lisbon’s Hjulmand option evaporated, Everton acted quickly to bring in experienced Danish international Christian Norgaard from Arsenal. Securing a Premier League veteran for just £7m represents the kind of sensible business Everton neglected for years under previous ownership.

Norgaard brings immediate tactical discipline, ball recovery skills, and veteran leadership to the dressing room. Slotting him in next to new arrival Hayden Hackney gives Moyes a reliable central midfield tandem. Ranking at number seven, this bargain move ranks above the Sunderland collapse because proactive recovery beats dwelling on past failures.

6. Merlin Rohl’s Goal vs Sunderland

Before the wheels fell off against Sunderland, German midfielder Merlin Rohl delivered what should have been the moment of the season. Rohl took a pass on the edge of the penalty area and smashed a left-footed strike into the top corner to give Everton an early lead. At that exact minute, Everton sat comfortably in the European qualification spots.

The stadium noise reached a crescendo as supporters allowed themselves to believe in a European voyage. Though the match ultimately ended in disaster, Rohl’s strike ranks at number six because it represented the absolute high-water mark of Everton’s on-field quality last term.

5. Landing Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough

Signing PFA Championship Player of the Year Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough is classic David Moyes. In his first stint on Merseyside, Moyes built his reputation by plucking tier-two talent like Tim Cahill, Phil Jagielka, and Joleon Lescott and turning them into Premier League stars. Hackney made an immediate impact, starting in the season-opening victory over Crystal Palace.

His composure on the ball and forward passing metrics give Everton a dynamic transition threat they lacked all last year. Occupying the fifth spot, Hackney’s arrival outranks individual match moments because it establishes a sustainable core for Everton's future midfield.

4. The Brennan Johnson and Dwight McNeil Swap

Direct player-plus-player swaps are rare in modern football, which made Everton’s deal with Crystal Palace sending Dwight McNeil in exchange for Brennan Johnson a genuine shocker. Moyes needed direct pace and verticality on the flanks, while Palace sought McNeil’s set-piece delivery and work rate.

Johnson’s explosive acceleration immediately changes how opposing full-backs defend against Everton. As BBC Sport reported, Johnson arrived with high expectations to revitalize an attack that stagnated late last season. Ranking at number four, this bold transaction edges out the Hackney signing because it fundamentally changes Everton's attacking threat.

3. Opening-Day Premier League Win Over Crystal Palace

Entering the 2026/27 Premier League campaign under a cloud of executive criticism and transfer frustration, Everton needed an immediate response. They delivered exactly that by dismantling Crystal Palace on opening day. The squad executed Moyes' game plan to perfection, combining defensive solidity with rapid counter-attacking transitions.

The win silenced immediate panic surrounding squad depth and gave the fans reason to believe in the project again. Starting the new campaign with three points ranks at number three because it stopped an early-season narrative crisis from spiraling out of control, placing it above individual player deals.

2. Barry’s Hat-Trick at Preston North End

Finding a reliable goalscoring focal point has plagued Everton since Romelu Lukaku departed years ago. Enter Barry, who shattered those doubts with a scintillating hat-trick in the Carabao Cup second-round rout against Preston at Deepdale. Barry dominated the penalty box, scoring with his left foot, right foot, and a soaring header.

blockquote>"They viewed it as a failure because it was a failure. The Friedkins are winners. They want to win and we didn't win anything."

Kinnear’s mandate for cup success added immense pressure to the midweek tie, but Barry turned the fixture into a personal showcase. Landing at number two, Barry's breakout performance beats out the Palace league win because solving the striker crisis is Everton's ultimate prize.

1. The Friedkin Group Takeover in December 2024

No single moment over the past two years carries more weight than Dan Friedkin and TFG completing their takeover of Everton in December 2024. Ending the tumultuous Farhad Moshiri era restored financial solvency to a club that had spent five years hovering above the relegation zone. TFG backed up their arrival by spending £170m on squad upgrades and guiding the club into its state-of-the-art stadium.

blockquote>"We need more players. Our squad is not big enough and we need to get more quality in some areas if we can do."

Tensions between Moyes and Kinnear highlight the aggressive ambition TFG brings to Merseyside. This takeover sits comfortably at number one because without ownership stability, none of the transfers, cup wins, or stadium celebrations would be possible.

Honorable Mentions

Tyrique George committing his long-term future after last season's loan spell gave Everton essential depth on the wing. Meanwhile, securing forward Iliman Ndiaye despite mounting transfer interest from rival clubs remains a massive operational win for Moyes as the window closes.