Moyes Faces Familiar Striker Shortage as Everton Eye £90m Attacking Overhaul

History has a way of repeating itself at Everton. Back in 2018, David Moyes reflected on his previous tenure at Goodison Park, musing that his talented squad—featuring the likes of Mikel Arteta, Steven Pienaar, Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman, Sylvain Distin, and Phil Jagielka—was simply missing one thing to mount a genuine title challenge: a world-class centre-forward.

Now, nearly a decade on, the Scottish manager finds himself wrestling with precisely the same headache.

Everton's European aspirations have taken a battering in recent weeks. Back-to-back defeats to Liverpool and West Ham have sent them tumbling to 11th in the Premier League, and the cracks in their attacking armoury have never looked more apparent. Beto has been their saving grace, rattling in five goals across his last six outings, but when the Brazilian was sidelined through concussion for the Hammers clash, last summer's £27million arrival Thierno Barry fluffed his lines spectacularly.

The 23-year-old squandered a gilt-edged opportunity from close range, only to see Tomas Soucek hack the ball clear on the line. More worryingly, Barry hasn't found the net since February and has been muscled out of the pecking order entirely. His form has nosedived dramatically since a promising spell in January.

When pressed on Barry's shortcomings ahead of that West Ham defeat, Moyes offered a blunt assessment: "He can score, can't he? Score and play well, be a team player. If you do that, then we don't ask for much more." The implication was clear—Barry simply hasn't delivered.

While Everton haven't entirely given up on the young Senegalese striker, they're taking no chances this summer. Sources close to the club confirm they're actively hunting for fresh attacking reinforcements, with three names firmly on their radar.

The Targets

Chelsea's Liam Delap tops the wish-list. Everton pushed hard to sign the 23-year-old from Ipswich twelve months ago, ready to activate his £30million release clause and offer substantial wages. Chelsea swooped in instead, but Delap's Stamford Bridge adventure has been a disappointment. Just 11 Premier League starts and a solitary goal this term suggests the Blues are open to moving him on if a suitable replacement arrives. Everton remain convinced his profile would suit their system perfectly.

Bologna's Santiago Castro represents another avenue of pursuit. The 23-year-old has been prolific in Serie A, notching 11 goals across all competitions this season. Valued at around €40million (£34.6m), Everton have been monitoring him for months and view him as an exciting prospect.

Then there's Troy Parrott. The 24-year-old Tottenham academy product has enjoyed a remarkable transformation since his summer 2024 switch to AZ Alkmaar, plundering an extraordinary 50 goals in 94 appearances for the Dutch outfit. He's become an Alkmaar institution, playing a starring role in their KNVB Cup triumph this season, and has thrived on the international stage with the Republic of Ireland. Intriguingly, he's lined up alongside Everton pair Seamus Coleman and Jake O'Brien for his country—connections that could prove invaluable in any recruitment pitch. The Dutch club would reportedly part with him for around £25million.

As Everton bid to build momentum in what's shaping up as a crucial summer, Moyes knows the script well. Get the striker right, and everything else falls into place. Get it wrong, and the familiar refrain of "if only" echoes around Goodison Park once more.