Football journalist Dean Jones has been speaking about the situation behind the scenes at Everton following Marcel Brands’ departure from the club earlier in the week.
Jones was speaking on the latest episode of Touchline Talk highlighting what changes this could bring for Everton and Rafael Benitez just a few weeks before the January transfer window opens.
Should Benitez get more say on transfers?
Yes
No
The now-former Everton director of football departed his role at Goodison Park on Monday before their game against Arsenal on the evening which saw them break their recent poor form.
Along with announcing the departure of the 59-year-old, the Toffees board confirmed their ‘full support’ for Benitez as they sit weeks away from the January window.
Speaking about what this ‘full support’ could mean for the Spanish manager, Jones had the following to say on what Everton fans could expect to see next month:
“I think that the big problem behind the scenes is there hasn’t been much joined-up thinking between all the different figures involved. Whether that’s Brands, or [Farhad] Moshiri, or Benitez and the recruitment staff themselves that are out looking at players, and not sure really who’s making the final decisions on these things.
“A lot of the time, Brands was looking at players and thinking he was on one path, but then found out that Rafa Benitez wasn’t interested in those kinds of players.
“And now we’ll see if Rafa gets to have more influence. Obviously, that’s what he wants. He’s had it in the past everywhere he’s gone. There are agents he prefers to use, there are people that he prefers to guide on who’s going to be a good fit for his teams. And I would imagine that he will get more say.”
TIF Thoughts on Benitez’s spending…
Coming into the 2021/22 campaign, it has been abundantly clear not all Everton fans were convinced by the appointment of Benitez due to his previous links to their city rivals and recent form.
However, the Spaniard was only spent £1.8m over the summer and given the lack of funds provided, certain additions he has made have shown signs of promise.
Demarai Gray, for example, is the only player the Toffees spent money on this summer and alongside the free transfer of Andros Townsend, he is leading the way at the top of Everton’s goalscoring table.
If this is the type of impact Everton fans can come to expect from Benitez signings, then we think they should be excited for a window where he is given some considerable money to spend.
In other news: ‘From what I’m hearing’ – Insider drops big claim on ‘potential targets for Rafa’ at Everton