David Moyes has just a few short weeks to add his own spin on his new Everton squad in the January transfer window.
Nearly 12 years after leaving Goodison Park for Manchester United, David Moyes is once again the Everton manager.
Sean Dyche was relieved of his duties on Thursday with Everton languishing down in 16th place in the Premier League table and Everton have wasted no time in finding his replacement.
An ‘excited’ Moyes was confirmed as Everton’s new manager on Saturday morning and he only has until Wednesday before he will take charge of the Toffees once again, against Aston Villa.
Everton are scrapping for their lives in the relegation battle and how teams recruit during January could determine who is relegated come May.
Reports suggest Lyon’s Ernest Nuamah is set to be Moyes’ first signing but he may well want more additions before deadline day.
But with time running out, Moyes may opt to go back to what he knows in his first recruitment drive. The Scot spent five years over two stints at West Ham, leaving his post last summer.
Here are three players he could potentially look to recruit from his old club at Everton.
Tomas Soucek
No player made more appearances for Moyes during his years at West Ham than Tomas Soucek, with a massive 207. It’s easy to understand why.
Moyes proved he was still a quality coach after his nightmares at United and Real Sociedad when he guided the Hammers to European glory. Yet, his football is pretty rudimentary and he loves a massive midfielder.
It was no surprise when he looted Everton for Marouane Fellaini when at United and he could attempt the same play by luring Soucek to Merseyside.
Tall, strong, versatile with a penchant for tackling as well as contributing crucial goals, Soucek is almost the perfect Moyes player.
He is still a regular starter and has two years left on his contract, which makes things difficult, but it’s hard to see him being a favourite of new Irons boss Graham Potter.
Vladimir Coufal
An area Everton were already short in before suffering a casualty is full-back. Seamus Coleman’s injury issues have meant Ashley Young has been overly relied on for a man touching 40.
Vladimir Coufal is no spring chicken himself at 32, but he is the definition of a solid hard-worker that would bring some missing steal to a dishevelled Everton back-line.
With the right-back’s contract set to expire in the summer, Everton could sign him on the cheap-side, too.
Danny Ings
Another 32-year-old who is now into the final few months of his deal at West Ham is Danny Ings.
The veteran striker isn’t exactly the most exciting of names, with just two goals to his name over the last 18 months, yet beggars can’t be choosers and Everton are in dire new of attacking reinforcements.
The Toffees have gone goalless in eight of their last 10 Premier League fixtures, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja and Beto simply not doing enough.
Though Ings is in a lengthy fallow period, he has hit rich veins of scoring before and is probably a better option – especially if he can be signed for cheap or on loan – than what’s currently available to Moyes.
