Everton

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Everton have confirmed four new appointments as part of the football leadership structure at the club.

The Toffees have appointed Nick Cox as technical director, James Smith as director of scouting and recruitment, Chris Howarth to direct the club's football strategy and analytics operations and Nick Hammond to lead the club's player trading activity.

Cox is currently academy director at Manchester United while Smith will join in September from across Manchester, moving from the position as director of scouting and recruitment at the City Football Group.

Howarth has worked with 14 clubs across Europe through his consultancy Insight Sport which Everton owners The Friedkin Group have acquired as part of his arrival.

Since his retirement from playing, Hammond has worked as director of football for 13 years at Reading, technical director at West Brom for three years and head of football operations at Celtic

Chief Executive Officer Angus Kinnear said: "I'm delighted with the appointments of Nick, James and Nick.

"Their CVs speak for themselves - they are exceptional operators, hugely respected in the game and an example of the ambition we hold as a club in ensuring the pathways and structures in place across our football operations are of the very highest standard.

"The fact we had such exceptional candidates for these positions is also a reflection of the direction of the club.

"The new football leadership structure will ensure our two managers have the very best support, and the very best operators driving the key football operations, to ensure our collective ambitions are realised."

Everton have opened contract talks with England centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite. The 22-year-old has two more years left on his current deal but David Moyes wants to tie him down long term. (Liverpool Echo), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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BBC Radio Merseyside spoke to the Daily Mail's Nathan Salt on what new Everton technical director and former Manchester United academy chief Nick Cox will bring to the club.

"I don't think it's a good move - I think it's a great move," Salt said. "I think it'll be one of the best pieces of business any club will do all summer.

"All of the people I've spoken to said he is one of the best in academy football, and I know that's not going to be his role but he's been chomping at the bit to get a senior job.

"He's turned down multiple technical director and sporting director offers across Europe at clubs at decent level and all the word I've got is that he was directly headhunted by Everton and he just found it too good to turn down.

"They're getting someone who genuinely puts players at the heart of all his decisions. The things he's put into place at United – taking a middling academy and turning it into one of the best in the country.

"Everton weren't best pleased when the news broke because they thought they'd pulled off the signing of the summer in secret."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

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BBC Radio Merseyside spoke to Everton supporter Natalie Bargery about key players whose contracts are set to expire at the end of the month.

"I think Idrissa Gana Gueye is the one we really just want to extend," Bargery said. "I know we've been told by various sources that he's signing and it's all fine but I think you always just want to know if the contract is signed and the announcement is coming out. Ever since the [Arnaut] Danjuma situation, we fear bad news, so he is the real key one.

"With Seamus Coleman, we all love him and we'd all love to still see him around, whether that's in a playing or coaching capacity but his influence on the pitch has waned in the last two years due to injury.

"With Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Michael Keane, the majority of us are set on them going and you can understand Keane, age 32, maybe wanting to go somewhere that he can play football more regularly and not be a fourth choice centre-back.

"It's only mid-June but they're making us sweat a little bit, aren't they? We want to know where we stand and where we are going forward because we already know there's a big turnover of players."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on how the fixture schedule has fallen for Everton and where they could be after the first 10 games.

Here are some of your comments:

Connor: Everton are a club on the rise. We are gearing up for a lot of transfers all over the park, we have a manager who brings out the best in our players and we have a new stadium that no-one else has played at. I believe we will be pushing ninth place in the table after 10 games of the season as our first three games are winnable. We then have some harder fixtures and then a couple of other mid-table teams. I'm feeling very positive.

Gareth: I know we have to play everyone twice but we seemed to have avoided a run of consecutive games against top six sides, which is refreshing!

Graham: The first six games give us a chance of three or four wins. After 10 games, I would hope that we will comfortably be top half (maybe seventh). But it's about where we are come May - that I hope is possibly eighth or ninth.

Chris: Another tough start. A must-win game against Leeds will ease pressure and a first win at home will be the icing on cake. We will get12 points from first six fixtures I think.

Opta has ranked the difficulty of each top-flight team's first five Premier League fixtures of the 2025-26 season.

According to Opta's model, Manchester United have the hardest start, followed by their opening-weekend opponents Arsenal and then Bournemouth.

Aston Villa's first five games have been ranked the easiest, alongside Crystal Palace.

Take a look below to see where your side places...

Aside from the opening fixture at Leeds United and the final fixture of the season against Tottenham Hotspur, all dates are subject to change as a result of broadcast and other requirements.

See Everton's full fixture list here

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Manchester United director of academy Nick Cox is to become Everton's technical director.

Cox's departure from Old Trafford is said to be amicable and the 47-year-old will remain at the club to ensure a smooth transition.

It does promise to be a summer of change at United as under-18 coach Adam Lawrence and under-21 assistant coach David Hughes have also left, the latter to take over as manager at League Two Newport.

Cox is highly regarded in football circles and has been the subject of numerous job offers in recent years, both at home and abroad.

However, the chance at Everton under a new, ambitious ownership group was felt to be too good to turn down. The Blues' previous technical director Kevin Thelwell left at the end of the season and has since joined Rangers.

Senior United sources have paid tribute to Cox's work, stating he has overhauled every aspect of the club's academy, including operations, recruitment, analysis, performance and education.

During a difficult period at first-team level given the relative managerial churn, Cox has presided over 29 debuts from academy players since being appointed United's academy director in 2019.

United have also brought Alejandro Garnacho, Toby Collyer, Ayden Heaven, Chido Obi and Harry Amass into their academy from external sources in recent times, as the club look to target younger players as part of their rebuild.

Club sources estimate the club has made about £100m from the sale of academy players over the past three years.

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Everton will close the opening weekend of the Premier League season, with their curtain-raiser away at Leeds United on Monday, 18 August, with kick-off at 20:00 BST.

The first Premier League game at the Hill Dickinson stadium will be the visit of Brighton the following week.

The Blues' first meeting with Merseyside rivals Liverpool is scheduled for the weekend of 20-21 September at Anfield with the reverse fixture set for for the weekend of 18-19 April.

And what about the schedule over Christmas and New Year? Well, their final game before Christmas has Arsenal making the trip to Merseyside.

Everton will then spend the rest of the festive period on the road, with visits to Burnley and Nottingham Forest before the end of December.

They start 2026 at home as Brentford travel to the Hill Dickinson stadium.

Finally, the Toffees will close their campaign away to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, 24 May 2026 - when all 10 matches will kick off at 16:00 BST.

Looking at the fixture list, where do you think Moyes' side will be after 10 games? Have your say here

Everton will travel to Leeds United in their opening game of the 2025-26 Premier League season.

The match will take place on Monday, 18 August at 20:00 BST, with the Toffees' first home fixture against Brighton on the weekend of 23-24 August.

See Everton's Premier League fixtures in full here

Where do you think the Blues will be after 10 games and what do you make of how the fixtures have fallen? Tell us here

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Everton fan and podcaster Warren Doyle says he feels "a little bit uneasy" with the Toffees' emerging links to Manchester City full-back Kyle Walker, adding that the 35-year-old "isn't the player he once was".

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside about the transfer rumours, Doyle said: "A lot of respected journalists have been mentioning this as a real possibility.

"Kyle Walker has been a wonderful player during his time at Manchester City. He has got a medal haul there and won lots of titles, but I just feel he is probably past his best now.

"He has definitely regressed. The things that made him such a strong player were his speed and pace, and I don't think he's at the level he was maybe even a year ago.

"I can see why Everton are possibly interested in him because it's looking very much like Michael Keane is going to leave on a free transfer, so we probably do need another centre-back as cover.

"Walker can offer cover at right-back and centre-back as well, so maybe Everton are looking at it from that point of view and thinking about his Premier League experience.

"I would like to see Everton go for someone a bit younger. He isn't the profile of player I would like to see us sign.

"If David Moyes wants to go for him, though, I've got faith in what he wants to do and what his plans are. It's just not a signing that I would personally like to see."

Listen to the full conversation on BBC Sounds

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We asked for you to tell us one player you want to bring to Everton and one player you want the club to sell.

Here are some of your comments:

Kev: I think we need to accept that Jarrad Branthwaite isn't going to be with us for the long term and cash in on him while his price is at the highest it probably will be. As for a purchase/incoming, if Jack Grealish is available and fancies the move he has to be our priority. He is creative, hard working and has a pedigree that not many who become available could bring to our team.

Ross: Sell Jarrad Branthwaite, buy Maxime Esteve and use the rest of our money to buy a striker, winger and a left back.

Kobe: If we sell anyone then I would say Nathan Patterson because he doesn't seem like he'd get into the team. For a player to sign I'm between Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Thomas: We must move on from Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Get Jack Grealish on loan, enquire about Matt O'Riley from Brighton and buy a striker and a right back.

Chris: Sell or give away Dominic Calvert-Lewin and bring in Ollie Watkins. Yes he's 30 but he has speed and intelligence. DCL is too injury prone and has lost the ability of a true striker to predict where the ball might appear. Watkins can do that and can also beat defenders.

Dave: Sad to say that I'd probably sell Nathan Patterson at this point. Three successive managers haven't fancied him so it doesn't look like he's got a future with us. We need loads of incomings but the most obvious one to me is Kyle Walker-Peters on a free. Natural replacement and upgrade on Ashley Young to cover at both full-back positions.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions.

One reader asked: Do you think Kyle Walker still has something to offer top-flight clubs like Everton?

Phil replied: I think he could offer Premier League clubs something, but not sure he is what Everton want or need as they try move into a new era with a new stadium and ambitious new owners in The Friedkin Group.

Walker, at 35, is near the end of his career but a club needing experience and a leader with a big voice and presence in the dressing room could be tempted.

Read more of the Q&A here

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Everton defender Jake O'Brien says they will be "ambitious" with what they can achieve as a team going into the new season.

The 24-year-old joined from Lyon last summer and initially struggled to break into the starting XI under Sean Dyche.

However, he took his chance in the second half of the season after David Moyes' return and made 24 appearances, also scoring two goals and providing one assist.

In both centre-back and right-back roles, the Republic of Ireland international became a key figure in defence to help the side move away from relegation danger.

With a new stadium too, the Blues will want to build on that and be competing in the top half rather than the bottom half of the tablein 2025-26.

"It is important to always be ambitious and know you can fight for things," O'Brien told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"Over the past couple of months, we have been going toe to toe with teams at the top end of the table and won some of those games too.

"We have shown we are more than capable of doing it and just need to do that throughout the season.

"It is great having the new owners and new manager, so it's exciting times. We now have the whole summer to build and get ready for a new season in a new stadium, so it is exciting times for everyone and we will definitely be pushing up the table, being ambitious and seeing how far we can go."

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds

Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker, 35, has agreed to join Everton on a one-year deal. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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No sooner does the season finish and we start looking forward to key dates for the next campaign - and that will be a lot easier to do on Wednesday when the Premier League fixtures are released.

That's right, that special day in the calendar is almost here already. The day when you'll learn details of derby fixtures, Christmas opponents and end-of-season run-ins.

This page will bring you all the fixtures when they drop at 09:00 BST on Wednesday and we'll be giving you the chance to have your say on how things look.

The new campaign kicks off on the weekend of Saturday, 16 August and it will conclude on Sunday, 24 May 2026, when all 10 games will take place at the same time.

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Everton have confirmed their final pre-season fixture will take place at their Hill Dickinson Stadium - the first full-capacity match at the ground.

The Toffees will welcome Serie A side Roma on Saturday, 9 August at 15:00 BST for a game that will also act as the final test event before the 2025-26 season officially gets under way.

Following a series of restricted capacity test events, this match will have all 52,888 seats available to supporters.

The friendly will bring to an end a pre-season that includes fixtures against EFL sides Accrington Stanley and Blackburn Rovers, before a trip to the United States, where David Moyes' team will face Bournemouth, West Ham and Manchester United.

The transfer window is open again for summer business to be conducted.

Clubs can now strike deals until the deadline at 19:00 BST on 1 September.

So if you can sell one player who is it? And if you can buy one player only, who gets the nod?

Give us reasons for your choice but remember, in this instance it's a strict one player leaving and one coming in.

Send your selections

Everton and Newcastle are leading the race to sign England forward Jack Grealish, 29, from Manchester City this summer. (Football Insider), external

Everton, Wolves and Fulham are eyeing a move for 32-year-old Czech Republic right-back Vladimir Coufal, who is a free agent after leaving West Ham. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Manchester United hold bragging rights as the most popular Premier League club across social platforms, according to CIES Football Observatory., external

Ranking third overall behind Real Madrid and Barcelona, Manchester United total 233.6 million subscribers and followers across X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

Rivals Manchester City are second highest out of Premier League clubs and fifth overall with 179.5m, with Liverpool (166.7m) and Chelsea (152.9m) just behind.

Arsenal also make the global top 10 with 114.1m, meaning there are five English teams inside the top 10.

Spurs just miss out in 11th with 108.1m, but they did gain an extra 700,000 followers over their North London rivals since June 2024.

A total of 15 English clubs make the top 100, with Leeds United squeezing into the 100th spot with 6.4m.

While fans may not sing about social media followers, global interest has a hand in paying the bills at their beloved football clubs.

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We asked for your views on whether Everton need to act urgently in the transfer market as the first of the two this summer comes to a close on Tuesday.

Here are some of your comments:

Mark: One of the problems for Everton is that, without European football to offer new signings, and their current mid-table league position, they will not be a natural first choice for the top players. They are likely to have some success as the transfer window deadline approaches, as inevitably, some players without deals from their preferred clubs consider alternative transfer options.

Magnus: I do not want to see any business done on deadline day. I want the club to show maturity by having already identified primary transfer targets and possible replacements should that not materialise. They should ideally be on board before pre-season starts. The only reason for a signing on deadline day should be if a bargain is identified or a replacement for a player that goes for a ridiculous amount close to deadline day.

Chris: Not so bothered about now, but when the window re-opens, yes. Grealish would be a fab signing. He would get guaranteed game time. Pipe dream though, we wouldn't pay that kind of wage to one player, it would create resentment and undo all Moyes' good work fostering team spirit. Let's stick to players within our bargain basement affordability.

Richard: Business needs to be done as we need players in but panicking can bring the wrong players in. I hope we've learnt something from past purchases.

Neil: No incomings until July due to PSR. No significant sales at the close of the first mini window. Any news will be on out-of-contract players. The fun starts in July for us, which is not ideal, but in Moyes we trust (we hope!).

Phil: Yes is the answer, business is a must. However, whether the budget is there is another thing. To improve our league position from last year we need fewer injured players so forget about signing anyone 28 or above. We need a more energetic, speedy and high-quality squad who are capable of playing at least every week and every three days (if Europe beckons). Players happy being rotated and who can adapt to play with whoever is alongside them.