David Moyes thinks Adam Aznou is “not quite ready” for first-team football yet but hopes that the youngster will “grow” during his time at Everton.
Signed from Bayern Munich this summer, Aznou is yet to make his official debut for the club.
The 19-year-old Moroccan international who came up through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy has had a tricky start to his career with the Blues. He was out injured during the initial few weeks, while left-back mainstay Vitalii Mykolenko was also on the sidelines.
However, even after returning from injury, Aznou has failed to enter David Moyes’s plans and is yet to play a single minute of first-team football. Moyes has even played James Garner and Seamus Coleman out of position instead of Aznou.
Talking about the teenager, Moyes said that his decision is not a reflection of Aznou’s ability, calling him a “talented player.” However, the manager also stressed the fact that Aznou needs to work on his “physicality.”
“He’s a young, talented player with a lot of potential. Left-backs are not easy to get and we’ve brought in a young player who we hope will grow in his time at Everton,” said Moyes.
Asked what Aznou needed to do in order to gain more responsibility, he said: “First of all, I want him to be with us, and I want him to train and get used to him.
“He’s a really good footballer, a nice footballer. He’s just got a bit of building up to do, a bit of physicality to get, so we’ll do that and we’ll see how he develops, but his footballing ability – he’s a good player.”
While Moyes maintains that Aznou’s level surpasses the need for academy football, he hasn’t ruled out playing the youngster in some games for the U21s in order to build his physical abilities and match fitness.
“He’s above that level, but it doesn’t mean that he might need to get a few games – if we’re struggling to get him game time, we might need to use him [in the U21s] at different times.
“But we’ll monitor that as we go along, but he’s not quite ready to be playing for the first team at the moment.”
Reader Comments (21)
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Jerome Shields
1 Posted
27/09/2025 at
18:04:27
During his time Bayern Munich, he played mostly for the reserve team and made two appearances for the senior team in the Bundesliga, along with one Champions League appearance. He was also sent on loan to La Liga’s Real Valladolid for the second half of the 2024-25 season, where he made 13 league appearances.
Having him in a Dycheball like Everton against Wolves, would not have suited what he is use to.I doubt Moyes will play him, he won’t be prepared to accommodate his development.
Jerome Shields
2 Posted
27/09/2025 at
18:14:18
Could be loaned out in January.
Pat Kelly
3 Posted
27/09/2025 at
19:26:33
Sounds like he has a long way to go to be up to PL standard. Just like Barry. Dibling probably needs time too. And Rohl is already adding to his injury record.
Tony Abrahams
4 Posted
27/09/2025 at
19:37:09
Loads of ability, just not physically strong enough. What exactly will they try and do to get around this issue?
Young kids have got to play football to aid their development, so it sounds like Aznou is currently in quite a precarious position.
Kevin Molloy
5 Posted
27/09/2025 at
19:39:01
He was never going to be ready.
You only need to look at the fee we paid, it’s practically a free transfer. So it’s obviously a gamble that we can develop him.
Jim Bennings
6 Posted
27/09/2025 at
19:46:25
Why do none of our players ever sign and be ready?
Other clubs sign players at 19, 20, 21 who I’ve never even heard of and within a year they propel themselves as key components to that said club.
Look at players at Bournemouth, Brighton, Brentford, they all seem capable of pulling out unheard of gems.
We sign players like Chermiti that disappear up their own arse.
Ian Wilkins
7 Posted
27/09/2025 at
20:24:21
Strange acquisition really.
We needed left-back cover and brought in a youngster we were never going to play. So put Coleman at left-back. Bizarre.
Colin Glassar
8 Posted
27/09/2025 at
20:57:34
Jim, this has been going on for decades now. Our recruitment is very much some hits but more misses. Plus the high turnover of managers in recent years doesnt help.
We have no identity and our academy is shite.
Daniel A Johnson
9 Posted
27/09/2025 at
20:59:10
I echo other comments. We play millions for untested players and never play them. Whilst other clubs unearth gems that are “ready”
Sean Kelly
10 Posted
27/09/2025 at
21:05:15
Our recruitment team need a good kicking. We sign young players for the future that are clearly not ready and send Armstrong out on loan again. When exactly will they be ready. Is it when the are old enough like Tarks or Coleman or Keane. Ffs Moyes give the young ones a shot and integrate them into the team. Dibling and Barry cost nearly 70 million between them. Who in gods name signed them to be bench warmers.
Sean Kelly
11 Posted
27/09/2025 at
21:05:19
Our recruitment team need a good kicking. We sign young players for the future that are clearly not ready and send Armstrong out on loan again. When exactly will they be ready. Is it when the are old enough like Tarks or Coleman or Keane. Ffs Moyes give the young ones a shot and integrate them into the team. Dibling and Barry cost nearly 70 million between them. Who in gods name signed them to be bench warmers.
Sean Kelly
12 Posted
27/09/2025 at
21:05:20
Our recruitment team need a good kicking. We sign young players for the future that are clearly not ready and send Armstrong out on loan again. When exactly will they be ready. Is it when the are old enough like Tarks or Coleman or Keane. Ffs Moyes give the young ones a shot and integrate them into the team. Dibling and Barry cost nearly 70 million between them. Who in gods name signed them to be bench warmers.
Tony Abrahams
13 Posted
27/09/2025 at
21:13:19
We have signed a young player who has come through the Barcelona academy, before leaving to go to the biggest football club in Germany, and its a gamble that we can develop him?
Im sure Ive read that Barcelona, were disappointed when the kid went to Bayern, and Ive definitely read that Bayern Munich, were very disappointed when he chose to sign for Everton, so if it is a gamble to see if we can develop him (something I wouldnt argue with after reading where the manager thinks the kid at) then I think its fair to question why? Especially when you look at his pedigree including already having three senior caps, for a country that came 4th in the last world cup
Oliver Molloy
14 Posted
27/09/2025 at
21:47:04
Moyes basically saying ” I never bought him ” in a nice way perhaps.
Sean Kelly
15 Posted
27/09/2025 at
21:49:04
Tony I dont have a problem with young players with potential being signed. The problem I have Moyes doesnt have a great track record of developing players and bringing them to a higher level.
Daniel A Johnson
16 Posted
27/09/2025 at
21:59:11
I think it’s more to do with being Moyes ready.
As in over 6ft. Age 28 with 200 premiership appearances under your belt.
The money we have spent just isn’t anywhere near the first team, Barry, Merlin, Aznou and Dibling.
Awful recruitment for a club with not much cash.
Kevin Molloy
17 Posted
27/09/2025 at
22:39:04
Tony yes two great clubs. but the fee, it’s so low. For a player with this pedigree you’d normally expect £20m? I think this time next year he’ll be in the team, but let’s remember Moyes didn’t even put Baines straight in. I reckon this kid will pick up a handful of appearances by season end. And I think he’s doing right by the kid, if he comes in and gets laced, the fanbase will label him a dud. pretty sharpish.
Paul Hewitt
18 Posted
27/09/2025 at
22:49:40
Put him in the team. He will either sink or swim.
Chris James
19 Posted
27/09/2025 at
23:44:20
Another outing for Schrodinger’s club here?
Sounds a little like some are ready to castigate Moyes for not giving young players a chance when he doesn’t feel they are ready, whilst also slamming him for not just picking the ‘first team’ against Wolves! ;-p
All recruitment is hit and miss, for every club.
I’d say the record of the last two years has been light years better than what came before.
1. Great deals (1st team): Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, NDiaye, O’Brien
2. Solid business (squad): Alcaraz, Iroegbunam
3. Promising (but yet to be proven): Dibling, Rohl,
4. Jury’s out (unknown or a bit meh): Aznou, Barry
5. Bad business: I’m not really sure any of the last two seasons full-time signings can fit here. The likes of Broja and Lindstrom would arguably be in this, but they were loans.
Another year back we had Beto (2?) and Chermiti (4) and Danjuma (5) – but even then it wasn’t at the level of Gbamin, Maupay, Tosun, Rondon, Delph, Bolasie, Ramirez, Niasse, Klassen or even our version of Moise Kean.
Si Cooper
20 Posted
27/09/2025 at
23:50:09
Mykolenko has been fairly injury free and is decent enough that this lad should have a bit of time to settle in / get up to speed. Right back was the clear priority and we brought in no-one.
At his age it is inevitable he will gain strength over the next couple of years. Hopefully he is close enough to Moyes personal preference that half a season might get him there.
Id think a change of formation could get him there quicker. When Branthwaite is back and able to cover behind him,as part of a back three, he could operate as a wing-back where his robustness should be less of an issue.
Phil Smith
21 Posted
28/09/2025 at
04:08:22
If you dont play them, how do you expect them to ever be ready?
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