{"id":508443,"date":"2026-04-02T05:59:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T05:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/508443\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T05:59:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T05:59:18","slug":"revealed-evertons-plan-to-vault-into-the-premier-league-elite-inside-the-new-aggressive-transfer-policy-academy-overhaul-to-beat-rivals-to-top-talents-and-the-evertonisation-of-new-stadium-wi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/508443\/","title":{"rendered":"Revealed: Everton’s plan to vault into the Premier League elite – inside the new ‘aggressive’ transfer policy, academy overhaul to beat rivals to top talents and the ‘Evertonisation’ of new stadium with two club legends lined up for statues"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Everton<\/a> wanted to bring Jack Grealish<\/a> to the club last summer they launched a major charm offensive. The Manchester City<\/a> midfielder was given a tour of the stunning, soon-to-be-completed new stadium and all the stops were pulled out.<\/p>\n

Grealish was to be the face of a transformation. The catalyst on the field for a new era. He would be idolised by a passionate fanbase desperate for better days – if he agreed to come.<\/p>\n

Then David Moyes<\/a> got involved and the tone changed somewhat. Grealish was told in no uncertain terms that he would find no favours here. He was reminded that he had barely kicked a ball for Pep Guardiola<\/a> at City over the past 12 months and that, should he want to nail down a place in Moyes\u2019 first team, he would have to work his socks off and prove himself worthy. The language may have been a little saltier.<\/p>\n

While those comments may have triggered a nervousness from those upstairs, waiting for ink on paper, they were music to the player\u2019s ears. He signed and while injury intervened, the rest is history.<\/p>\n

There is a perfect storm brewing at the side of the Mersey, powered by what appears to be a perfect match. On one side sits Moyes, who bleeds blue and who sees Everton as one of England\u2019s powerhouses.<\/p>\n

On the other is a new, American ownership and more than a dozen new executives whose job is to ensure Everton, up until so recently a basket case, maximises the opportunity and capitalises on the potential which is, all of a sudden, everywhere.<\/p>\n

\"There <\/p>\n

There is a perfect storm brewing at the side of the Mersey, powered by what appears to be a perfect match\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"David <\/p>\n

David Moyes has electrified the fans again, turning this team into European contenders<\/p>\n

THE RACE FOR EUROPE Team\u00a0 PlGDPts 4. Aston Villa 31+554 5. Liverpool\u00a031+8496. Chelsea31+15487. Brentford31+4468. Everton31+2469. Fulham31-14410. Brighton31+44311. Sunderland31-443 <\/p>\n

The last match before the international break, a 3-0 walloping of Chelsea, felt like lift-off for their new home. A feral, Goodison-esque atmosphere, fuelled by outrage at the perceived injustice of the visitors\u2019 points-deduction-swerving punishment for breaching financial rules, was the loudest the Hill Dickinson Stadium has heard.<\/p>\n

To say Moyes\u2019 men and their fans were up for it would be an understatement. In the build-up, one senior player had guaranteed victory. \u2018This lot won\u2019t know what\u2019s hit them,\u2019 he told a staff member. He was right.<\/p>\n

The win has left them eighth. They are dreaming not only of Europe but of finishing above that lot now across the city, rather than the park, for the first time in 13 years. After a trip to Brentford, Liverpool make the short journey for the first derby at their neighbours\u2019 magnificent new home and there is genuine belief within the blue half that they can be toppled, this season at least.<\/p>\n

While there is still football to be played, it has been a remarkable turnaround under the Friedkin Group, who have only been in place for 16 months. This is the story of a club reborn.<\/p>\n

It has to start with the \u00a3750m stadium because it has been one of the major catalysts. Consider this, Everton\u2019s most recent accounts for 2024-25 showed a turnover of \u00a3196.7m for their last season at the Grand Old Lady.<\/p>\n

Daily Mail Sport understands they are expecting that figure to sail to around \u00a3250m following their first year in their new home by the water. That would represent the fastest growth in the top-flight. The sale of 40,000 seats each match has risen to 53,000, 2,000 hospitality seats to 5,000.<\/p>\n

Hill Dickinson has guaranteed \u00a3100m over a decade for naming rights. Partners include Budweiser and Pepsi. Such has been the success in the new venue\u2019s first year officials from Manchester United have already been in touch for advice.<\/p>\n

But there is more, much more, to come, according to those close to the situation. There is a recognition within the club that parts of the Hill Dickinson remain a blank canvas, and that more can be done to make it feel like home. As such, a project of \u2018Evertonisation\u2019 is ongoing. The addition of statues of club legends such as Dixie Dean and Howard Kendall are being considered.<\/p>\n

\"Everton's <\/p>\n

Everton’s new stadium is set to send revenues skyrocketing towards \u00a3250million<\/p>\n

\"Dixie \"Legendary <\/p>\n

Everton legends Dixie Dean (left) and Howard Kendall (right) are being considered for statues at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium\u00a0<\/p>\n

Major improvements are planned for the sweeping fan plaza, which would see it flipped into a 15,000-capacity outdoor venue for concerts and music festivals. Oktoberfest and Christmas Markets at Everton? Do not rule it out. The club currently have a licence to host six concerts inside the stadium, which they are hoping to lift to 10.<\/p>\n

Everton want to acquire the neighbouring Nelson Dock, which is currently derelict, and deliver more transformation (which may also require tons of sand from the bottom of the sea to fill it in). The aim is to extend the club\u2019s footprint and provide additional hospitality and leisure facilities.<\/p>\n

The Friedkin\u2019s portfolio includes a chain of award-winning hotels, The Auberge Collection, with properties in destinations such as California\u2019s Napa Valley, Hawaii and Florence. Liverpool may soon be an addition to that list.<\/p>\n

Improving non-matchday revenue is viewed as a key area which can be improved. While the NFL are happy with their UK offering in London and are seeking to expand into other European cities, hosting a regular season fixture has not been ruled out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This week, the Hill Dickinson hosted Scotland\u2019s friendly with the Ivory Coast. In the winter it staged a Test match between England and Australia and is set to become the new home of rugby league. This season it will be the venue for Super League\u2019s Magic Weekend, when all top-flight clubs play at one venue, and it may well succeed Old Trafford as the host of the competition\u2019s showpiece Grand Final.<\/p>\n

With attendances a worry, the RFL could even seek to inject some life into its Challenge Cup Final by shifting it from Wembley to Merseyside. Across codes, England\u2019s union side will play Fiji in July on while Scotland could face the same opponents there. Euro 2028 matches are already secured.<\/p>\n

Already, Everton are beating rivals across the North West to host events. The belief is that the Hill Dickinson is already proving to be the \u2018Tottenham of the North\u2019 (in a complimentary way).<\/p>\n

The half-hour stroll from the stadium along the banks of the River Mersey to the city centre, on what is described as the \u2018North Shore\u2019 is set to be transformed, with a central park and walkway along with new residential areas as part of a partnership between the club and the local council. Much is aimed at the blossoming tourism industry, with Liverpool in the top five most-visited UK cities.<\/p>\n

\"Everton <\/p>\n

\u00a0Everton want to acquire the neighbouring Nelson Dock, which is currently derelict, and deliver more transformation<\/p>\n

\"Owners <\/p>\n

Owners the Friedkins (Dan, left, and son Ryan pictured) want Everton to be among the world’s elite clubs<\/p>\n

Currently, tours of Hill Dickinson are well-populated but tend to be made up almost exclusively of Everton loyalists and the aim is to extend and to include those who disembark cruise liners at the port.<\/p>\n

Within the club\u2019s structure much more expertise is already on board. The Friedkins quite quickly recognised a lack of leadership when they arrived and quickly set about rectifying it. No fewer than 14 hires have been made on the watch of chief executive Angus Kinnear, from a president of business operations to a chief revenue officer. The idea is to allow those in charge to act with autonomy and be best in class. The early signs are positive.<\/p>\n

All of the above is aimed at providing Everton a competitive advantage on the field over the clubs from 7th to 12th place, and an opportunity to close the gap on a Big Six that, Tottenham dependent, may soon turn into a Big Five.<\/p>\n

European football, a realistic prospect all of a sudden, would help. Matchday and commercial revenue is already on course to be the seventh-highest in the Premier League. There is a realisation that to consistently finish between fifth and eighth requires a squad value of around \u00a3550m, a \u00a3200m jump from the values of those that tend to finish between ninth and 17th.<\/p>\n

Should you want to break into the top four, that figure rises to around \u00a3850m. Europe would also impact on Everton\u2019s summer transfer business, opening up a new category of player.<\/p>\n

Regardless, the club is already in a different ballpark to where it was pre-Friedkin when it comes to recruitment. Ahead of the summer window the combined impact of no relegation fears and a sparkling new stadium has shifted the dial.<\/p>\n

The arrivals of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Grealish are seen as moves that herald a new era. That kind of talent is where Everton wants to be. Grealish may extend his stay and Daily Mail Sport\u00a0understands that there is a growing confidence that he will do so. Talks are ongoing with City over another loan switch or a permanent deal.<\/p>\n

After picking up his season-ending stress fracture in February the former Aston Villa playmaker decided to remain with Everton for his rehabilitation, which is a rarity and no doubt a positive sign.<\/p>\n

\"Jack\u00a0Grealish <\/p>\n

Jack\u00a0Grealish may extend his stay and Daily Mail Sport understands that there is a growing confidence that he will do so<\/p>\n

\"Kiernan <\/p>\n

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has been another transformative signing, joining last summer from Chelsea<\/p>\n

He enjoys life in the North West and life at Everton. Despite only being \u2018borrowed\u2019 he has thrown himself into community activities. A heartwarming recent video showed him interacting naturally \u2013 albeit lying face down on the physio\u2019s table \u2013 with a delighted group from the club\u2019s down syndrome team.<\/p>\n

\u2018If you ask him to come for an hour he\u2019s there for two,\u2019 one insider explained. \u2018If you ask him to do two activities he\u2019s doing four or five \u2013 he\u2019s absolutely in his element.\u2019<\/p>\n

Moyes was at the centre of the move for Grealish. He tends to be at the centre of everything. Those inside the dressing room say his message all season has been that Europe should be the target. His view of Everton is that its rightful place is among the country\u2019s elite.<\/p>\n

This summer there will be sufficient funds to bring in four or five first-team ready players and the profile will shift slightly to those with more experience. That may not necessarily be in the Premier League but Moyes\u2019s blueprint is clear. He wants players he can trust, whose work rate cannot be questioned.<\/p>\n

There is an acceptance that a new striker is a priority area, and much of the focus will be around ensuring next season he has more firepower at his disposal, although the recent upturns in the form of Thierno Barry and Beto have not gone unnoticed. The hope is to replicate what Brentford have done with Igor Thiago, a \u00a330m signing from Club Brugge who has scored 19 goals in 31 Premier League starts this season.<\/p>\n

The analytics and recruitment company that the Friedkins bought, which serves both Everton and sister club Roma, will earn its corn. Much emphasis will be placed on a golden metric it operates, which delivers a probability of how well a player from overseas will adapt to the Premier League based on a series of indicators.<\/p>\n

When all of the filters are applied and the shortlists drawn up, it will be over to Moyes to run his own checks. These tend to be around the intangibles, such as character, desire and dressing room fit.<\/p>\n

That dressing room already subscribes to the \u2018no d**kheads\u2019 policy made famous by the All Blacks, with the likes of James Tarkowski, Seamus Coleman and Jordan Pickford ensuring nobody gets above their station.<\/p>\n

\"Everton <\/p>\n

Everton want more firepower but the upturn in form of the likes of Beto (centre), who scored twice in the win over Chelsea, has not gone unnoticed<\/p>\n

\"James <\/p>\n

James Garner has been a big beneficiary of the club’s upturn in fortunes, winning his first England cap against Uruguay last week<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The likes of James Tarkowski set the tone in the dressing room with a ‘no d**kheads’ policy<\/p>\n

With a new pool of talent to target, Everton will be \u2018more aggressive\u2019, according to those who know. The Premier League\u2019s switch to squad cost to revenue ratio will assist, given the upturn commercially.<\/p>\n

Despite what has happened since at Manchester United, some may wonder if Moyes is the man to oversee this step to the next level. There are no such concerns within the club.<\/p>\n

The view is that, while the 62-year-old Scot has made a name for himself by leading teams to safety and beyond, the opportunity to build something long-term has been elusive since he first departed Everton to go to Old Trafford, and that he is not only the right man for the job but the perfect man for the job.<\/p>\n

The club\u2019s famous academy has also been earmarked for improvement. Internally, there is a view that the well has been allowed to run dry and that the conveyor belt has slowed. When a club is struggling to pay its bills, as Everton was at the fag end of the Farhad Moshiri regime, the academy is often the target for savings.<\/p>\n

That is no longer the case. Officials believe that Everton can offer a pathway to the first team above and beyond that provided by their North West rivals. That they can look parents in the eye and tell them that their child has more chance of making it here than anywhere else.<\/p>\n

Extra investment has been made. The club believe they were successful in bringing children into the setup at the age of six but were then losing the best of them to perceived bigger rivals when they hit 12.<\/p>\n

Nick Cox, formerly Manchester United\u2019s director of academy, is now Everton\u2019s technical director and is influential, but there is an immediate gap to be filled with a dearth of talent coming through behind Harrison Armstrong, a gifted midfielder who has made 13 first-team appearances this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a result, focus will be placed on recruiting players between the ages of 16 to 20. The view is that there are a lot of unhappy parents and a lot of prospects elsewhere who have 14 players blocking their route to the first team at clubs whose strategy is to stockpile talent.<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The academy will be overhauled to fill the dearth of talent behind Harrison Armstrong, a gifted midfielder who has made 13 first-team appearances this season<\/p>\n

\"Every <\/p>\n

Every game is sold out and there are 20,000 people on the season-ticket waiting list. To the Friedkins, this feels like the start and not the end. Everton are on the rise<\/p>\n

The women\u2019s team is another area for improvement. Attendances have trebled, albeit from a tiny base of around 1,200, since the move to Goodison Park, which is now also the home of the club\u2019s education provision and community arm. The aim is to get attendances to 20,000, but that may well rely on the wider growth of the women\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the takeover some, battle-scarred Evertonians wondered if the Friedkins were coming in to flip the business for a quick profit. In reality, they could do that now if they wished.<\/p>\n

Football\u2019s most-distressed asset has been turned around. The Americans have, according to those close to them, no intention of cashing in.<\/p>\n

Indeed, the view is that they are only getting started. Every game is sold out and there are 20,000 people on the season-ticket waiting list. To them, this feels like the start and not the end. Everton are on the rise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When Everton wanted to bring Jack Grealish to the club last summer they launched a major charm offensive.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":508444,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[97,2765,1840,218,2500,40660,116437,221,217,101,110,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-508443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football","tag-dailymail","tag-david-moyes","tag-everton","tag-football","tag-jack-grealish","tag-jordan-pickford","tag-michael-keane","tag-premier-league","tag-sport","tag-sports","tag-transfer-news","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=508443"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508443\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/508444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=508443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=508443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=508443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}