Everton’s five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League unwound sharply at St. Mary’s last weekend, Southampton claiming their first top-flight win of the season.
Do not be fooled: Sean Dyche’s outfit are not in a convincing position, lacking in balance and fluency. It’s a costly combination (or lack thereof) that threatens to keep the club mired at the pit of the table, geared for another season of scraping against the pull of the drop zone.
There are some significant fault lines stripped across Goodison Park’s senior squad, and though glimmers of hope have started to appear, slanting onto Merseyside like sunlight, many supporters will feel that more misery is lined up ahead – Sod’s Law, right?
But actually, there’s just cause for hope. Everton are going to be headed by The Friedkin Group in the not-too-distant future, and there are some talented first-teamers in the mix who could raise their game even higher with some impactful transfer moves across the coming markets.
But let’s look inward for a second. The Toffees also have some stars sat on the margins who will be gunning for a resurgence, and with the turning of the wheel, a new era could mark a new hope for players such as Dele Alli.
Why Dele Alli could make a comeback
Dele is a fallen star, but he was one of the brightest on the continent before he was struck by a saddening decline.
Tottenham Hotspur’s talent crackled into life in the Premier League, arriving from MK Dons in a deal worth about £5m in 2015. A bona fide prodigy, Dele marked his first three seasons in the top division with 97 goal contributions, bestowed with the PFA Premier League Young Player of the Year award in both of his opening terms.
The England international has since been on a downward spiral, losing his way with Spurs before moving to Everton and fading into the shadows, struggling with personal issues.
Hope remains that Dele, who last featured for Everton in August 2022, before a disappointing loan spell in Turkey, can revive himself to a place on the Premier League pitch, with the 28-year-old currently fighting for fitness after his interminable troubles.
Should Dele succeed, he would be offered a short-term contract and a chance to fight for a place in Dyche’s outfit. It is understood that he is approaching a level in which he could feature for the U21s.
Dele was once considered among the finest prospects in football, proving his pedigree with stunning performances at the highest level. With TFG looking to change things at the club, Dele could find that he is in good condition to rise with the tide.
He’s not the only one, however, with several further Everton stars currently languishing away from the limelight. Football fans across the globe would love to see Dele return to form, but Armando Broja could also be in line for an exciting comeback after some testing years.
Why Everton signed Armando Broja
Broja joined the Blues cause this summer, arriving from Chelsea on a one-year loan deal that can be made permanent at the end of the campaign, with a £30m purchase option.
An exciting young striker, Broja rose through the ranks with Chelsea and has enjoyed several loan moves already, but has been pulled back throughout his maiden years as a pro due to injuries.
Last season, he could only play a peripheral role at Stamford Bridge under the wing of Mauricio Pochettino before moving to Fulham from January until the summer, where he failed to make his mark, neither starting nor scoring in the Premier League in the Premier League.
Goals scored
0.17
Bottom 6%
Assists
0.17
Top 36%
Pass completion
84.3%
Top 1%
Progressive carries
2.16
Top 24%
Successful take-ons
2.49
Top 1%
Blocks
1.00
Top 16%
Lacking in output, sure, but Broja’s got some nifty underlying pointers that speak of his quality and the impact that he could have at Everton, where he has still not made his debut as he recovers from a knee injury, working toward regaining match fitness.
Described as an “animal” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, the 6 foot 3 forward is technical and tenacious, with a muscular physique that demands authority in the final third.
The Albania international has what it takes to make a marked impact on Dyche’s team in 2025.
Everton’s recent purple patch has at least lifted them away from the sharpest danger, eliminating that lowermost rank in the Premier League and taking them above the dotted line and into 16th place, where they currently reside, four points above Ipswich Town in 18th.
There’s plenty to be desired up top. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fitness levels have strapped in for the ride and have held up thus far, with the England star starting each of Everton’s ten Premier League matches in 2024/25 – he has, however, struggled for fluency, with the defeat against Saints marking the sixth successive match without a goal or an assist.
Calvert-Lewin, 27, is an aerial focal point to be admired, but he’s lacking in dimensions and dynamism, ranking among the bottom 39% of Premier League strikers this season for shots taken, the bottom 8% for pass completion and the bottom 13% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
He’s also out of contract at the end of the term, and looking at his rather chunky £100k-per-week wages, it’s hard to imagine TFG renewing his deal, which will not likely be diminished financially.
Especially if Broja finds his feet and fitness. It’s his time to shine. A young buck with it all to prove, Everton’s fortunes might just be changing. It’s a brand new world, one that the likes of Broja and Dele could step into with a sanguine sense and fresh vigour, ready to lead the charge.
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