There could be a large turnover at Everton with five players out of contract (Maarten Stekelenburg, Cuco Martina, Leighton Baines, Luke Garbutt, Oumar Niasse).
Nine others will have uncertain futures (Jonas Lossl, Jonjoe Kenny, Matthew Pennington, Muhammed Besic, Kieran Dowell, Yannick Bolasie, Sandro Ramirez) when they return from respective loan spells away from Everton too.
After failing to replace Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka last summer, the Toffees are still on the hunt for a fourth centre-back. Everton could be sending Djibril Sidibe back to AS Monaco after his loan spell, so a new right-back may also be on the agenda.
With Tom Davies and Morgan Schneiderlin struggling for consistency while Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Fabian Delph have had injury problems this season, the Blues are on the hunt for a central midfielder. Gylfi Sigurdsson could be available for sale, so a playmaker should be on the radar. And with Niasse, Ramirez and Moise Kean being linked with summer exits, a new striker may be required too.
Since Marcel Brands joined as Director of Football, Everton’s transfer policy has changed dramatically. The Toffees paid £45m to sign a 27-year-old Gylfi Sigurdsson in August 2017 and £20.25m to sign a 28-year-old Theo Walcott in 2018, but only one of Everton’s last 11 permanent outfield signings has been over the age of 25 – Fabian Delph (was 29 at the time).
Not only are the Merseysiders shopping for promising talent, they’re also giving opportunities to youth. As per Transfermarkt, Lewis Gibson (aged 19), Anthony Gordon (19), Moise Kean (20), Joao Virginia (20), Tom Davies (21), Beni Baningime (21), Dennis Adeniran (21), Richarlison (22), Alex Iwobi (23), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (23), Mason Holgate (23) have been in a total of 203 matchday squads this season, making 165 appearances and amassing 11,223 minutes of football.
Brands has been tasked with implementing a long-term football strategy for the Everton. He has a significant say on the Academy pathway and loan destinations for youth players too.
The Dutchman played a part in bringing Ancelotti to Goodison Park, but the pair will work together to build a squad capable of challenging for domestic and European honours in the future.