Everton have done some of their business this summer, but the awkward truth is that the job is not finished. With one week left before September 1, the most obvious hole still staring everyone in the face is right-back. That is not a minor detail. It is a starting-position problem, and those are the ones that can quietly ruin a window if they are left too late.
After the win over Crystal Palace, David Moyes made the situation plain enough: Everton want to ensure they get a quality option at right-back. That is the correct instinct, because there is no point pretending the position is somehow solved when it clearly is not. A club trying to tighten up its squad cannot afford to drift through the final days of the market hoping something convenient turns up.
One week left, and the pressure is obvious
The transfer clock is now the story. September 1 will slam the window shut, and Everton are down to the kind of time pressure that turns every decision sharper and every delay more dangerous. This is the stage where clubs either act with purpose or spend the next month explaining why the obvious problem was never fixed in time.
That matters even more because Everton have already addressed some needs, which makes the unfinished business stand out even more clearly. Right-back remains the unresolved priority, and it is hard to argue otherwise. If a club knows where the weak spot is and still reaches the last week without a proper answer, that is not clever squad building. That is risky business.
Possible exits could complicate the final week
There is also movement to watch on the fringe side. In the coming days, Everton may make a call on Adam Aznou and sort a temporary loan switch. Alongside him, Tim Iroegbunam, Carlos Alcaraz, and Nathan Patterson are among the fringe players who could move on before the deadline. That kind of churn can be healthy, but only if the incoming work keeps pace with it.
And that is the point here: Everton cannot afford to weaken one area while still leaving another exposed. If players are heading out, the squad has to remain balanced. If the right-back slot is still open while departures are being considered, the club is inviting unnecessary late-window chaos.
There is still time to get it right. But there is not much of it, and that is the problem. Everton know what the priority is. Moyes has said as much. Now they have to prove they can finish the job before September 1 turns a clear need into another missed opportunity.
