Silva explains logic behind Everton’s transfer activity

Marco Silva pretty much had a set transfer plan when he took the job at Everton, and stuck to it throughout the summer transfer window.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Liverpool Echo, the Portuguese manager spoke about how he went about identifying the weaknesses in the squad, where he wanted to focus and who we wanted to bring in to correct those areas. Along with the Blues scouting squad under the guidance of Director of Football Marcel Brands, he was able to address the needs and delivered the squad we are seeing today.

“I was clear with Marcel, with our Board, with our owners and with our chairman, that to sign somebody we have to be clear that they are coming here to improve us - and for the positions that we really need.

”We cannot sign eleven players. It is not our way and it doesn’t make sense in my opinion to come in and try and change everything in one month or two months. We have to go step by step.

”I analysed our squad and I knew who our targets were and what we needed for what positions. I was clear.”

That step-by-step approach was very clear as Silva went about solidifying the defence and adding teeth to the forward ranks, and was even able to add some midfield depth in the form of Andre Gomes.

”When you come in and analyse a squad, you already have one idea - and I had that idea when I did my homework. But after you come in everything is different when you start to work with those players, when you start to see them in competition with each other.

”You see how they react when they didn’t achieve a good performance, how they react when they perform well. Just training and playing with them and being in charge of them means you can get to know your players better.

”I analysed our squad and I knew who our targets were and what we needed for what positions. I was clear.”

As for the signings themselves, Silva spoke about the method to his madness for each player the Blues added.

“Since the first day I came here, Lucas Digne was my first choice for that position; Richarlison I don’t need to say any more about, I took him to my previous club as well and it was amazing to achieve a player like him because we spent big money on him.

“Kurt Zouma I know very well and he is a player we had in our mind as a possible solution on loan. And Bernard, everyone knows him of course. I know his coach well, he is a Portuguese coach and he is one player I had in my mind as well.

”The other two? Of course one is a Portuguese player (Andre Gomes) who I know very well and it was a matter of getting him into a good physical condition. He is strong in his mind as well and I am sure he will help our squad like we need. We are happy with our midfielders of course but he can give different things for us.

“And Yerry Mina? We have to see how he can adapt to this different type of football but for sure he will play when he is in a good physical condition and when he has adapted to this type of football because it is different.

”But at the end this is what you want. When we sign five or six players, maybe one or two need more time to adapt, but the others have to come in and show what we expect, and believe me we expect good things.

“Of course we are happy with them, but believe me Lucas can improve even more, Zouma for sure, Bernard is just starting now and Richarlison is a young boy. The other two will show good things as well.”

Before the season started Brands had talked about the importance of hitting on transfer signings, and set the bar pretty high for himself by saying that if a club signed ten players, the expectation was that at least eight or nine of them play big roles. So far, every one of the additions that has seen the pitch has made a significant contribution. If both Gomes and Mina can also have an impact then Everton can consider the summer window to have been perfect on the incoming side, to match the excellent work done shifting deadweight out of the club.