With the 2026 World Cup done and dusted, the return of club football is back on everyone's minds.
Pre-season preparations are under way and we want you to have a think about Everton's squad.
Tell us one player you would like to move on this summer and one realistic target you want the Toffees to bring in before the transfer window shuts.
Image source, Getty ImagesThirty-four years ago a £13m transfer caused national outrage in Italy.
When AC Milan signed Gianluigi Lentini from Torino in 1992 for a then world record fee, newspapers called the deal "obscene", while the Vatican's official newspaper described it as "an offence against the dignity of work".
Today that fee would barely register among the Premier League's biggest transfers.
This summer alone Chelsea have agreed a club record £117m deal for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, Manchester City paid Nottingham Forest £116m for Elliot Anderson, and Tottenham spent a club record £100m on Sandro Tonali.
These are not the only major deals. Tottenham also agreed an £85m move for West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, Barcelona paid £69m to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United, and Manchester United spent £50m on Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos.
It is the first transfer window in Premier League history to produce three £100m-plus signings - and there are still weeks to go before deadline day on 1 September.
During the 2025 summer window English top-flight clubs spent a record £3bn.
So why are transfer fees continuing to climb? Why are clubs paying record sums for players already playing in England? And why are more clubs willing to sell some of their biggest stars?
Read more here on the big spending taking place in the Premier League
Phil McNulty
Chief football writer
Image source, Getty ImagesIliman Ndiaye is one of Everton's biggest assets and was at the centre of transfer talk before the World Cup.
He made an impact at the tournament with a spectacular strike after coming on as a substitute in Senegal's 5-0 win against Iraq. They reached the last 32 before losing 3-2 to Belgium.
It remains to be seen whether the World Cup reignites speculation, but Everton will hope it stays quiet as Ndiaye is arguably their most creative player.
Idrissa Gueye, Ndiaye's Senegal team-mate, had his Everton deal expire at the start of July, so is effectively a free agent.
All talks on his future were shelved until the end of the World Cup, so a decision on the 36-year-old's next move will be made soon.
Nathan Patterson played for Scotland at right-back, but he has failed to convince manager David Moyes that he should be a regular starter at Everton.
The Toffees are actively pursuing targets in that position, so Patterson could yet be on the move before the start of the season.
Image source, Getty ImagesEverton's first pre-season game saw Beto, Dwight McNeil, Thierno Barry and Harvey Foster find the net in a comfortable 4-0 win at Dundee.
"A stadium full of fans, to be with the first team is the stuff of dreams and to score is just an add-on," Foster told club media.
The Liverpool Echo's Everton correspondent Joe Thomas talked to BBC Radio Merseyside's Total Sport after the win, which saw James Garner, Jarrad Branthwaite and Hayden Hackney all fail to appear.
"No reason to be concerned over Branthwaite and Hackney," Thomas said. "Garner is the only injury concern, he's reported a complaint in his groin which will be assessed over the next few days.
"It's a scoreline that certainly flatters Everton. They were 1-0 up at the break and all three goals in the second half were pretty much directly caused by mistakes from Dundee's substitute goalkeeper. Overall this was a pretty decent run out against a team that have already started their season - Dundee have already played two cup games.
"To come through it so well will give David Moyes a lot pleasure as will the performances from several of his key players."
On Merlin Rohl playing right-back, Thomas added: "He did reasonably well. He wasn't tested so much defensively. He showed what we all know him to be, a very competent footballer. He does have a turn of pace which is useful. But it's obviously not his best position. It's another case of Everton playing a square peg in a round hole at right-back, as has happened for most of the last four years. He did relatively well and it's still relatively early in the transfer window. It's a position Everton are treating as a priority. I have said this before so I have to be too careful not to be too naïve but I just cannot see them not addressing the right-back situation this summer.
"You just have to think there's so much to be gained from what is a relatively straightforward problem to solve you would hope.
"I know if you spoke to fans they would talk about a striker. Beto and Barry got 17 Premier League goals last season. As a tally it wasn't that bad but they just missed too many opportunities in big games for anyone to be too comfortable with them. I spoke to Moyes at the end of last season, he thinks there's something to work with."
Everton could rival Inter Milan in the race to sign Tottenham's 25-year-old England defender Djed Spence. (Football Insider), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Image source, SNSDundee's Idris Odutayo (right) holds off Everton's Tyler Dibling
Everton consigned Dundee to a heavy defeat in Saturday's friendly at Dens Park.
Beto struck to give the Premier League side the lead at the break.
Thierno Barry scored Everton's second after his block on goalkeeper Harrison Sharp's clearance looped into the net.
Harvey Foster and Dwight McNeil added late goals for the visitors.
Summer signings Zan Besir, Owen Bevan and Idris Odutayo started for Dundee and recent recruit Alan Forrest came on at half-time.
Image source, Getty ImagesWith pre-season officially in full swing, we asked you to tell us what you're looking forward to about club football returning.
Here are some of your replies:
Kieran: I'm looking forward to getting back to my seat, catching up with the folk sitting around me, and for football to be on an actual Saturday at 3pm! Monday night football is so overrated.
Bob: The international break so that I have an excuse not to watch us again!
Paul: I'm excited to see the best goalkeeper I've ever seen in an England and Everton jersey back in action. Sorry Big Nev [Neville Southall], but he is a different generation to when you played. By the way, I'm 64 so I've seen some fantastic goalkeepers.
Thomas: My concern is that we really need a proper right-back and a good striker, but we will probably leave it until the last minute and miss out.
Lewis: Away days.
Graham: The football season is like life. It's full of hope and expectation. Anything is possible, dreams can happen. Then you find out it's not that easy, some poor decisions and the expectations change.
Freddie: Everton is a great team full of mysteries. I will enjoy next season with Grealish (hopefully), George and more! If we make it to the top 10, it will be a great achievement for Everton. And we have the players to do so! COYB!! See you in the next season!
Image source, Getty ImagesIn the latest episode of BBC Radio Merseyside's Everton A to Z, we have reached the letter J.
Paul Salt, Ian Kennedy and Phil Munns discuss former Everton players, Phil Jagielka, Andrew Johnson and Franny Jeffers in the A-Z of Merseyside Sport.
On former captain Jagielka, who spent 12 years with the Toffees, Munns said: "He came along for a modest fee of £4m from Sheffield United and at first it wasn't clear if he was going to be a central defender or holding midfielder.
"It took him a little while to get going but once he did he just turned into one of the finest central defenders I've seen pull an Everton shirt on.
"He was really quite something. He was good in the air, his speed was underrated, and when you have the complete physical package as well as the talent you are something to behold."
Listen to the full episode below or on BBC Sounds
The World Cup has done a fantastic job of filling the Premier League void, but there is nothing quite like club football.
As the tournament in North America heads towards its climax and England supporters' disappointment sinks in, there is an Everton fanbase waiting for the 2026-27 season with anticipation.
So, it has got us thinking: what are you looking forward to most about club football resuming?
Everton are considering a move for Manchester City right-back Rico Lewis, with Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Fulham also interested in the 21-year-old Englishman. (Teamtalk), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Everton have stepped up their long-standing interest in Genoa's Brooke Norton-Cuffy, 22, with fresh talks having taken place over a potential move for the England Under-21 defender. (TeamTalk), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesEverton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford says England have "mentality in abundance" and are "ready for the challenge" of playing reigning world champions Argentina for a place in Sunday's World Cup final.
The Three Lions face the holders in Atlanta on Wednesday (20:00 BST), with the other semi-final between France and Spain taking place on Tuesday (20:00).
"We have the togetherness and mentality to play against a top nation," said Pickford. "It's always a competitive game and we look at the route and the upsets.
"It is the top four nations in the world playing against each other in a semi-final.
"This is our moment to play against Argentina and reach the final. You have to be proud to get here and be ready for the challenge.
"I've watched football all my life and you know all the players. They have very good individuals and they are a very good team.
"Like the manager [Thomas Tuchel] said, we have mentality in abundance. We are not the finished article and we want to keep working hard.
"Everyone will talk about [Lionel] Messi as he is one of the GOATS of the game. We have so much ability in our squad, and we also have that resilience and mentality."
While Messi is Argentina's main threat, Pickford warned against ignoring the other talents in Lionel Scaloni's side.
"He has scored so many goals and contributed to so many over his career. It's great to finally come up against him after so long, and watching him as a kid," Pickford added.
"We all know how good Messi is, but we also know how good Argentina are. We can't solely rely on [stopping] Messi. We've got to focus on their other strengths and the weaknesses we can take advantage of."
When the World Cup ends, regardless of who wins, we'll still have loads of great content every day as we build up to the new Premier League season.
We're already working on some exciting new things for 2026-27.
As well as all the fallout and reaction to the tournament, we'll quickly shift back towards club football, with pre-season coverage and all the latest transfer gossip and stories.
BBC Sport and teams across BBC Nations and Regions cover all 20 Premier League sides and we have dedicated club reporters, who will be travelling to bring you behind-the-scenes insights from pre-season tours.
We'll also have live pages for selected pre-season matches, as well as in-depth features and storytelling, giving you the latest updates before the new campaign.
Once the World Cup ends, some of the standout players will be hot property in the transfer market, with top clubs chasing their signatures.
Our reporters, including senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel, will be breaking the big transfer stories on our website and app.
We'll also have our daily transfer gossip column, wrapping up all the rumours from across the football world.
For fans of World Cup Predictor, a new weekly game will be launching immediately after the tournament, with five fixtures a week to predict the outcomes of. You'll be able to build up your streaks and share your results with friends and family.
Our quizzes will also continue to be available to play so you can test your knowledge of the beautiful game.
Our new Shorts tab in the BBC Sport app will be the home of sport videos with content throughout the week from your club, including explainers, pundit analysis, interviews and behind-the-scenes content. We'll also be starting to include more reaction from fans so you can see the latest hot takes and debate the biggest talking points from your club.
Live pages are going to get bigger and better with more interactive elements, more conversation and improved functionality. They'll have BBC Radio 5 Live audio commentaries for the Premier League and Champions League, as well as live video for FA Cup.
Remember, the best way to get all of this content is to download the BBC Sport app and follow your favourite teams and sports using the My Sport tab.
Once you've set this up, you'll have quick access to those pages at the top of your Home tab and we'll be able to serve you better, more personalised, experiences in future.
And when following your Premier League team, from the start of the 2026-27 season you'll also get Live Notifications, which give you score updates directly on your phone's lock screen during a match.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on which players you're most excited to see in action during pre-season.
Here are some of your comments:
Ian: I'd like to see all the players that didn't get a look in last season given starts and time - Adam Aznou, Tyler Dibling, Charly Alcaraz etc. Their confidence must be shot to pieces.
Rob: Braiden Graham. Outstanding prospect. Seems to be a natural goalscorer and needs to be tested at first-team level.
Harry: I'm going to the Newcastle game at Murrayfield and I'm really excited to see, hopefully, Jack Grealish back in action and, again hopefully, two full-backs. The atmosphere with the Newcastle fans should make it a great trip.
Kieran: Hayden Hackney is the one that I'm most excited about - it's a huge step up for him, but I have no doubts he'll take his chances well. There's certainly a player there.
Ross: Keen to see the new boys of course, but also keen to see Dibling perform with a full pre-season behind him.
Graham: Graham would be good to see in action, plus Aznou and Dibling (if they have futures at the club). Also, Tyrique George will be interesting to watch and see what he brings.
Everton want to sign 31-year-old Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy, who has one year left on his contract at St James' Park. (Talksport), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Pre-season is just around the corner and the Premier League returns in less than 50 days.
Here is Everton's pre-season schedule - with kick-off times in BST.
18 July v Dundee (A) - 14:00
25 July v Bolton (A) - 15:00
28 July v Stoke (A) - 19:45
1 August v Hamburg (A) - 16:00
8 August v Stuttgart (A) - 16:00
12 August v Newcastle (Edinburgh) - 17:15
15 August v Lille (H) - 15:00
Which players, including young prospects from the academy, are you most looking forward to seeing in action?
Image source, Getty ImagesPlenty of players have made names for themselves at this World Cup, from goalkeepers like Cape Verde's Vozinha and Paraguay's Orlando Gill to New Zealand midfielder Elijah Just.
But though they might not have been familiar to fans, the extent of modern scouting means clubs all over the world will already have known about many of them – so how have their heroics at the tournament affected their standing in the game, and their value in the transfer market?
More than the Score's Mani Djazmi is joined Ben Littlemore from Transfermarkt, one of the world's foremost football databases. Lutz Pfannenstiel, sporting director at Aberdeen, also shares his footballing knowledge in today's episode.
Jordan Pickford's authenticity is key in his success for club and country.
That's the view of Dr Gillian Cook, an expert in athlete performance from a psychological perspective.
Cook is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Performance Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University and has worked with elite athletes.
She told BBC Radio Merseyside: "What I love seeing when I watch Jordan Pickford play is his psychology, his personality.
"He is himself and I'm really keen that players don't try to be a certain mould. He is who he is so he's not having to waste any mental effort on trying to be someone else.
"He is shouting, commanding his box and that's what you want from a keeper. You want them to be looking out for threat all the time and you can see that from research, that the psychological profile of goalkeepers and defenders is different to a striker.
Hear the full interview below or listen on BBC Sounds
Image source, Getty ImagesEverton are hopeful a number of changes at the club's academy will "drive standards" and "create a culture where players and coaches can fulfil their potential".
The adjustments have been overseen by technical director Nick Cox.
Deam Rastrick - who became academy director in June - and arrives "with a truly exceptional CV", says Cox.
Cox told evertonfc.com: "We've spent the last six months conducting a strategic review of our Academy structure and these changes and appointments are part of that process.
"Our focus is on building an outstanding learning environment that is challenging, nurturing and supportive. To achieve that, it's essential we identify and empower leaders who can drive standards, and create a culture where players and coaches can fulfil their potential.
"Dean's arrival is key to that vision. He arrives with a truly exceptional CV. His extensive experience across respected youth systems - including Norwich City, Tottenham Hotspur, Luton Town, and Derby County - alongside his impactful work with the Premier League's Professional Game Academy Audit Company (PGAAC), gives him incredible insight and expertise in all aspects of player development and driving Academy excellence."
As part of the changes and working within a structure lead by Rastrick, Carl Darlington has become Everton's head of academy coach development, Dave Hughes joins the club in the new role of head of academy player development, Ben Dickson has been promoted to head of academy recruitment and Nick Chadwick has been appointed PDP senior coach & loans programme manager.
Paul Tait has left the academy after 16 years, vacating his role as under-21 head coach, with Hughes inheriting the responsibility as part of his head of academy player development position.
Cox added: "I'd like to thank Paul for his passion, dedication, loyalty and commitment during his time at Everton, and everyone at the Club wishes him all the very best for the future."
Image source, Getty ImagesIn the latest episode of BBC Radio Merseyside's Everton A to Z, we have reached the letter I.
Paul Salt, Mike Hughes and Chris Coughlin discuss current Everton assistant manager, and former player, Alan Irvine, in the A-Z of Merseyside Sport.
On Irvine, Hughes said: "Everton signed him from Queen's Park, he was an amateur, came to Goodison in 1981, he made his debut in I think it was either against AC Milan or Inter Milan or he certainly made his debut pre-season in you know a famous old stadium with a massive attendance.
"I remember him saying he'd gone from playing for Queen's Park where there's a few hundred watching or a couple of thousand and all of a sudden he's playing for a high-profile team like Everton and welcome to sort of life at the very top level.
"If you look at him as a player, he was a really talented footballer and a very unlucky footballer in a lot of respects because he was in the Everton team when the big change happened, when Everton went from being a team that looked as though they could be heading towards a really dark and desperate season and it ended up with Everton, despite playing in front of a really disgruntled crowd against Coventry City on New Year's Eve 1983, they began 84 with a couple of very, very important victories.
"He was in the team and scored one of the goals for Everton in a famous 2-0 victory, third round of the FA Cup, away at Stoke City. This was the game where Howard Kendall - he opened a window in the away dressing room and you could hear the atmosphere in the background. The talk was 'listen to this, go out and do it for these people'. That was a turning point. Irvine played a role in every one of the FA Cup games except the final.
"The player that kind of put an end to his career at Everton is one of Everton's greatest ever players, certainly from that team, Trevor Steven."
Listen to the full episode below or on BBC Sounds
Everton want to sign 25-year-old England defender Djed Spence from Tottenham (Athletic - subscription required, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Everton fan and BlueRoom podcaster Warren Doyle believes Tyrique George showed a lot of "potential" during his loan spell with the Toffees and hopes he gets a lot of game time next season after sealing a permanent move.
Doyle told BBC Radio Merseyside: "I am pleased. I think we would've liked to have seen more of him last season. I think when he came in he showed real glimpses, real promise and I think a player as well we have possibly lacked down the years - a fast, direct winger.
"I was fortunate enough to go to the away game down at Fulham, he made his debut that day, came on and he changed the game. He didn't score or create an assist but just his presence, his pace and the fact he was something a bit different than what was on offer at the time on the pitch.
"He really did make a change for us and I think in glimpses he really has shown that he has potential.
"I think for the cost we've paid for him, I know it's going to maybe add up to £24m with all the add-ons but the initial cost... I think if you're looking at a young prospect for less than £20m that we've paid up front, I think that at the moment represents really good value for Everton.
"The type of profile he is as well - young player, a lot of talent. It's the type of signing that I hope Everton are going to be making.
"I'm happy with it, excited to see what he may bring in the future. I just hope he gets a lot of game time next season."
Listen to the full interview below or on BBC Sounds
Joe Thomas: 'Overall, a pretty decent run-out' Audio, 8 minutes
The Liverpool Echo's Everton correspondent Joe Thomas on the Blues' 4-0 win over Dundee
A-Z: Kendall, Kanchelskis and Kilbane. Audio, 16 minutes
The panel discuss Howard Kendall, Andrei Kanchelskis and Kevin Kilbane
A-Z: Jagielka, Johnson and Jeffers. Audio, 12 minutes
The panel discuss Phil Jagielka, Andrew Johnson and Franny Jeffers
Jordan Pickford 'not having to waste any mental effort' Audio, 5 minutes
Dr Gillian Cook explores the psychology behind Everton and England's number 1.
