Everton willing to wait for preferred right-back as transfer search continues

Everton are prepared to wait until the closing stages of the transfer window to sign their preferred right-back, with chief executive Angus Kinnear confirming that the position remains one of the club’s main priorities.

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, Kinnear acknowledged that Everton would have preferred to complete the deal earlier in the summer but said the club are determined to bring in the right player rather than settle for an alternative simply to fill the position.

Everton will therefore begin the new Premier League season without a new specialist right-back. Kinnear confirmed that no addition will be in place for the opening fixture against Crystal Palace, but expressed confidence that the club will strengthen the position before the window closes.

The situation has been one of the clearest unresolved issues in Everton’s squad planning. Jake O’Brien has regularly covered on the right despite being primarily a centre-back, giving David Moyes a functional option but not the natural profile the club ultimately want in the position.

Kinnear’s comments also offer a clearer picture of Everton’s recruitment strategy during the final two weeks of the market. Rather than moving down their shortlist in response to supporter frustration or the approaching start of the season, the club appear willing to accept a short-term gap if it improves their chances of securing their preferred target.

That approach carries an obvious trade-off. Everton enter competitive action without the specialist reinforcement they identified as a priority, but committing significant money to a secondary option could create a longer-term problem in a position they have been trying to address for more than one transfer window.

The need itself is not new. Everton’s lack of a natural long-term successor on the right side of defence was already one of the most obvious weaknesses in the squad heading into the summer, and the club have assessed several potential solutions without completing a deal.

What is clearer now is the hierarchy’s position. Everton still intend to sign a right-back, they do not expect the deal to be completed before the opening game, and they are prepared to wait for the player they regard as their first choice rather than force an earlier compromise.

The identity of that preferred target has not been confirmed by the club, leaving the final weeks of the window to determine whether that patience produces the upgrade Everton have been seeking.