Everton’s big buys are not untouchable
EVERTON caretaker manager David Unsworth claims price tags will not mean anything to him when he picks his team. The Toffees invested heavily in their squad during the summer as former boss Ronald Koeman — sacked on Monday — splashed out £140million on new recruits. However, striker Wayne Rooney was the only outfield player signed by the Dutchman that Unsworth picked for the first game of his temporary stint — a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in the Carabao Cup. Unsworth left out £45m playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson and £23.6m midfielder Davy Klassen. When asked if Everton’s big-money buys will get any preferential treatment, Unsworth made his stance clear. ‘Not at all. It is just a number,’ he said of tomorrow’s trip to Leicester. ‘The players don’t determine that either. I will always pick what I believe is the strongest team to win. It doesn’t matter if they are new signings, or if they have come through the ranks.’ Some of Everton’s squad did not see eye to eye with Koeman but all of them will start afresh under Unsworth. He added: ‘That is always the case with a clean slate when someone leaves and a new man takes over. ‘I think there will be players that are happy the manager has left because players want to play. Some will be disappointed because they will wonder whether they will now be in the starting line-up. I think, as a team, everyone has more to show.’ Unsworth also confirmed Ross Barkley could return in three weeks after his hamstring injury. But Seamus Coleman and Yannick Bolasie remain ‘months’ away from playing again for the club. Midfielder Idrissa Gueye is poised to sign a new five-year contract.