Koeman braced for a show of strength
RONALD Koeman is seen as one of the big winners of the hectic summer transfer window but the Everton manager admits it may be impossible to improve on last season’s seventh place.
The Merseyside club lost 25-goal Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United but invested his fee in eight new signings, six of whom will be on duty this afternoon.
Everton’s net spend is, in fact, still barely over £1million, although £50m-rated Gyfli Sigurdsson, and another big-name striker, would greatly increase that figure if Koeman signs them before the window closes.
But the manager concedes that, for all Everton’s shrewd business, it may only allow them to stand still, at least in terms of league position. “We can improve and spend money but everyone can improve and is spending money,” said Koeman.
“OK, I believe if we get the picture of the last season we are stronger, but being stronger than last season does not mean you will win against the big six because they also will be stronger than last season.”
His position has been hit by longterm injuries to SHREWD: Everton’s Ronald Koeman key players in defenders Seamus Coleman and Ramiro Funes Mori, plus midfielder Yannick Bolasie, but Koeman is more concerned about adding to a list of specialist forwards, which only consists of 22-year-old Spanish signing Sandro. Koeman clearly no longer considers returning star Wayne Rooney as an out-and-out striker. Mark Hughes has warned his Stoke side not to get dazzled in the spotlight of the Rooney show. “There’s going to be a lot of emotion around the game,” said Hughes. “We have just got to make sure we don’t get wrapped up in that.”