One year after relocating to Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton find themselves at a crossroads — and not for the first time. The promise of a new era on the banks of the River Mersey is fading fast, replaced by a now-familiar anxiety that the club may be squandering yet another opportunity to break free from decades of underachievement.

Moyes's return: hope giving way to concern

When David Moyes came back to Everton some 19 months ago, the expectation was that his second spell would complete the job his first began. He steadied the ship ahead of Goodison Park's farewell season and, for a brief spell last campaign, the Toffees even entertained hopes of gatecrashing European football. They briefly had designs on the fifth Champions League place before a stoppage-time Merseyside derby loss to Liverpool halted their momentum. Everton then collected just two points from their final six Premier League matches, allowing clubs with fewer resources to surge past them.

Now, with an opening-day fixture against Crystal Palace on the horizon — a club that has thrived by committing to bold decisions — the signs of stagnation are already visible before a ball has been kicked.

Transfer window raising more questions than answers

Two of Everton's first three summer signings, Merlin Rohl and Tyrique George, are players who spent time at the club on loan last season. The pair arrived for a combined £36 million, yet fundamental squad gaps remain unaddressed. The search for a natural right-back to succeed the long-serving Seamus Coleman continues without resolution, with central defender Jake O'Brien being deployed there in a move that echoes Moyes's earlier use of Joleon Lescott out of position. Nathan Patterson, the only specialist in that role, has been sidelined from consideration since an incident involving former manager Sean Dyche at a training camp more than two years ago.

In midfield, Everton are equally exposed. Idrissa Gueye has departed, four years after returning to fill the holding role he left in 2019. James Garner is set to miss the Palace opener after undergoing surgery on a pre-season groin injury, while Hayden Hackney — last season's Championship Player of the Year — is still acclimatising following his move to the club.

Ndiaye's future casts a long shadow

The uncertainty surrounding Iliman Ndiaye adds another layer of worry. The forward, who scored the final goal in a men's match at Goodison Park and the first at Hill Dickinson Stadium, has made no secret of his ambition to play in the UEFA Champions League — a competition Everton are nowhere near reaching. Repeated attempts to extend his contract beyond its summer 2029 expiry have failed, and recent links to Al-Hilal suggest the situation is deteriorating. A reported £70 million sale would provide funds, but in the current market that sum carries limited reach — and Everton would lose their most dangerous attacker in the process.

Ownership questions linger

The Friedkin Group, who also own AS Roma, have drawn criticism from supporters frustrated by limited visibility and engagement. Nearly two years into their tenure, chairman Dan Friedkin has not attended a single Everton match. A statement by CEO Angus Kinnear describing the club's position as one of being 'happily dissatisfied' did little to reassure fans that meaningful ambition exists at the top. With Moyes now in the final 12 months of the contract he signed in January 2025 and no director of football in place — making Everton the only Premier League club without one — the structure underpinning the club's future remains worryingly thin.

Everton spent years fighting off relegation. Surviving that battle was only the first step. Unless the club uses this summer to address its structural and personnel shortcomings in earnest, the opportunity to restore one of English football's most storied clubs to genuine relevance may pass for good.