The Everton fans over by the bar here in the Transfer Tavern are relatively happy with their business in the transfer window just gone, and are hopeful of a successful season under new manager Ronald Koeman.
The club have signed players like Ashley Williams, Yannick Bolasie and Idrissa Gueye as they look to banish the dour last couple years of Roberto Martinez.
Certainly they seem to have settled in fairly quickly as the club have made a good start to this season, seeing them fourth with seven points from their opening games.
If they can continue in that fashion their fans will feel Champions League qualification could be on the cards, and you’d have to say that would be partly down to a good set of signings.
It hasn’t always been the case of successful dealings though as our landlord will tell you.
Here then, are THREE of the more questionable acquisitions the club have made in recent years. What were they thinking?
Oumar Niasse
When the only picture we have available here at the Transfer Tavern is of Niasse in his jeans and not in action on the pitch for the Blues, you don’t need us to tell you he wasn’t a major success.
Clearly bought to be a challenge to Romelu Lukaku for the second half of last season Niasse, simply couldn’t cut it and was a rather damning summary of Roberto Martinez’ final campaign in charge of the club.
Lacina Traore
The lanky frontman made just one appearance for the Toffees during a loan spell that beggared belief.
What the club thought they were getting was a powerful striker who could dominate defences.
Instead they got someone completely immobile and couldn’t finish.
He never got going at the club but to be honest he was never good enough to even do so – a mad signing.
Antolin Alcaraz
Part of the Wigan side that eventually got relegated Roberto Martinez made the mind-boggling decision to bring him along to the Toffees.
He barely made an impression ahead of Phil Jagielka and the emerging John Stones before moving on to Las Palmas in 2015.
Now at Libertad which tells you a lot about where his career has gone.
Martinez made some shocking signings and this is definitely up there.
