Everton can now finally axe Dyche’s “shining light”

Everton had a quiet January transfer window, bringing in just one signing, Carlos Alcaraz. Perhaps it is a bit of a surprise that the Toffees did not strengthen further, given their precarious league position. They sit 16th in the Premier League, seven points clear of relegation at the moment.

Reports did circulate that they made a late bid to try and sign winger Tom Fellows from West Bromwich Albion. However, reports from TEAMTalk suggest they never actually lodged an offer for the England under-21 international.

So, as it happened, Alcaraz became the only player the Merseysiders brought in during the January transfer window. He will certainly add strength and depth to David Moyes’ squad.

Why Everton signed Alcaraz

Everton brought their new versatile attacking option in on loan from Brazilian side Flamengo until the end of the season. There is confusion about the buy clause at the end of the loan, with the Toffees claiming it is an option, whereas Flamengo say it is obligatory.

Regardless, in the short term, the Argentine will provide lots of versatility and quality to Moyes’ squad in forward areas. With that being said, his contribution in Brazil has been slightly underwhelming. As per Fotmob, he has five goal contributions in 19 games for Flamengo.

The 22-year-old has previously played in the top flight, featuring for 48 games in total for the Saints. In that time, the Argentine managed to score eight goals and register five assists, which included a strike away to Arsenal in the Premier League.

The word versatility is one that springs to mind when you think of the former Saints man. He is able to play in a multitude of positions, including out wide on the left, as an advanced number eight or as a number ten.

Moyes could well see decide to start him as a number ten, or at least as the most advanced of the Toffees midfielders. That might mean he drops a player from the starting XI who has been a key player for the Merseysiders in recent years.

The Everton star who Alcaraz could replace

The player in question here is Abdoulaye Doucoure. Having played at Goodison Park for the past five years, he has had some memorable moments. According to Fotmob, the midfielder has played 155 games for the club and has 19 goals and 13 assists in that time.

His most recent strike, in the 4-0 win over Leicester City, was a record-breaker for an Everton player. He scored after 10.18 seconds, the fourth fastest in the Premier League, and the fastest in Everton’s history.

Yet, he has generally struggled for form in the 2024/25 campaign. Doucoure has played 23 times for the club across all competitions but has managed just one goal in the top flight and once in the Carabao Cup. Given his role is a box-crashing number ten, his goal contributions have arguably left a little to be desired.

Indeed, the stats from Doucoure’s campaign this season have been perhaps a little underwhelming. On average per game, he has created 1.01 chances and has 1.81 touches in the opposition box. With that being said, his work off the ball is impressive and includes 5.17 ball recoveries.

Once described as a “shining light” by former manager Sean Dyche, the midfielder has not quite been at his best this season. With the signing of Alcaraz, Moyes may well decide to drop Doucoure from the side and unleash the Argentine.

They will certainly play similar roles, but there is a trade-off to the swap. Whilst Alcaraz perhaps adds more quality on the ball, the Malian midfielder is brilliant out of possession. It is certainly a dilemma for Moyes, but maybe trailing their new addition in the side would be a good experiment.

The Scottish boss has a big call to make at the weekend, but Alcaraz will surely be pushing for a start and could stake his claim for a permanent place in the team with a good performance.