Published Jun 6, 2026, 8:10 AM GMT+1

Ethan is a feature and opinion journalist at Football FanCast.

He studied Football Journalism at the University of Derby, undertaking roles such as media assistant for Non-League side Mickleover Sports and EFL reporter for VAVEL.

Upon graduating in 2023, Ethan spent six months at GRV Media as a Premier League journalist, before joining FootballFanCast in February 2024.

Ethan is an avid Nottingham Forest supporter and season ticket holder, who also holds a keen interest in Formula One.

He covers a host of sides from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, to Leeds and clubs across the Midlands such as Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa. He particularly enjoys producing analytical content.

The Toffees have now gone nearly a decade without any form of continental football - something which is simply unacceptable for a club the size of Everton.

Relegation battles and points deductions have been frequent on Merseyside in recent years, but the future is certainly looking bright for the side under Moyes’ guidance.

However, if the Scotsman is to reach the next level during his time in charge, the Friedkin Group desperately need to put their hands in their pockets and spend big during the upcoming window.

Everton leading the race to sign £26m star this summer

Over the last couple of days, Everton have been linked with a whole host of midfield talents to try and bolster the heart of Moyes’ side for the 2026/27 campaign.

Watford star Imran Louza has emerged as one potential transfer target after he stated his desire to complete a move to the Premier League this summer.

The Moroccan international is said to be available for just £13m this window, but Fulham could be set to rival the Toffees for his signature in the months ahead.

He’s not the only player currently being lined up by the hierarchy at present, as Torino midfielder Cesare Casadei has also been touted with a move to Merseyside.

According to TuttoSport via Sport Witness, Everton are closely monitoring the Italian’s progress ahead of making a bid for the 23-year-old when the window opens.

The report also states that Brighton & Hove Albion remain interested in his services, but the Toffees are currently leading the race in pursuit of his signature.

The Serie A side remain reluctant to offload the Italian international during the upcoming window, but could listen to offers around the €30m (£26m) mark.

Why Casadei would be a better signing than Hackney for Everton

The hunt for a new midfielder at the Hill Dickinson has been far and wide to date, but the recruitment team have even delved into the Championship - subsequently targeting a move for Hayden Hackney.

The Middlesbrough star is set to depart his boyhood club during the upcoming window after their failure to secure promotion in the play-off final against Hull City.

However, a deal could be tricky to complete at present, with as many as seven Premier League clubs said to be monitoring the 23-year-old’s progress.

Moyes’ side are said to be leading the race for his signature at present, but a deal could cost as much as £30m during the upcoming transfer window.

His lack of Premier League experience could be a concern, but the same could be said for Casadei - who only made 11 top-flight appearances during his time at Chelsea.

Both players may be the same age, but the Italian has already enjoyed success in his career - as he won the Golden Ball award during the U20 World Cup back in 2023.

He’s been a constant performer in Serie A for Torino in recent months, as seen by his tally of six goals within his 33 league appearances during the 2025/26 campaign.

His underlying stats also highlight why he’d be a better signing than Hackney, with Casadei producing numerous stats that blow the Englishman out of the water.

The Italian, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by journalist Tom Overend, won 7.7 ground duels per 90 this season - a tally nearly two times higher than the Middlesbrough star.

His aforementioned tally ranks him within the top 5% of all midfielders in Europe’s top-five leagues - highlighting his dominant nature without the ball at his feet.

In possession, the former Chelsea star has also dominated, subsequently achieving a better shot on target accuracy rate - which could see him chip in with vital goals for the Toffees.

Casadei’s 54% dribble success rate is also higher than Hackney’s, which could see Moyes’ men land themselves a top-level box-to-box operator this summer.

£26m for a player of his calibre and potential would be a superb piece of business for Everton - especially if they are to reach the next level in 2026/27.

Hackney may be the club’s number one target at present, but the hierarchy should look past him and put all their efforts into securing a move for Casadei this window.