How will the (second) David Moyes era at Everton be remembered?

Everton are one of the founding fathers of the first division, never relegated from the Premier League in its modern format, but it's been a long time since the Toffees tasted silverware, or indeed competed out in the Champions League.

Moyes' first stint at the Goodison Park helm raised the standards, but the regression under Farhad Moshiri and company over the past decade or so has led to a number of skirmishes with the relegation fodder in recent seasons.

Though the 63-year-old Scotsman has successfully taken Everton away from the bottom of the table, the 13th-place finish in 2025/26 was a result of poor end-of-season form. There are many issues to iron out, but Everton will not cross the next checkpoint without a top-class goalscorer.

Everton are hardly riding the crest of a wave under Moyes' wing, but the pervasive air of negativity has been increased by a poor finish to the campaign.

If the right tools applied in the right way, the Merseyside outfit could close the distance on those competing in Europe. Bournemouth, Sunderland and Brighton will all jet out to the continent next term; why should Everton view the European stage as unreachable?

They will, however, need to improve in attack, and that could demand an upgrade at number nine. Beto has been too poor for too long, and Thierno Barry has been inconsistent too after his £27m move from Villarreal in Spain last summer.

Barry, 22, scored eight times in the Premier League last season, but only in one match beyond January. He has lacked clarity and confidence at times, and Everton need to welcome a more confident frontman.

RB Leipzig want to sign him this summer, and it might just be that parting ways would be the right move for this Toffees team, who have lacked too much in front of goal over the past year to entrust the same options with starring roles.

According to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, that solution could come in the form of Levante striker Karl Etta Eyong, with the Friedkin Group eager to raid the Spaniards for another former Villarreal striker.

As per Jacobs, Etta Eyong is "prioritising a Premier League move", and the LaLiga side have been approached by Ipswich Town after their promotion from the Championship.

Everton appear to have opened talks with the Spanish outfit themselves, however, after lodging an enquiry, with the race now on for a player who could fetch as much as £30m.

Why Etta Eyong could be bad news for Barry

Etta Eyong established himself in La Liga last season, scoring seven goals and supplying four assists across 33 matches, 18 starts. He made "an incredible start" to the 2025/26 campaign, according to talent scout Jacek Kulig, and though he failed to sustain that fast form across the duration of the year, there's no question that he has a lot of potential.

Etta Eyong is not the finished article, and some Evertonians might be wary that Moyes and technical director Angus Kinnear are about to replicate last summer's deal by signing a similar striker, but content creator Seb Martin has projected Etta Eyong to become "the next £70m striker”, and the data backs that up.

Indeed, he ranked among the top 12% of positional peers in the Spanish top flight last season for assists, the top 14% for defensive contributions and the top 25% for ball recoveries per 90, emphasising a well-rounded skillset that will allow him to thrive in the Premier League.

With this in mind, he could have the different parts required to succeed in the English top flight, and he could prove an upgrade on the profligate Barry.

After the African Cup of Nations, the rising star has struggled to earn consistent minutes in La Liga, but this is all part of the process, and he is ticking all the boxes as he moves toward a potential future at the front of the Everton ship.

Would signing him come at Barry's expense? It might, but then Moyes needs to bring over players who can lift the Hill Dickinson up to the next level, and Etta Eyong could be the one to bring it into being.

As Leipzig maintain a push for Barry, Everton might be wise to let him leave. Spinning the wheel could actually see Moyes end up with the more talented striker, someone who can score goals but also thread Everton's build-up play together, creating a more coherent attacking unit.