He has been on the lips of some, in the background now, for a few weeks.
So when Rico Lewis emerged on Wednesday as a player Everton are considering in their hunt to finally solve their long-standing right-back issue, it was not particularly surprising.
I won’t pretend to have in-depth information, but there had certainly been murmurings. How much weight one chooses to place on those rumours is up to them, of course, and as ever in what has become known as ‘silly season’, it’s best to take everything with a large dose of salt.
Everton are in a tough position when it comes to finally signing a right-back — albeit, it is an issue all of their own making.
In my opinion, the player needs to be ready to slot straight in. No bedding in time, at least when it comes to being ready to play from the off. Of course, there’s always off-the-pitch settling to take into account, especially if players are coming from abroad.
While that shouldn’t mean Everton throw too much money at a right-back, I don’t think they’re in a position to penny pinch, either.
There has been plenty of talk over Guela Doué and Djed Spence — two right-backs who the club certainly hold an interest in. Both have seemingly been given high price tags by their clubs.
As I have written previously, I think Everton will likely have to take a gamble. At 23, Doué, if he is their first-choice target, could be worth the outlay. But, he is also being linked with Inter, and may not be persuaded to join Everton.
Spence would likely be an easier sell for the player, and he offers a versatile option with plenty of top-level experience, as he has proven with England at the World Cup. But, Tottenham are reportedly asking for upwards of £35M for him, and that is simply too much, especially considering his wages will not be small.
But in Lewis, were Everton to be able to strike a deal, could they stumble upon the ideal solution?
It is easy to forget that Lewis is still so young. He’s just 21, and already has 116 senior games under his belt for Manchester City.
Lewis has scored 7 goals and provided 12 assists, and is capable of playing at right-back, left-back and in midfield. He is an England international.
Yes, he found himself out of the first team at Man City last season, but there is absolutely no shame in that. He is a top-quality talent and not only has vast potential, but has proved it already.
The key for any player coming in at right-back will be that they must play, if all is equal with their fitness and form. There cannot be any excuse for David Moyes not to play this new addition, for him to stick with the tried, tested and ultimately failing, Jake O’Brien at right-back experiment.
Everton clearly want a right-back, but the fanbase need that assurance of a player actually coming in.
Lewis, in my view, is an ideal fit. A player who Moyes would be happy to turn to, yet also one who has enough strings to his bow to be adaptable for other managers. You don’t play for Pep Guardiola without being a top-class operator.
The one concern, especially for Moyes, would be his height — he is only 5ft-7in. But frankly, Moyes should not be leading the decision-making here, and the fact is, Lewis is a far better full-back than any of Everton’s current options.
There is a rumoured fee of £30M, and yes, while that is on the high side, he is so young, and comes with an English premium. This is not a past-it player signing for a last big pay day, and Everton aren’t in a position not to spend a sizeable fee on a right-back this summer.
Man City, according to the rumours, would not be closed off to a sale, so there could be something there.
Whether anything comes of it, we’ll have to wait and see, but if a deal could be struck (perhaps one that is heavily incentivised), then it would seem to be a no-brainer.
Reader Comments (44)
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()
2 Posted 16/07/2026 at 10:48:34
3 Posted 16/07/2026 at 11:19:07
Due to his versatility at both right- and left-back, I think if we could get a right-back and Spence, we would have full-back positions covered.
4 Posted 16/07/2026 at 11:20:26
Editorial Team
5 Posted 16/07/2026 at 12:00:00
You seem to have gotten stuck there somehow. But fear not: I have unstuck you.
6 Posted 16/07/2026 at 12:00:17
Probably just wait for Spence to turn us down.
7 Posted 16/07/2026 at 12:01:25
Editorial Team
8 Posted 16/07/2026 at 12:07:43
You might need to log out and log back in again for things to reset.
Sorry about that.
9 Posted 16/07/2026 at 13:06:56
The agents and players must be a nightmare to deal with to get definite yes or no with price, wages, length of contract, agents cut etc.
Is Patterson that bad, he's a mystery to me, he has seemed OK when he's been picked or maybe I'm a bad judge.
Only five teams conceded less goals than us last season and only five scored less, so you can put that down to Moyes or the players or a bit of both.
10 Posted 16/07/2026 at 13:08:38
21 years old, value only going up, actual right-back. If the price is right, get him in!
11 Posted 16/07/2026 at 13:17:26
12 Posted 16/07/2026 at 13:41:33
So this may be a non-starter...
13 Posted 16/07/2026 at 13:53:26
Pep even changed Nunes into a full-back (not his natural position) and kept Rico out of first-team action.
14 Posted 16/07/2026 at 13:55:34
But, are we still keeping our powder dry, as some posters have suggested, or are we actually going to bring players in to improve? Not only the team, but the squad???
If we keep our powder dry for very much longer... we will, once again, be scratching around the bargain basement market.
15 Posted 16/07/2026 at 14:08:09
My worry is, Pep played Nunes at right-back, and he's a midfielder?
16 Posted 16/07/2026 at 15:25:31
But as Andrew says @12, Rico feels he still has place at Man City and is confident he will get future chances there.
17 Posted 16/07/2026 at 15:45:51
If they had to push him back into midfield for odd games, O'Brien could be okay there, but not on a regular basis.
18 Posted 16/07/2026 at 16:20:22
O'Brien should never play right-back ever again. Just stop it.
19 Posted 16/07/2026 at 16:35:06
Discipline was not his strength, went forward a bit much and left positional responsibilities. He is young though and perhaps the Pep revamp was not quite worked out.
Lewis also rejected a loan move to us when he obviously was not going to play much that season. I'm not sure he is that into a move here.
20 Posted 16/07/2026 at 16:55:09
21 Posted 16/07/2026 at 18:28:15
I didn't even know he was a right back. A make up the numbers, a drift through a game and does absolutely nothing.
Please don't encourage Moyes with this crap. What next, pineapple Phillips?
22 Posted 16/07/2026 at 18:32:53
Mark Messi, stop the crosses, not fucking rocket science, is it? Ricko Lewis, anyone wanting that nonentity, give themselves a very large wobble.
23 Posted 16/07/2026 at 18:39:12
If you signed 2 of them, you are covering a lot of bases, upgrading Mykolenko, filling the holy grail right-back position and having cover at both full-back positions.
Lewis could play right-midfield, right-wing too, especially in a Moyes system where wide men need to be up and down and help defending too.
People saying £30M for these level of players is too much, are just not realistic.
A full-back ready to slot in at a good level won't be less than £25M; if it's £15M - £20M, it would either be on potential (so maybe not ready) or never going to be top quality or on the way down in their career.
Look at Anderson to Man City -- Nottm Forest paid a chunk at $35M, but look at the player he is now and the fee Man City stumped up. Spence & Lewis could both go on to be top players.
£35M is now the new £10M bargain of 10 years ago!
24 Posted 16/07/2026 at 18:47:47
Spence is a bum.
Lewis is a...
Read above.
25 Posted 16/07/2026 at 19:00:05
26 Posted 16/07/2026 at 20:36:48
Wasn't the Anderson deal done during the World Cup?
Or maybe we are lining up a few of the French players and just waiting for that pesky third place play off game to get finished?
27 Posted 16/07/2026 at 21:29:59
Young, experienced, came from a big club. I hope we get him.
28 Posted 17/07/2026 at 07:01:16
Based on these figures he would definitely improve our squad and his flexibility could prove invaluable if we continue with a smallish squad next season. He would play in the first team and not be a bench warmer like Aznou and Dibling are likely to be.
This would give us yet another Lee Carsley coached under 21 player. Guess who is out of contract June 2027 ? That's right, it's Lee Carley. Is it written in the stars ? We already have Dibling, Hackney, Garner, Branthwaite, and George. Also we are linked with Delap and Horton - Cuffy. Both of whom played for Carsley. Is this the grand design. A group of youngsters to be Managed by Carsley from July 2027, when the Moyesiah has left.. I expect Harrison Armstrong to be the next Blue to play for the U21s, under Carsley too.
Just think,
Pickford, Lewis, O'Brien, Branthwaite, Aznou, Garner, Hackney, Dewsbury -Hall, George, Dibling and erm Delap.
Subs, Harrison Armstrong, Rohl, Mykolenko, Tarks, Murphy plus 3 others.
I see light at the end of a dark, dark tunnel or is it my new anti depressants ?
29 Posted 17/07/2026 at 08:03:00
30 Posted 17/07/2026 at 08:10:30
From France we've been mentioned in despatches regarding Doué, and from what I read that Mbappe chap could be a useful addition from the subs bench in the last 10 minutes of a game. For the othe 80 minutes he could teach Dibbling French for his future move to PSG. 😂
31 Posted 17/07/2026 at 08:54:01
32 Posted 17/07/2026 at 10:52:16
In Coleman's last 4 seasons, has played 2 games. Last season, he never lasted 90 minutes. The season before... 3 games, never lasted 90 minutes. Season before, 5 games, never lasted 90 minutes. Season before, 7 games.
It's funny how we have a problem at right-back, is it not? This guy has caused this problem and should've been sent packing long ago. But, as someone told me, he's good for Everton in the Community... Don't make me laugh.
33 Posted 17/07/2026 at 10:53:05
34 Posted 17/07/2026 at 12:04:43
Sadly, what you're saying is a load of rubbish because you know it's not going to happen -- even though we all know your right.
Everton have so far spent £16M on Hackney and I like him. But two £30M+ players? You're having a laugh...
Everton owners are never going to spend big money, and they have not said they will, so stop tormenting yourself, David.
Jack Convery @28.
Probably the worst post I've ever read. If Moyes played that team, we would be relegated by Christmas absolutely. Keep taking the tablets, Jack!
35 Posted 18/07/2026 at 05:27:37
36 Posted 18/07/2026 at 05:44:20
It was Chairman Bill who once said you don't have to spend £30 million to buy a £30 million player.
If the cost is paid in installments is that reduced figure the one that's counted in the PCR calculation? Maybe, as only a portion is actually spent and the rest goes into future debts. Does amortisation play any part in the calculations?
So three £30 million pound players paid for over 3 years is only £30 million added onto our costs (plus wages of course).
I reckon this is where our newly recruited negotiation team is going to make their mark, in the wheeling and dealing. Which of course might see us walk away from some deals that we would have liked to have happen player wise but the bean counters couldn't make work money wise.
37 Posted 18/07/2026 at 07:52:18
38 Posted 18/07/2026 at 08:28:04
You don’t have to own your own training ground you know…. Just sell the one we “own” for around £10/14 million, and rent one at extortionate rates instead.
A very innovative deal cried the Liverpool Echo, when Liverpool City Council, got involved, but the innovation shown by Mr Kenwright, was not designed to help Everton football club, it was clearly only designed to help the master of deception himself.
I’m gutted this World Cup, is nearly over because I’m going to have to start looking towards Everton again, and if I’m being honest, the club I’ve loved from the minute I stepped inside Goodison Park, all those years ago, currently bore me to fucking tears, unfortunately 🥲🥲
39 Posted 18/07/2026 at 08:31:47
40 Posted 18/07/2026 at 08:45:42
41 Posted 18/07/2026 at 10:49:16
Garner I'm sure would be a good right-back but surely wasted there? No disrespect to all right-backs out there.
42 Posted 19/07/2026 at 02:10:57
Didn't he get a call up to the England squad because of his midfield performances?
43 Posted 19/07/2026 at 02:23:16
44 Posted 19/07/2026 at 03:55:54
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.
How to get rid of these ads and support TW
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 16/07/2026 at 10:40:25