New ToffeeWeb columnist Matt Gill looks at five players 
David Moyes would do well to sign

 The Matt Gill Column

In my first column here on ToffeeWeb, I will look at what I consider to be the five most realistic players David Moyes should look at signing this summer and why we should sign them.

Alex Manninger

It's quite obvious that Moyes is on the lookout for a new 'keeper due to the unconvincing displays from Paul Gerrard and Steve Simonsen.  Out of those two, I believe Gerrard is the more likely one to be offloaded and Simmo will be kept to fight for his place in the side. 

The Blues have been linked with almost every available 'keeper in recent weeks but I believe Manninger would be the right option.  Firstly, there is his experience playing in a top Premiership side: Arsenal; also, at Arsenal, he got to work with arguably the best 'keeper in the country over the last ten years: David Seaman.  Manninger is also fairly young which is something I believe Moyes is looking to bring to the club rather than some of the ageing has-beens that have been on our books over the last few years.

Gavin McCann

A few eyebrows may be raised at this one, but I believe it would be the right choice.  McCann recently turned down an extension to his current contract at Sunderland.  Since he left Goodison for the Stadium of Light, just after Walter Smith's arrival, he has proved what a mistake Smith made in not only letting him go, but also letting him go for the mere sum of �300,000.  While he may now cost a few extra million to bring back, I believe it will be money well spent.

He never wanted to leave Everton in the first place so he is first and foremost a true blue.  He's also still young and has time on his side.  I believe this, combined with the skills that got him an England call-up around a year ago, plus the fact that if you watch him play you can see he is a very good all round solid midfield player, means he would be a wise move for Everton.

Michael Duberry

Recently transfer-listed by Leeds United, I believe Duberry is the type of player Everton need to shore up their defence.  At 27, he is at the age where he should be fulfilling his potential and showing his former clubs, such as Chelsea and Leeds, why they've made a mistake in letting him go.  For his age, he also has a fair amount of European football experience and I believe would definitely help improve our defensive record; at �2.5M, he would be a very astute buy.

David Thompson

Another one who a few eyebrows might be raised at.  The Blues were linked with him a few months ago. Any Evertonians I spoke to at the time felt it would be a good move and wouldn't have any problems with him being an ex-red.  I feel that Thompson is a very underrated player and was surprised when Liverpool agreed to sell him to Coventry.

Again, like the other players I have mentioned, he is another young player who may feel he has something to prove.  He may not come cheap at around �4M but we could perhaps sign him in a part-exchange deal of some sort, or try to strike a deal based on appearances.  I believe he would fit right in to the Everton team and would give Moyes more options in midfield.

Darren Huckerby

A player who has maybe lost his way in recent seasons, after a big-money move to Leeds, he failed to hold down a first team place before moving on to Maine Road.  Huckerby is a player who would add some much-needed pace to our side and offer us something different up front.  At Coventry, he used to score goals for fun, and I believe is at the stage of his career where he should be looking to recapture the type of form that led to him being linked with big-money moves to a host of top clubs before finally joining Leeds United.

I'm not sure City are looking to sell him so again we might have to try and involve some sort of part-exchange deal with a player who is seen as surplus to requirements in the Everton squad, if we were to sign him.

Overall I believe these are the type of players Moyes is looking to bring to Everton, i.e. young, talented, hungry for success and while he may be operating on a shoestring budget I'm sure with a bit of wheeling and dealing we could definitely sign these 5 players and barring any bad luck with injuries etc it could result in an upturn for the fortunes of Everton Football Club.

Anyway thanks for reading

See ya next week

Matt Gill

24 May 2002