EVERTON 25/26 SQUAD ASSESSMENT PART 2: MIDFIELDERS. With Hayden Hackney's move from Middlesbrough finalized, Shan and Ryan dive straight into Everton's CAM, CM, and DM positions. In true Blue Frontier fashion, they build on the four needs laid out in Part 1 — more open play creation, better progression, stronger ball retention and press resistance, plus greater athleticism — then run the current squad through Wyscout indexes and on-ball metrics. We get into the rankings of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at CAM as well as James Garner at CM, and illustrate how the absence of a disciplined, ball-progressing six stands out clearly. They give a full breakdown on Hayden Hackney, balancing his elite progression and activity against high turnovers, risky decision-making, and what he will need to adjust from the Champtionship to the Premier League. Rumors around targets like Mandela Keita are weighed alongside free agents, relegated options, and data-driven names such as Hugo Larsson and Pablo Maia. With David Moyes locked into the 4-2-3-1, they assess fit, budget reality, and whether recruitment is finally targeting the right gaps.

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