Everton won’t be big spenders in January warns David Moyes

Nov 17 2012 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo

EVERTON won’t be able to spend big on transfers in January, warns David Moyes.

The Blues manager’s significant investment in players over the last 12 months is reaping rewards, with his side fourth in the table heading into today’s match at struggling Reading.

Having brought in Nikica Jelavic and Darron Gibson in January, the summer additions of Steven Naismith, Kevin Mirallas, Bryan Oviedo and Steven Pienaar have catapulted the club into Champions League qualification contention.

But, despite the £10m sale of Jack Rodwell to Manchester City in August, there will not be enough money to strengthen when the transfer window reopens.

“I don’t think we’ll strengthen in January,” said the Toffees boss, left.

“I don’t think we’ll be looking to do any business – not because we wouldn’t want to but I just don’t think we will have the resources to properly do it in January.

“I think we are quite short after our initial 15 players and that was shown when we gave the fringe players a run against Leeds in the Capital One Cup.

“That is a concern for me and I just don’t know if we will have enough numbers if injuries take too much of a toll.”

Despite those worries, Moyes is relishing the task of challenging for the top four.

Asked whether he was excited about this season, he said: “Quite, but not madly.

“We’ve only played 11 games and there are a lot of good teams below us – Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle – who could quite easily jump over us, and West Brom are having a great season as well.

“I am not going to say we have no chance because we have got a chance but the competition is really tough.

“For Everton, it is very rare for us to say we are having a good start.

“If we can have a second half to the season what we’ve had in recent years tagged on to this, then it could be an exciting season – but there are a lot of ifs.”