'My understanding is...' - Duncan Castles drops surprising Everton transfer claim

It was a busy end to the transfer window on Merseyside, with the blue half making two big signings and appointing a new manager.

The Toffees announced Frank Lampard as their new manager along with the signings of Donny van de Beek and Dele Alli to bolster their midfield options. Although both the Dutchman and Englishman have struggled for game time as of late, they both have the potential to be brilliant signings for Everton.

Despite the potential there, Duncan Castles wasn’t convinced that both midfielders should have been brought in.

He was on The Transfer Window podcast where he conveyed his opinion: “I’m surprised about that deal, in the sense that you’re taking a second player who often plays in the same position as van de Beek when finances are tight. Why not use that money for elsewhere in the team? But, the background to this is that Dele Alli’s deal to Everton was done by the same agents who did Frank Lampard’s deal to Everton and my understanding is it’s it was very much a joint package.”

TIF thoughts on the transfer business by Everton…

You can see why Castles would say that, but there’s nothing to stop them playing together in the midfield for Everton. Lampard has been known to play 433 and 4231 so he has options.

Van de Beek has played in all three midfield positions so could operate as part of a three or a two, while Alli has also played multiple positions, but more of an eight or ten.

So if Lampard was to deploy either of those formations he has used in the past, he can certainly accommodate both of them in the same team.

In other news, Sam Tighe on EFC squad

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