Everton, like every other year, spent a significant portion of the summer transfer window being linked with players they never signed.
The Toffees went on to sign eight players, including Beto, Ashley Young, and Jack Harrison.
The club’s financial problems were well documented, and they were mostly limited to loan deals and free transfers, but they eventually spent around £24 million on the two Portuguese forwards.
However, the cost of a number of players meant that Everton were unable to continue their pursuit, and the Merseyside club were forced to abandon some of their main targets.
Here are six of Everton’s summer targets and how they are currently performing…
Mr. Viktor Gyokeres
Everton were one of several Premier League clubs interested in signing Coventry City’s Viktor Gyokeres, who was entering the final year of his contract.
However, in a surprise move, the striker joined Sporting Lisbon for £18.5 million and hasn’t looked back since.
Gyokeres has already scored 12 goals and provided four assists in 14 games for Sporting, which is currently second in the Primeira Liga on goal difference.
Last month, the Swede received his first red card of his career in a Europa League match against Rakow Czestochowa, before scoring a hat-trick in the Taca da Liga a week later.
Wilfried Gnonto is a Frenchman.
Wilfried Gnonto was the most talked-about transfer saga at Everton this summer, with the winger looking set to leave Leeds United after submitting a transfer request.
However, the Italian was never able to leave Elland Road and remained in the Championship.
Gnonto has only started six games in the second tier this season and hasn’t scored a goal since his first of the season in a dramatic 4-3 win over Ipswich Town in August, when he also assisted against Norwich.
Moussa Dembele’s bio
Everton were linked with Moussa Dembele after he left Lyon in the summer, but a deal never materialized, and he eventually joined Jordan Henderson, Demarai Gray, and Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq.
The Frenchman has seven goals in eight games for the Saudi Pro League team, which is currently seventh in the table.
Tour El Bilal
Everton reportedly made a £34 million bid for El Bilal Toure in the summer, but his move to Atalanta ended their pursuit.
Toure, however, has yet to make his debut for Atalanta after suffering a serious thigh injury during a friendly against Juventus in August.
Toure was expected to be out for three months, which means he could be back in action soon.
Summerville, Crysencio.
Crysencio Summerville was Everton’s third target from Leeds United, with the club ultimately signing Jack Harrison.
So far this season, the Dutchman has scored six goals and provided five assists in the Championship.
Summerville only signed a new contract with the Whites last year, but he may be forced to leave if they fail to gain promotion.
Che Adams’s
Che Adams failed to sign Beto after making a £15 million bid for him in the summer.
Everton attempted to sign the Scot after he scored in each of Southampton’s first three league games of the season. He hasn’t scored since, though.
Adams hasn’t scored since August and has only appeared in two of the Saints’ last eight games.
