David Moyes Remains Hopeful Despite Everton's Deadline Day Frustrations

David Moyes cuts a frustrated figure as the dust settles on a chaotic deadline day, but the Everton manager insists his depleted squad still has enough to stay clear of a relegation scrap.

The transfer window closed with more exits than arrivals at Goodison Park. A late push for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun collapsed in dramatic fashion, while Iliman Ndiaye departed for Manchester City. What’s left is a squad stripped back to the bare bones: just 18 senior outfield players, and only one recognised striker.

Speaking before Sunday’s visit of Manchester United, Moyes did not hide his irritation.

“Disappointed we didn't do more business, disappointed things didn't go our way in the end,” he said. “But sometimes in football you have to live with disappointments and we will and we'll move on.”

The Balogun saga became the defining story of Everton’s deadline day. Monaco managing director Thiago Scuro revealed that the USA international himself pulled out of a return to the Premier League, unhappy with how he felt he had been treated by Everton.

An issue flagged during the forward’s medical prompted Everton to try to renegotiate aspects of the reported £40 million move. Both clubs were still ready to push the transfer through, but Balogun ultimately walked away.

“There were lots of different bits to it. It wasn't anybody's fault,” Moyes said. “Ultimately it happens in football a lot. The player had a problem in his medical and that was simply it.”

The failed move leaves Everton exposed in attack and has sharpened concerns over the season ahead. Yet Moyes refuses to frame the campaign as a fight for survival.

Everton flirted with a European push last season before a late slump dragged them down to 13th. That taste of the upper half has stayed with Moyes, who has been clear about his ambition since taking the job: this club, in his eyes, should be looking up the table, not over its shoulder.

“I'm getting too old now to be sitting around at the bottom end,” the former Manchester United manager said. “I've said that to the players here when I came in. The job is that we challenge as close to the top end of the league as we can.

“I've got to say, they've done a brilliant job of it last year, and I don't think we were expected to do so well as what we've done.

“I've got to hope that we can do that again. There might not be a great expectation on us at this moment in time, but behind the scenes I'm rallying them.”

The squad may be thin and the margin for error even thinner, but Moyes has nailed his colours to the mast. With United coming to town and a long season ahead, Everton now have to show that belief is more than just talk.