Desperate season destined unless Everton address defensive dearth

Luke Garbutt, an England Under-21 international, joined Championship club Fulham on a season-long loan and it is unclear whether Everton have a recall option on him. Teenager Brendan Galloway thus got the nod over Costa Rica’s Bryan Oviedo, who has completed 90 minutes in the Premier League just twice since returning from a broken leg.

An untried youngster or a player Martinez has mainly used off the bench stepping into Baines’ berth only adds to the defensive woe. Despite the fact that 21-year-old Stones is a regular, there are just two fit senior players that are natural fits for the Toffees back four at present.

Club captain Phil Jagielka and his lauded centre back partner were culpable for both Watford goals, and no credible cover. Martinez previously insisted: “We will never bring a player in for the sake of it and to fill a position.”

Recruiting defenders would serve a purpose, as it would create a sense of competition which is completely lacking at Goodison. Martinez recognises this: “What is clear is we need to bring in three players to get the squad in the shape we want to face the competition.”

Who, then, can come in and rescue a threadbare Everton rearguard? River Plate left-footer Ramiro Funes Mori has been mentioned in dispatches and is highly rated but, at 24, is yet to make the big move to Europe.

Celtic star centre back Virgil van Dijk is another linked with the Toffees yet, like the above, he would be making a huge step up from the Scottish Premiership to Premier League level. It’s a pity fellow Dutchman and free agent Ron Vlaar is sidelined because his English experience would be beneficial.

“I feel we will be strong when the window closes,” added Martinez. “We will make sure we are ready for the big test. We are looking for the right characteristics and we will work extremely hard until the deadline.”

Everton have it all to do over the next few weeks and, if they don’t get some players in to reinforce a defence that kept just 10 Premier League clean sheets last term, they will struggle. Relegation odds of 20/1 don’t seem all that outlandish.