Everton’s Director of Football, Marcel Brands, has revealed the Blues are not planning a significant overhaul this summer as they look to stay in line with Financial Fair Play.
The club have been widely tipped to go on something of a spending spree this summer as they look to improve several weak areas in the squad.
This was mainly due to the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, with reports around the time he joined indicating that owner Farhad Moshiri had promised the Italian funds and big signings to secure his move to Goodison Park.
Fuel was only added to the fire when Everton did not make any transfers during the January transfer window, adding to speculation that they were biding their time until the summer to make their significant investments.
However, Brands insists there will be no spending spree, which Moshiri has backed in the past, and it will instead be a case of improving a couple of areas.
“It won’t be a big-spending summer,” he told De Telegraaf.
“It’s not a question of ownership or wealth. As a club, you have to deal with the financial parameters of the Premier League.
“An owner can’t say I’m doing 50 or 100 million extra. It’s about the budget. You also have to deal with Financial Fair Play when it comes to investments.
“We’re in the final phase of renewing the selection. We’re trying to sell some players from the past with less perspective for Everton.
“A lot has changed already. We didn’t plan a transfer window this summer with five or six major purchases. We want to strengthen the team in two or three positions and have no extreme wishes. We are no longer in the phase of crazy names.
“Carlo Ancelotti and the owner are behind it. We have a trainer who knows the way to success. Now it’s just corona improvising. In the end, all efforts must lead to sporting success.”
The arrival of Ancelotti has undoubtedly changed the mood at Goodison Park, with the world-renowned coach causing a wave of optimism at the club.
There is now a belief that his knowledge and experience can prove crucial to getting Everton to where they want to be, competing for the Champions League.
That, of course, will require improvement in the squad, and it had been speculated that Ancelotti’s arrival could see several big names arriving alongside him.
The 61-year-old is undoubtedly accustomed to working with the best, with former clubs such as PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich all having splashed the cash during his time there.
And that was something which initially worried Brands, who was concerned that Everton couldn’t afford transfers like his former employers.
“He’s a wonderful man,” he added.
“I have previously worked with interesting and very experienced trainers, such as Martin Jol, Louis van Gaal and Dick Advocaat. Carlo is also such a coach.
“You’re talking about the currants in the porridge of top football. Carlo has won everything there is to win.
“Before he signed, I had conversations with him, and I was a little conservative. I knew where he’d worked and what purchases he’d made before.
“How’s he doing with Everton? Does he think he can do the same here? We don’t have that kind of ability.
“But he was behind the whole project from day one. He wants to help build. It’s a little different than he did before.”
