Rating Everton's top ten most expensive signings ever - including £50m forward and ex-Arsenal winger
Everton have often splashed the cash on new signings in recent years
A new dawn is beginning at Everton and fans are beginning to grow optimistic that this could be a fruitful period for the club under David Moyes.
Everton spent several years fighting relegation battles, at an end of the table a club the size of the Toffees should never be aiming for. But Moyes returned to take charge after more than a decade away last season and the signs were there that things may be set to turn around.
At the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium, performances and results have continued on that same trajectory with successive victories leaving the Toffees in the unfamiliar position of the top five ahead of the international break.
Challenges for Europe used to be a regular occurrence for Everton in the Premier League era, before a series of poor signings and financial management were contributing factors to a gradual slip down the table. We decided to have a look at Everton’s 10 biggest signings of all time and how they did for the club.
Former Chelsea stars kick off top 10 biggest Everton signings
10) Romelu Lukaku: Now a veteran striker with vast experience in the Premier League and across Europe, Lukaku arrived at Goodison Park as a 21-year-old from Chelsea with bags of potential, for a huge £28 million fee in summer 2014. With 68 league goals for the club in four seasons ahead of a massive move to Manchester United worth up to £90m, Lukaku proved a great success on Merseyside. Rating: 9/10
9) Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: Also signed from the Blues, but eleven years later in the summer of 2025. Dewsbury-Hall has not yet had the chance to prove the difference he could make over a whole season but the early signs have been very positive. Rating: 6/10
8) Yerry Mina: Former Barcelona centre-back Mina joined from La Blaugrana for £28.5m in summer 2018, fresh off scoring three goals for Colombia at the World Cup in Russia. Though he showed his quality at times, Mina saw his Toffees career impacted by injuries. Rating: 5/10
7) Jordan Pickford: The England No.1 signed from relegated Sunderland for £30m in 2017 in what would prove a very shrewd bit of business. Everton’s poor league positions in recent years have clouded the fact they have one of the very best goalkeepers around. Pickford has made 322 appearances for the club and starred for England at several major tournaments. Rating: 9/10
6) Michael Keane: The former Burnley defender swapped Turf Moor for Goodison in 2017 and has remained at the club ever since. Though mostly being used as a back-up option in recent years, Keane has made over 200 appearances for the club, scored some important goals and earnt 12 England caps. Rating: 7/10
Everton’s top five most expensive signings ever
5) Amadou Onana: The Belgian midfielder signed as a huge prospect for £33m from Lille in 2022. Though he may not have lived up to his full potential at Everton, he showed enough of his undoubted talent to earn a £50m move to Aston Villa last summer. Rating: 6/10
4) Alex Iwobi: Now playing arguably the best football of his career at Fulham, Iwobi was a big-money signing under Carlo Ancelotti in 2019. His £34m fee from Arsenal may not have been truly justified but Iwobi won Everton Players’ Player of the Year in 2022/23 before completing a £22m move to Craven Cottage. Rating: 6/10
3) Tyler Dibling: The most recent signing on this list, Dibling signed from Southampton for £40m this summer. A 19-year-old talent with a very high ceiling, it will be intriguing to see how far he can go. He is yet to make his Premier League debut for the club. Rating: N/A
2) Gyfli Sigurdsson: Taking the silver medal is Sigurdsson, who signed for a huge £45m from Swansea City in an expensive 2017/18 for the Toffees. While he did show his quality at the club, Sigurdsson’s time at Everton was ultimately shrouded by some serious allegations in 2021 which meant the player was suspended and eventually released. Rating: 4/10
1) Richarlison: The Brazil international was a hit at Everton and remains the club’s record signing to this day. Arriving from Watford for a mammoth £50m in 2018, Richarlison reached new heights with the Toffees, who even earnt a profit on him when he moved to Tottenham Hotspur for £60m in 2022. The 28-year-old has now scored 66 Premier League goals overall and has certainly made a career for himself in the top flight. Rating: 8/10