Everton Premier League 2015-16 preview: Roberto Martinez final transfer plans key to avoid failure

Last season:

Premier League: 11<sup>th

FA Cup: Third round

League Cup: Third round

Top scorer: Romelu Lukaku (20)

Summer's work

Gerard Deulofeu has returned to Goodison Park for a £4.2m ($6.5m) fee, which can be considered a bargain for a player once dubbed the next big thing to emerge from the prolific Barcelona academy. He had a complicated season last term on loan at Sevilla but during his first spell at Everton, he proved he had the potential to be whatever he wanted to be.

Manager Roberto Martinez has also secured the services of Tom Cleverley on a free transfer from Manchester United and David Henen from Olympiakos. However, the Spanish boss has confirmed the club still expect to make three more signings before the transfer window closes on 1 September.

Meanwhile, Sylvain Distin, Antolin Alcaraz, George Green and Chris Long have left the club, while Luke Garbutt, Francisco Junior and Jonjoe Kenny will continue their developments on loan.

Manager – Roberto Martinez

The 42-year-old garnered a reputation as one of the most prolific managers around Europe during his time at Swansea and Wigan, both for his attractive Spanish passing style and for winning the FA Cup with the Latics.

His debut campaign at Goodison Park confirmed those good feelings but he came under scrutiny in his second season, accused of being too rigid to succeed in the Premier League regarding the physical approach to the game. However, the Spaniard kept his job but faces a decisive season to prove the doubters wrong.

Key player – Romelu Lukaku

Martinez broke the bank last season to secure the services of Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis from Chelsea for around £28m but the Belgium international has so far failed to justify such a high tag.

He ended the season with 20 goals in the whole campaign but scored just 10 in the Premier League, five fewer than in his debut season at Goodison Park and seven fewer than at West Bromwich Albion.

Lukaku could do with more support up front but whether he manages to be close to 20 goals in the league will be key in Everton replicating the impressive 2013-14 campaign or failing like last season.

Expectations

Following an impressive fifth-place finish in Martinez's debut campaign at Goodison Park, the Toffees were expected to establish themselves alongside the Premier League elite last season. However, injuries and participation in the Europa League condemned them to the club's lowest league finish in nine years.

With no European football this season, the Toffees have no excuse not to reach the top 10 this campaign but whether they can chase for the European places again will probably depend on how good the "expected three new signings" are.

Martinez, meanwhile, has sent a clear statement of the club's expectations to be up there again after rejecting Chelsea's approaches for John Stones, including a £26m offer.

IBT prediction: 10th

Much will depend on the new signings but as thing stand, Everton still look far from the European places in the table.