Frank Lampard making the most of Everton’s missed chance with Milan van Ewijk

Everton’s summer transfer window did many things right — but the one deal they didn’t complete is increasingly becoming the most painful. While David Moyes strengthened his squad with Jack Grealish, Thierno Barry and others, the failure to secure a new right-back has already forced Everton into a rotation of makeshift options. And to make matters worse, the player who slipped through their fingers is thriving under the man they once sacked.

Milan van Ewijk, heavily admired during Frank Lampard’s time at Everton, is lighting up the Championship with Coventry City. The Dutchman was a serious summer target, but Everton chose to prioritise other positions. Lampard, now leading Coventry to a stunning promotion charge, is squeezing every drop out of the full-back’s attacking qualities — a painful reminder of what the Toffees lack.

With Everton’s defensive creativity flatlining and right-back options offering minimal attacking output, van Ewijk’s rise is becoming one of the transfer stories the club may regret for years.

Lampard’s Coventry have stormed the Championship, sitting five points clear at the top with a goal difference of +27. A major reason is the electric form of van Ewijk, whose output rivals the division’s best attacking full-backs.

In 14 Championship games:

These numbers build on his earlier tally of 4 goals and 7 assists in 87 matches, proving his creativity is no anomaly.

Lampard has long valued full-backs who play like wingers. Everton fans only saw glimpses of that vision during his time at Goodison Park. Coventry supporters are enjoying the finished prototype.

Everton entered the summer with right-back as a clear priority. Nathan Patterson had not convinced as a long-term solution, Seamus Coleman was nearing the end of his career, and Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate lacked attacking threat.

Yet no signing arrived.

So far this season:

Coleman, now nearing the end of his deal and set to turn 38 next October, cannot carry the load indefinitely. Patterson’s development has stalled, and Jake O’Brien is better suited centrally. Everton urgently need a modern full-back capable of progressing play.

And van Ewijk fits that mould perfectly.

Everton’s failure to sign him stings for three reasons:

Lampard’s ability to unlock him only amplifies the frustration.

From following Everton’s tactical progression since Lampard’s dismissal, it’s clear the right-back position has been a recurring blind spot. In our view, failing to sign van Ewijk was not just a missed opportunity — it was a strategic error.

There is nuance worth noting: Everton did upgrade across other areas, and their defensive shape under Moyes has stabilised them. But the lack of attacking thrust from wide defensive areas limits their ceiling, especially against low blocks. Van Ewijk would have offered verticality, width and overload options the current squad simply cannot replicate.

If the Toffees want to progress from “stable” to “dangerous”, this is the profile of signing they need.

History shows that promoted Championship stars often move directly to Premier League clubs — James Trafford, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and others prove the pathway exists. If Coventry go up, a Premier League bid is not impossible but becomes more expensive and more competitive.

Everton may find themselves competing not with Coventry, but with clubs targeting European qualification. If that happens, they may have missed the window where they were favourites.

Everton will hope to strengthen in January, though right-back reinforcements may require a sizeable bid. Meanwhile, Lampard and Coventry continue their push for promotion — with van Ewijk at the centre of their success.

👉 Everton fans — should the club go back in for van Ewijk, or is it too late now?