No More Everton Incomings as Sam Allardyce Admits Blues' January Business Is Done

Sam Allardyce has dropped a major hint that Everton's January transfer business is done despite the club's desperation for a new left-back.

The 63-year-old spoke to the press (via Liverpool Echo) ahead of Saturday's home game against West Brom and was quizzed on whether more incomings could be expected at Goodison Park.

Allardyce has bolstered his squad with the arrivals of Cenk Tosun and Theo Walcott this month as he seeks a way to end the Toffees' lack of goals in recent matches, and fans had expected a new full-back to be brought in as back up for the injured Leighton Baines.

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Allardyce, however, dampened hopes of that happening as he explained that he would now need to trim his senior ranks to reduce the bloated feel of a 33-man squad.

Big Sam said: “No, I don't think so. We would be more in the terms of where we are at the moment (be looking for) moving players on.

“The squad is too big. There are 33 players here at the moment and from my point of view reducing those squads numbers is important for me.

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“We don't know who those players are because you are waiting for other clubs to show an interest, but moving a few players on is the order for us.”

Cuco Martina has deputised for Baines during his two-month spell out with a calf strain, but the right-back has looked less effective in recent weeks in a position unfamiliar to him.

Instead, Allardyce must look to ship out players who won't feature regularly under him, with the likes of Davy Klaassen, Muhamed Besic, Sandro Ramirez and Aaron Lennon all tipped to depart the Blues.

It is the last of that quartet who is drawing major interest from Newcastle and Burnley, but Allardyce decided to forego confirming the winger's departure - albeit temporarily - as reports suggested a loan move away could be on the cards for Lennon.

He added: “I don't know. That lies in the hands of the chairman and Steve (Walsh) the director of football. They handle all that side of it, those negotiations if and when they go on.”