European Alphabet Challenge – Pre-season 2025/26 with Everton.
Hello again as I show you another edition of my European Alphabet Challenge, where I am now in pre-season in England with Everton. I joined at the start of August so I didn’t sell anyone, but I did bring three players in…;
So just three players in, but I spent £30m on one – the most I’ve ever spent on one player. So let’s see their profiles;
Francesco Bardi, Free Agent
I only had 1 goalkeeper so needed one, and Bardi is good enough backup for free. Rated 2 1/2 stars, the 34 year old has 29 caps for Italy and has 17 command of area, 16 one on ones and reflexes and jumping.
Sergo Shekiladze, £30m, Red Bull Salzburg
Like I said, my most expensive ever signing Georgian Shekiladze was signed for £30m from Austrain side Salzburg – at the time of purchase he was rated 5 stars but a lot of injuries so far this season has now made him 4 stars disappointingly. Has fantastic attributes, such as 19 passing, tackling, creativity, off the ball as well as 20 work rate and 16 marking and crossing.
Gianluca Vezzani, Loan UEOS £80k p/m, Juventus
My final signing was Gianluca Vezzani on a loan deal for the season from Juventus. He was brought in to provide squad competition especially as it is already quite small, and he is rated 2 1/2 stars with attributes such as 17 flair and 16 crossing & pace.
So there are the 3 signings – how did the friendlies go?
In the 3 friendlies I saw we played well, beating German side Furth 2-0 away before 2 excellent draws against Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid and Sevilla, 1-1 and 2-2 respectively.
