Everton's transfer chief David Moyes faces a new challenge after the permanent signing of Merlin Rohl, but the 24-year-old midfielder needs to be used to his strengths to reach his full potential. Rohl's first season at Goodison Park was mixed, but he ended the 2025-26 campaign strongly, scoring his first goal in the game against Sunderland in May. The midfielder joined Everton on an initial loan from Freiburg last summer, with the Toffees having an obligation to buy if he played a certain number of games. After making 20 appearances for the Toffees in 2025-26, that deal was indeed made permanent earlier this month. Ingolstadt, where Rohl started his career, profited from a sell-on clause in Rohl's Freiburg contract, receiving a "lucrative" sum of about £2.6m from his original sale to Freiburg in 2022. This windfall has landed Ingolstadt transfer chief Dietmar Beiersdorfer a nickname that roughly translates to 'Money-Making Didi'. However, at Everton, there is less reason to cheer about Rohl unless Moyes changes the way he uses the 24-year-old. Rohl is effectively at Everton by default due to the nature of last term's arrangement, and Moyes is already using him out of position, including at right-back this week. That says more about the failure to bring in a new player in that position more than anything. But Rohl needs to be used to his strengths - consistently, too - or else Everton will never get to see what he is truly capable of.
What happened?
Everton's transfer chief David Moyes faces a new challenge after the permanent signing of Merlin Rohl.
Why it matters for Everton
Rohl's permanent signing is a significant development for Everton, but the 24-year-old midfielder needs to be used to his strengths to reach his full potential.
What comes next?
Moyes needs to change the way he uses Rohl to unlock the midfielder's full potential and help Everton achieve their goals.
