Summer of growth is vital to Blues' squad numbers

SPOTLIGHT ON PLAYERS WHO CAN STEP UP AND GIVE MOYES A BOOST

- By JOE THOMAS

With so much work to do at Everton, much of the focus is on incomings.

Of the players who ended last season in David Moyes' first team squad, just 13 are contracted beyond July.

Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gueye would take that to 15, should they sign the extensions offered to them, though Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Michael Keane look increasingly likely to leave.

There is, of course, room for promotions with young goalkeeper Harry Tyrer currently the second most experienced keeper at the club and teenager Harrison Armstrong having returned from his successful loan spell at Derby County.

But not everyone has a clear pathway next season despite the need for numbers.

With that in mind, here's a look at some of the players whose summer could be more intriguing than first meets the eye.

Nathan Patterson

Nathan Patterson has been unfortunate at Everton.

There were high hopes when he joined that he would be the long-term successor for Seamus Coleman.

Injuries have dogged the right-back though, and often cost him his spot when disrupting positive spells in the side such as when he started the campaign in the first XI under Frank Lampard three years ago.

Now 23, this has the feeling of a make or break summer for the Scotland international. Ashley Young has left the club and Coleman, even if he signs a new deal, is not expected to be the first choice in his position due to his own injury issues.

Moyes will look to sign a right-back this summer and, given he started Young ahead of the former Rangers man in the final game of last season, the addition will likely take the spot of being his main figure in that position.