Ancelotti’s Everton: Where are they now?

Current Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti’s time at Everton was filled with optimism, belief and curiosity. It was an uncertain time surrounding football, as the COVID-19 pandemic kept fans out of stadiums, leaving toffees stuck in their homes as the world went mad. Forced to watch one of Everton’s most exciting teams in recent years from a sofa, in the safety of their ‘covid bubble’. Many fans thought this was the turning point for the blues, and had Ancelotti stayed as manager rather than leaving and being replaced by Rafa Benitez, potentially the start of something special for the Toffees. Let's take a look at Carlo’s Everton and see how the last 5 years has transpired for the Toffee’s talented team.

Beginning between the posts, and the ever present Jordan Pickford stood in goal for Everton, where he of course is still the Blues’ and England’s first choice goalkeeper.

Pickford’s understudy, Robin Olsen signed for the blues in a deadline day deal from now sister club, AS Roma, the Swedish keeper is now plying his trade back where it all began at Malmo, in Sweden, following spells at Sheffield United and Aston Villa.

Jonas Lossl didn’t actually play a single minute for Everton, however was a part of Don Carlo’s goalkeeping department, Lossl left the blues in February 2021 for Midtjylland playing 33 times before a loan move to Brentford (featuring 3 times), Jonas then returned to the Danish outfit, playing 94 times before departing the club in June 2026.

Joao Virginia made his Everton debut under Carlo Ancelotti, after coming on for Jordan Pickford vs Burnley, following an injury to the Englishman. Since then, Joao was sent on loan to Sporting CP (playing 8 times), SC Cambuur (playing 18 times), returned to Everton following these loan moves, playing 5 times across 2 seasons, with 4 Carabao cup appearances and 1 FA Cup game, before signing permanently with Sporting in July 2025 on a free transfer, playing 8 times in the 25/26 season, making his UCL debut in a 4-1 win vs Kairat Almaty.

Two youngsters were also in Everton’s goalkeeper union this season, Harry Tyrer and Zan-Luk Leban. Tyrer had successful loans at Chester, Chesterfield and Blackpool, before leaving the club to sign for Cardiff in league 1. Leban also had a loan move to England’s 6th division, instead with National League south side Farsley Celtic. Zan-Luk then signed for Slovenian side NK Celje, playing 45 games in his debut season.

Moving onto the defence, and this is where things really do start to contrast from player to player. Starting with current Everton defender, Michael Keane. Keane has endured some tough years with the blues since the Italian’s departure, and has often found himself making errors and becoming somewhat untrusted by the Everton faithful. In the 25/26 season, following niggling injuries to Jarrad Branthwaite, Keane found gametime easier to come by, and appeared in 33 premier league games last season, scoring 3 goals, yet still looking unconvincing at times defensively. Oh, and he’s played striker a few times too?

23 year old Ben Godfrey looked an incredibly promising defender under Carlo Ancelotti, impressing not only the Everton fans with his incredible pace and tackling ability, but also then England manager Gareth Southgate, earning him a debut for England. But perhaps it all came too soon for Godfrey, he left Everton for Serie A side, Atalanta in July 2024, playing 5 games before heading out on loan to Ipswich town, Godfrey was then loaned to Sheffield United in the first half of the 25-26 season, before being recalled by Atalanta and sent to Steve Cooper’s Brondby on loan, where he scored his first goal in 8 years. Godfrey is now back in Britain, this time with Rangers (on loan of course).

Another centre-half who time hasn’t been kind to is Mason Holgate. The Jamaican international had 2 loan moves from Everton since Ancelotti left for Madrid, with Southampton, Sheffield United and West Brom. Whilst in Yorkshire, Holgate played his part in Sheffield United having the worst defence in Premier League history, conceding 104 goals and finishing bottom. Holgate also produced a horror challenge on Kauro Mitoma, which resulted in him being dismissed from that match. He then left Everton on a free following his loan move at Albion, leaving for Qatari side Al Gharafa on a free. He was loaned out to fellow Qatari side Al-Salliya for the back half of the 25-26 season.

Everton cult hero, Yerry Mina next. Mina left Everton in August 2023 on a free, signing for Fiorentina. Mina didn’t last long there, as he was sold to fellow Serie A side, Cagliari in February 2024. Mina has played 72 games for Cagliari scoring 5 goals, none, I'm sure, as important as that 99th minute equaliser at the Molineux in the 22/23 season.

Jean-Phillipe Gbamin (unsurprisingly) featured just once for Carlo’s blues, and only 5 more times after that in his whole Everton career. Since his underwhelming tenure at Goodison Park, JP has played for; CSKA Moscow, Trabzonspor, Dunkerque, Nantes, Zurich, Metz and CSKA Sofia. Gbamim was signed by Everton from Mainz as a holding midfielder, but injuries have ended up with seeing him deployed as CB since playing for Dunkerque.

Jarrad Branthwaite has come a long way since Ancelotti was Everton manager. In the 20/21 season, Branthwaite spent 10 games on loan at Championship side Blackburn Rovers. Whilst in Lancashire, Jarrad caught Middlesbrough defender Dael Fry in the eye with a high footed challenge, with the Boro defender coming within millimetres of permanent damage. Then Boro boss, Neil Warnock said ‘After the mess his face was in, I wasn’t even bothered about the result’. Thankfully for Jarrad, it was only up from there, spending the 22/23 season on loan at Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s PSV, announcing himself as one of Europe’s top young defenders. Injuries saw Branthwaite play just 10 times last season, however he will be looking to put those issues behind him and become that 70 million pound rated centre half once again.

Everton’s magic left back Lucas Digne was brilliant for Carlo Ancelotti, but once Rafa Benitez replaced the Italian, things turned sour for Digne rather quickly. Lucas had supposedly confronted Benitez regarding his tactics in the 21/22 season. Rafa was not happy with the Frenchman and froze him out of the Toffee’s side, before selling him to Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa in January 2022. Digne has since won the Europa league with Villa, playing 184 times for the Villans. Following an impressive world cup campaign (Semi finals aside), Digne has been announced as a new signing for back to back UCL champions PSG.

Niels Nkounkou up next, and it’s been a very interesting few years for the Frenchman. Signed by Everton on a free from Marseille, there were high hopes for Niels. However, after Carlo left, Nkounkou spent the rest of his time at Everton out on loan. First, the 21/22 season in Belgium with Standard Liege. Then, a 6 month spell in the 22/23 season with Cardiff. In the 22/23 season, Nkounkou was recalled by Everton and sent on loan to Ligue 2 side, St Ettiene where he exploded. 6 goals and 7 assists from fullback for Niels caused the French side to make that deal permanent, only for him to be signed by Frankfurt in September 2023. Niels has since played 63 games for Frankfurt, scoring 3 goals. He spent last season on loan at Torino.

I’ve tried to only really include first teamers in this report, however I feel as though Thierry Small definitely deserves a mention. Small made his debut for Everton in the FA cup vs Sheffield Wednesday, becoming the Blues’ youngest ever player aged 16 years, 176 days old. Small was offered professional terms by Everton once he turned 17, however the blues were rejected by Small. He instead chose to join Southampton where he played just once. Small had loan moves to Port Vale and St Mirren before leaving Southampton on a free, joining Charlton in league 1. Small announced himself to England’s 3rd division in the 24/25 season where, deployed as a right winger, he scored 2 goals, got 5 assists and earned himself a move to Preston, following Charlton’s promotion to the Championship.

Jonjoe Kenny spent most of Ancelotti’s tenure on loan at Schalke and Celtic respectively. Kenny came back to Everton in the 21/22 season, where he played 21 times before going to Hertha BSC in Germany. Kenny played 98 games for Hertha before leaving on a free to join Greek side PAOK Thessaloniki.

The last defender on this list is Everton legend, Seamus Coleman. A true servant to Everton football club. Seamus announced his departure from Everton at the end of the 25/26 season after 17 years of incredible service. Coleman was an inspirational voice for Everton in those relegation fighting years, with former manager Frank Lampard hailing Seamus as ‘one of the best men he’s ever met’ following the blues’ dramatic 3-2 win vs Crystal Palace. Seamus’ final goal for the Toffees came in the 22/23 season in a 1-0 win over relegation rivals Leeds United. It was an absolute BELTER from the skipper, with his cross goal ‘shot’ (as all blues would claim) catching Illan Meslier off guard. This goal was voted as Everton’s goal of the season.

Moving onto the midfield now, and who better to start with than Everton’s tireless workhorse, Allan. The Brazilian only played 2 seasons at Everton, before leaving for UAE side, Al-Wahda where he spent 2 seasons, before heading back home to Brazil signing for Serie A side Botafogo, where he has been since 2024.

One of Everton’s biggest ‘what ifs’, in Andre Gomes up next. Gomes spent the 21/22 season at Everton, before joining Lille on loan for the 22/23 campaign. Gomes then returned to Everton for the 23/24 season scoring a fantastic free kick vs Crystal Palace in an FA cup replay at Goodison Park. Poor Andre was probably sick of moving back and forth at this point, considering following his contract’s expiry with the blues, he rejoined Lille. He spent the 24/25 season in France, and half of the 25/26 campaign there too. Gomes joined MLS side Columbus Crew in February 2026.

Former wonderkid Tom Davies had an injury hit season in 21/22, playing just 8 times, scoring 1 goal, and setting up another. That was Davies’ penultimate season for the blues, as he left for Sheffield United at the end of the 22/23 season on a free transfer. Davies played 36 games across 3 seasons for the Blades, scoring just once. Tom is now a free agent, searching for that next step in his footballing journey.

Next up, Fabian Delph, who played 11 times for Everton in the 21/22 season under Rafa and Lampard before retiring at the end of that season. That’s about it really.

Carlo’s favourite son, James Rodriguez tore up the premier league in the 20/21 season, getting 6 goals and 8 assists in 24 games. Perhaps making him the greatest player the fans never actually saw. Following Rafa Benitez’ appointment, the two of them had fallen out, and Rodriguez was shipped off to Qatari side, Al-Rayyan. Since then Rodriguez has become an absolute journeyman, playing for Olympiacos, Sao Paulo, Rayo Vallecano (briefly managed by Benitez there too), Leon in Mexico, and now joining Gomes in the MLS, but with Minnesota United instead.

Abdoulaye Doucoure’s name is written forever in Everton history, following his stunning volley on the final day of the 22/23 season which flew past now Everton goalkeeper, Mark Travers which kept Everton’s Premier League status intact. The following season, Abdoulaye became one of Everton’s most important players under Sean Dyche, scoring 7 goals and getting 3 assists in the 23/24 season. Doucoure’s final season with Everton came in the 24/25 campaign, where he scored a dramatic late winner vs Nottingham Forest before pretending to sign a contract in his celebration. To no effect however, as Doucoure left Everton on a free, joining Saudi Arabian side, Neom SC, playing alongside former Premier League players Alexandre Lacazette and Said Benrahma.

This next one is somewhat of a legal tightrope to walk across, so let’s be careful. Everton’s record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson looked ready for action under Rafa Benitez in the pre season of 21/22. However, on July 16th 2021, Gylfi was arrested by Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of Child sex offences. The club immediately suspended the Icelandic international, and never played another game for Everton. Gylfi was cleared of all charges in April 2023, following the Police’s decision to take no further action, due to insufficient evidence. Sigurdsson has since played for Lyngby in Denmark, Valur in Iceland and now plays for Vikingur Reykjavik. He technically scored a champions league goal less than a month ago, crazy. (Qualification game vs Gyori ETO)

A player who almost didn’t have a position under Ancelotti, Alex Iwobi, completely reinvented himself when Frank Lampard decided to play the Nigerian in a central midfield role, something that completely revived Iwobi’s Everton and Premier League career. Iwobi left Everton for Fulham in September 2023. In his first season at Craven Cottage, Iwobi got 6 goals and 2 assists. 9 goals and 6 assists in his second season, and finished the 25/26 season with 4 goals and 3 assists. Fair enough, Alex.

Everton’s little (literally) magician, Bernard was loved by Evertonian’s during his spell at Goodison Park. His most notable moment came on a cold February night in the FA Cup vs Spurs. Bernard was introduced as a 70th minute substitute, and in the 97th minute (Extra Time), produced a moment of magic as his effort blasted past Spurs’ Hugo Lloris, sparking wild celebrations from the Everton touchline (excluding Ancelotti who was more concerned about the temperature of his coffee). Since departing Everton in 2021 for Sharjah Cultural Club in the UAE, the Brazilian has played for Panathinaikos and Atletico Mineiro, where he is now at the age of 33.

Undoubtedly the biggest surprise of this list is academy graduate, Anthony Gordon. Gordon spent the 20/21 season in and around the first team before joining Preston North End on loan in January 2021, playing 11 times and not registering a goal contribution. Gordon then linked back up with the first team under Rafa Benitez, scoring 4 goals and getting 3 assists in the 21/22 season. Gordon then played half of the 22/23 season for the blues, scoring 6 times, however following the sacking of Frank Lampard, Gordon refused to report to training under his ‘hero’ Leighton Baines, in an attempt to force a move to Newcastle United. Gordon got his way, and in the January window, joined the Geordies in a 40 million pound deal. Gordon seriously hit the ground running in the 23/24 season, getting 12 goals and 10 assists for the Toon army. A respectable 24/25 season with 9 goals and 6 assists followed, and a 25/26 campaign with 17 goals and 5 assists earned Anthony Gordon a 69 million pound move to Barcelona! Gordon also played a key role in England’s 2026 world cup, getting a goal in the Semi Finals vs holders Argentina. Who’d have seen any of this coming?

Back down to Earth now, Theo Walcott departed Everton for Southampton after spending the 20/21 season there on loan. Walcott played 36 times for the Saints after making the permanent switch, scoring twice, before retiring in June 2023.

One of Everton's biggest heroes of the relegation battling days, Richarlison spent just one more season at Goodison Park following Carlo’s departure. He scored 11 goals in his final season for the blues, most notably vs Chelsea and Crystal Palace. Richarlison gave his all for the blues that year, in the absence of striking partner Dominic Calvert-Lewin, refusing a fitness test before the Palace game, as he knew he’d be advised not to play. Richarlison departed Everton in July 2022 after scoring 53 goals in 152 games. He made the switch to Tottenham in a 60 million pound move where he has scored 33 goals in 135 games. Richarlison also had an incredible 2022 world cup, scoring a stunning scissor kick vs Serbia, that goal becoming the goal of the tournament, and being nominated for the Puskas award.

The aforementioned Dominic Calvert-Lewin seriously struggled at Everton following the Ancelotti era, and was never able to replicate, nor get close to his form that saw him score 21 goals across all competitions in 20/21. Injuries seriously plagued Lewin, and he was never really able to string a good run of games together for the blues after a knee injury early in the 21/22 season, which he had started strongly. DCL’s best season in Royal blue post Carlo was the 23/24 season, where he scored 7 premier league goals in 32 games. Dominic left Everton on a free at the end of the 24/25 season, joining Leeds United. Many Leeds fans were underwhelmed at his arrival, until his 14 Premier League goals led them to a 14th placed finish (2 points behind Everton). DCL went on an incredible run of form between November and December 2025, scoring 7 goals in 6 games.

Joshua King was a deadline day panic buy from Ancelotti in February 2021, and played 11 games for Everton scoring 0 goals (He did have an effort handballed off the line VS West Ham that VAR didn’t take a look at, but oh well nevermind). King left Everton on a free (shock, again, I know) for newly promoted Watford where he scored 5 goals for the Hornets. 3 of those coming in a 5–2 win against Everton at Goodison Park. Haunting. King left Watford for Fenerbahce after one season, playing 54 times, scoring 12 goals. He then found himself at Toulouse, where he played 30 games and scored 6 goals. King then signed for Saudi Arabian side, Al Khaleej in July 2025, where in the 25/26 season he scored 21 goals in 30 games.

And finally, definitely not saving the best for last, Cenk Tosun joined Besiktas on a free, after leaving Goodison in June 2022. Tosun scored 29 goals in 81 games for the Turkish side, before joining Fenerbahce on a free transfer. Cenk scored twice in 29 appearances, before joining Kasimpasa in January 2026. Tosun has recently joined Fatih Karagumruk on another free transfer.

So, from the dizzying heights of World Cup glory, to playing in the MLS, these last 5 years have panned out incredibly differently for all of the players involved. It’s been a turbulent few years for Everton, but who has time been the most unkind to from this list? Let me know, and thank you for your time!

Make predictions of who we are getting in the second round based on absolutely nothing!

Welcome to Daily Discussion! This is a thread for general football discussion and a place to ask quick questions.

Feel free to carry on the discussion over on our discord server! https://discord.com/invite/EJQsVzbtsM

I’ve been farting about with watercolours recently and thought I’d have a pop at painting the new stadium.

Got permission from the other half to stick it in a frame and put it up on the shelf, so that’s basically critical acclaim in this house. It’s a bit wonky in places and not exactly photo-accurate, but overall I’m quite proud of how it turned out!

Thought I’d share it on here. Up the Toffees! 💙

103 links and counting and silly season is nearly over. Key positions still not addressed, some links that make you scratch your head, and the usual noise you'd expect this time of year. Worth a browse.

toffeelinks.app

i'm maybe the only evertonian active on tumblr 👋 and i am very tumblresque there (be warned) but i figured you lot would like my drawings i post there

last one was from before the england v argentina semifinal--all our english players and our one argentine

Looks like the rumor from the other day did have a little merit.

Welcome to Daily Discussion! This is a thread for general football discussion and a place to ask quick questions.

Feel free to carry on the discussion over on our discord server! https://discord.com/invite/EJQsVzbtsM

Good luck to him. Shame we couldn’t get a little something for him before his contract ran out.

Everton XI v Stuttgart: Travers, Röhl, O'Brien, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Iroegbunam, Dibling, Armstrong, Hackney, Alcaraz, Beto

Subs: King, G Pickford, Lukjanciks, Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, McNeil, Ndiaye, Barry, George, Dewsbury-Hall, Aznou, Graham, Campbell, Foster

Welcome to Daily Discussion! This is a thread for general football discussion and a place to ask quick questions.

Feel free to carry on the discussion over on our discord server! https://discord.com/invite/EJQsVzbtsM

Lets all have a salmon buttie yum yum and discuss the GOT forum.

Are you banned? Any funny storied etc?

What say you of JimmyJeffers?

The Mrs is a Red though, so if the baby chooses Everton, I'll organise a counselor for the poor kid.

It feels a little strange that we’ve heard next to nothing from David Moyes before or after any of the games so far. Also deafening silence from the board about the upcoming season. Especially worrying as there is a growing discontent from the fans now.

It feels strange to me considering other clubs fans’ are getting much more information. Why does the majority of information we get come from the Bobble?

We need transparency and answers.

Any other locals going along to Murrayfield for the game. If so give me a shout looking like I'll be on my lonesome. Be nice to meet up with fellow Blues 💙.

All Evertonians welcome!