July 2007
The players returned to training on July 1 and promptly departed for a three day camp in St Andrews as David Moyes set about ensuring the pre-season preparations were far from uneventful.
The £4m signing of Phil Jagielka from Sheffield United was completed on day two of the Club's spell in Scotland - with the versatile Yorkshireman joining up with the squad within hours of being unveiled at Bellefield.
A day after Jagielka's signing and Gary Naysmith's £1m move to Sheffield United was confirmed, with Richard Wright moving to West Ham on a free transfer.
There was widespread speculation concerning the players that would follow Jagielka into Goodison - but it wasn't until three weeks later that Steven Pienaar became the next addition.
His first training session as an Everton player took place in the shadow of the Home Depot Centre stadium in Los Angeles as the squad continued its jet-set preparations - having taken in a week in Florence as well.
The pre-season matches got underway with games played simultaneoulsy by a split-first team squad against Bury and Northern Ireland, winning them 1-0 and 2-0 respectively.
James Vaughan signalled his return to fitness in the Northern Ireland match - then promptly sustained a dislocated shoulder in a 1-1 draw at Preston on the eve of the tour of the USA, forcing him to sit out the action for three months.
The only defeat of pre-season was sustained in a friendly against Real Salt Lake in The Rice Eccles Stadium, with the Blues falling to a 2-0 reverse before returning to the UK and recording a creditable 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen as the season moved a step closer.
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