Carlton Palmer, while speaking exclusively with Football FanCast correspondent Tom Ward, has suggested Farhad Moshiri will block Carlo Ancelotti from making any further signings at Everton in January.

The Toffees majority owner sanctioned a high-spending summer under the Italian this year, as he welcomed James Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan and Ben Godfrey to Merseyside alongside a loan deal for AS Roma goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Ancelotti has since reiterated his belief that the renewed “atmosphere and spirit” at Goodison Park could spark a challenge for European qualification this season, something the former Chelsea and Real Madrid head coach set as his goal last term.

Everton began the season in fine fashion following the arrivals of Rodriguez, Allan and Doucoure with four straight wins, including an opening day victory over Tottenham Hotspur, while a draw at Liverpool instilled confidence in Ancelotti that the Blues “can compete” with the best.

But the Goodison Park natives remain heavily linked with potential January signings, with Juventus’ Sami Khedira, Real Madrid’s Isco, SSC Napoli’s Arkadiusz Milik and Brentford’s Ivan Toney among those touted for a future on Merseyside.

Yet Palmer would be surprised if Moshiri provides any further funds in January, telling Football FanCast: “I don't think Ancelotti will be allowed to sign any more players. He’s spent a huge amount of money.

“So, if I'm the chairman, Ancelotti has obviously had his wish list and I think the chairman's backed him 110%. And if I was the chairman, I'd be saying: ‘right, now you have to deliver. You're talking about Europe, you're talking about winning a trophy. I've given you all the players that you've wanted, and I've spent an awful lot of money’.

“I'll be very surprised if he's allowed to bring in another player in January, very surprised, without getting somebody out.”

Everton spent £21m on Allan, £20m on Doucoure and £20m on Godfrey while awarding Rodriguez a £90,000-per-week contract – in a deal said to have been free – already this year.

Moshiri has greenlit a vast array of expensive captures since his arrival at Goodison Park, with former head coach Ronald Koeman signing Gylfi Sigurdsson for a then-club-record £45m, Sam Allardyce spending £27m on Cenk Tosun and Marco Silva landing Richarlison in a £50m deal.

Silva followed up Richarlison’s arrival with the £34m addition of Alex Iwobi a year later, while handing Fabian Delph an £80,000-per-week contract after joining from Manchester City for £10m.

Moshiri would be well within his rights to ask Ancelotti to work with the weapons already in his arsenal, unless Everton Director of Football Marcel Brands can get value for those no longer needed.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti can reinvent Everton by buying a “hungry” 15-goal marksman who’s “similar to Zlatan”.