Merlin Röhl says he is comfortable playing anywhere, and Everton have already used that flexibility in pre-season. He started at right back against Dundee, then played right wing-back and central midfield against Bolton Wanderers in Everton’s first two friendlies. David Moyes still has not settled the right-back question, so Röhl’s role remains fluid.

Röhl's view on the role

"I train everywhere," Röhl said. "Sometimes I train at right-back, sometimes on the wing." He added that the main job is to stay calm on the ball and improve enough that it "doesn't matter which position" he is in.

That sounds like a player happy to be useful, and it fits the way Everton have used him. Röhl also said he finished last season in the first team, starting the final four matches at right wing. He is not being pushed into a brand-new idea of football, just asked to keep adjusting to where the team needs him.

His own assessment of the role is practical. "It's always about the situation and how I perform in this one," he said. That is the right attitude for a squad player, but it also tells you Moyes has not closed the file on where Röhl belongs.

Everton's right-back search

The broader issue is still Everton’s right side. Moyes is leaning towards a choice between Röhl and Jake O’Brien at right back while the club search for a specialist in that area. Against Bolton, Everton used three centre backs with Röhl and Adam Aznou as wing-backs, which shows the manager is still testing shapes as much as he is testing individuals.

Röhl’s numbers suggest he has coped well enough with the shifting brief. He posted a 6.5 rating at Tottenham, then a 7.2 rating against Sunderland, his best listed recent game. He also played 62 minutes at Tottenham, so he is clearly still part of the plan rather than a name floating around the squad.

Everton made his loan move permanent for around £18million after Premier League survival triggered an obligation to buy, so this is not a short-term loan spell being patched together. The club have committed to him, and for now they are using him wherever he best fits the shape of the day.

The key point is that Röhl is willing to do it. Moyes is the one still searching for the final answer at right back, and that search is not finished yet.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →