Ronald Koeman’s Everton beat the Dutchman’s former employers Southampton 3-0 on Monday to start 2017 with an important three points in the Premier League.

The Toffees ended 2016 with a disappointing 2-2 draw at bottom side Hull on December 30, but they soon picked up their eighth win of the campaign as goals from Enner Valencia, Leighton Baines, and Romelu Lukaku got the better of Claude Puel’s Saints.

It means that Koeman’s men are seventh in the Premier League, a point clear of West Brom, yet nine points behind sixth place Manchester United, who themselves have also put a decent run together in recent weeks.

Thus, if Everton want to be challenging for the European places, Koeman will likely have to dip into the January transfer market in a bid to strengthen his squad ahead of the second half of the season.

The Toffees have made some excellent buys in recent winter windows, yet they have also made some bad ones, and here are their TOP THREE worst signings since the window was introduced in 2003…

Lacina Traore

You know a bad January signing when the vast majority of fans can’t even remember a player playing for their side.

That is likely said of Lacina Traore, who signed on loan for Everton back in 2014, yet played just twice for the Toffees over the course of the second half of the season.

Although he did net on his debut against Swansea in the FA Cup, the Ivorian made just one further appearance in his time on Merseyside, and that was in their final league game of the season against Manchester City.

He did injure his hamstring in the February which ruled him out for some time, yet Everton fans would have been hoping for more from their forward, especially given that Monaco had spent £14 million on him just a few weeks earlier.

Apostolos Vellios

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5-g2pcAyXI

Now of Nottingham Forest, but once of Everton, yet Apostolos Vellios had a torrid time at Goodison Park earlier on in this decade.

The Greek international had moved to England from Iraklis in January 2011, and made a solid enough start to life in the Premier League by netting three times in the early stages of the 2011/12 campaign, but from then on he never nailed down a regular spot.

Vellios was often playing for the reserves during his time at Goodison Park, and he ended his Everton nightmare in 2014 by permanently signing for Belgian side Lierse.

Oumar Niasse

Senegalese international Oumar Niasse arrived at Everton last year amid much optimism, but it hasn’t worked out well for the striker.

Roberto Martinez spent £13.5 million on the Lokomotiv Moscow forward, having netted 13 times in 23 games for the Russian outfit, but he made just seven appearances and didn’t net for Toffees in the second half of last season.

This season has been even worse, as Niasse is not in Koeman’s plans at Goodison Park, and was actually demoted to the Under-23 squad in October.

He’s likely to leave this month in what was £13.5 million not well spent by the Toffees.