Pienaar return close to completion?

If all of that happened I would be delighted. The icing on the cake would be Donavan on a permenant transfer and Anichebe to FC Timbuktu.

Or Wigan would do I suppose.

Yep John... If that happened this summer would be the best I can remember under Moys and surely too much to hope for! But I live in hope!

As I posted last night, a little bird tells me he is signing very soon indeed.

Certainly seemed from the way Moyes was talking that it was when and not if - 'we shouldn't expect him to play straight away as he has an injury' doesn't sound like the statement of a man who doesn't expect the player on his staff.

If we had Naismith, Pineear and Pranjic it would mean some options on the flanks again (although I think we'd all still like some pace Donovan/Johnson style - I'd certainly go for another, longer Donovan loan at the least). Hopefully we'll also be able to get Yobo out the club finally too (and wouldn't be terrible to see Anichebe leaving with him).

I was on PIenaar's twitter and his location is down as Liverpool, England and it states: Official Twitter Page of Everton and South Africa National Team Captain Steven Pienaar. He's on it Daily so I'm guessing he's hopeful or confident of being a Blue again soon. Hope so; he made such a difference last season.

If this is true it will be great to have him back. I thought in his last loan spell he improved his end product a lot, more goals and more assists. If he can keep that going for next season it will make a big difference to us.

I did bump into Yossi Benayoun in london the day after we got robbed at home by them with the goal that should of been allowed but wasnt, mentioned that he should join us, obviously them wise words are still ringing in his head.

Hope we get Benayoun - always liked him. He can do a shift on the left or right midfield which is just what we need.

Yes, get this deal done, be major for next season, he make us tick and makes us play, he's adored by us Evertonians, buy him Moyesie!

Can anybody else smell a rat? I would love to be an optimist with all these prospective signings but as pointed out previously even those signings that don't involve a transfer fee don't come for free, where have the club suddenly got the money for three signing on fees, plus salary plus the transfer of Peinnar? Even a conservative guess would suggest the club would have to part with at least 10 million, according to the contentious interview Kenwright gave last year he was begging the banks not to foreclose on us. Sadly it is going to take more than the sale of Yobo to balance these transfers.

Hmmm....doubt all of these will be coming true and to be honest i'm not sure I would want them to.

All good players but Pienaar, Pranjic, Donavan and Benayoun are all over 30 and I would prefer to bring in a younger player or two.

I still hear we are in negotations with Hoilett. Him and Pienaar would make me very happy indeed, maybe with Vic and Yobo leaving.

Benayoun would be a massive bonus; quality player with very little miles on the clock.

I was going to be even more negative Gareth and say that with many of those names able to play on the left side and with Garbutt coming through (hopefully) then it might mean the imminent exit of Baines. But I wouldn't be so negative to suggest such a thing.

I can't see the Benayoun rumours being true, he's far too similar to Ossie but worse in my opinion.

There are also whispers that we've been in talks with Junior Hoillet, if that's true and judging by the other teams rumoured to be interested in him (QPR, Sunderland, and Borussia Monchengladbach) then that could possibly be an excellent acquisition.

The team has been crying out for pace in the last third for some time, especially on that right-hand side. Pienaar, Hoilett, Rodallega and Naismith would turn us into a squad capable of challenging for the Champions League positions next year.

This might be one of those times we grab an ex-red and do something with him. Sheedy is still my idol....

Yossi Benayoun, Yes Please... Make that happen!

I thought that when Baines had his few games off injured at the end of last season, we actually looked a less 1 dimensional side. I know the team was in a good spell anyway, but with Baines in the side, we only ever go left. Even Hibbert produced a couple of cracking assists in the Man U game. If we could get silly money for him then I wouldn't be too upset, unlike if we lost Fellaini.

Totally agree Sam and Shane especially the signing of Pranjic. Cannot see him being prepared to sit on the bench and make the numbers up, he could do that in Germany and at least be watching CL football. Once again the board appear to be supporting Moyes but in reality the banks will be getting more money for a debt that appears to be refusing to budge.

I'd love to see Pienaar and Hoilett get signed up. If that was all the business we did this summer on top of Naismith I'd be quite happy with that. Pranjic and Rodallega as well would be fantastic and would give us real strength in depth.
I won't be holding my breath though.

Surely the club must be confident of moving at least one player out for a large fee if they're already committing to new signings.

I would love to see Pranjic. Proven international and very similar to Baines. Adored by Heerenveen fans while he was there and can play across the midfield. Also he's desperate to play for us. Its a no-brainer.

Also, I would love to see Hoilett but looks like he's going to QPR?!?! How on earth can these teams gazump us for the likes of these players? Like that lad who went to Swansea instead of us from Ireland.

Sunderland seem to always pull off a big transfer e.g. Sessegnon, we were linked with him for seasons! He ends up there! Seriously crap place, crap plastic ground and all round crap club who we spanked on a few occasions last season.

I suppose it just goes to show the influences of agents and money because I can honestly say outside the top 5 or 6 clubs in England if we had enough money, these players would jump at the chance to play for us. Never heard a player say "I'm delighted to join a club with the history and stature of QPR." All we need is a buyer who provides £15-20 million a season and I truly belive we can challenge the big teams.

We probably need another keeper as back up.

I'm almost excited. We could actually be quite an entertaining team to watch next year if even a couple of these came off.

But let's keep our feet on the ground and no talk of Champions League just yet.

I just want Pienaar, Rodallega and Donovan back and I think we need a decent back-up keeper – and keep our other players, except Anichebe, who can go. And sad to say, time for Cahill to move on as well.

Good point, Andrew @ 612. Presumably, the more entertaining we are, the more Sky will choose to air our matches "live". They have already committed to screening our games against Man United, Newcastle, Swansea, QPR and Liverpool, which takes us to the end of November.

If we play more entertaining football, possibly with the help of one or two of these more attack-minded signings, or even just carry on in the same vein as we finished last season, then we would surely be too attractive proposition for Sky to ignore.

If I recall correctly, this would be in complete contrast to last season, where we didn't even meet the minimum ten live game criteria, so were hiked up to the minimum payment of 5.8 Million quid. Yes, you read that right, 5.8 Million quid. Imagine receiving twice that amount, and it really would pay dividends to play more attractive football, even at the expense of possibly slipping a few places in the table (no talk of Champions League here !!).

Keeper? - Hennessy, Wolves - if he's still there!

Bob, I'm pretty sure Henessey is out injured until pretty much Christmas time

Garthe590
We've got the wages for new players following the release of 4-5 first-teamer squaders last month.
But for the fees, not yet sure.

terry595
Very few miles on the clock, ggrrr

I think Hennessy got injured towards the end of the season.

A young up and coming keeper to grow as no 3, no 2 and eventually number 1 would be handy. Butland I supposedly going for £6m (who you might ask), joe hart was signed for peanuts from Shrewsbury (we couldn't afford him). So the players are out there to pick up at 17/18.

Please be true these would be great signings for the team and the fans I just hope we don't get shit on again.COYB

Yes, I would love to see Pienaar back as long as Spurs and he don't hold us to ransom. I would also love too see Hoilett and Donovan. But we will probably have to let Anichebe, Yobo and a couple of other fringe players go. After selling last year to cut our debt, we don't want to increase it again.

Hennessy got released the same time as McFadden.

It's silly season again! Have just stuck £25 on us to finish top 4 @ 16/1. Next above us at 2/1 are Liverpool. (WTF?!?!). Think I might lay a ton against that one on Betfair.

Just supposing pienaar had been a Liverpool player and not an everton one. And instead of the will he won't he saga involving everton it was the RS saying how much they need him and want him back.
Given he is a convicted drink driver, has previous for punching his partner resulting in his arrest and is currently awaiting a possible trial for assault back in south Africa as well as leading the club a merry dance over a new contract last time round, what I wonder would the comments be like on this site then???
Blue tinted glasses perhaps????
Just a thought............

Let he who is without sin...

I for one was worried that Pienaar may have reconsidered his position at Spurs and been prepared to see how the next six months went, so I am very happy things are apparently moving quickly.
The four mentioned in the OP might not require the offloading of a player like Baines (would Benayoun be a loan or a permanent signing for small fee or even free?) if the board has dragged together some funds, and would be a sensible way to strengthen the squad - three well-known quantities and a seasoned international. I would hope that an asset such as Baines or Fellaini would only be sacrificed if it resulted in the signing of (at least) a couple of players who could give 5 years of their best for Everton (or develop over a couple and bring in more money in transfer fees). Surely a fair percentage of money raised by selling star players has to be invested in such as way to give some long term stability to the club.
In the back of my mind there is still the spectre that the club needs some cash for the banks and they are just waiting for an opportune time to release bad news, but for now I am hoping that the squad may be considerably stronger by the start of the season.

Mike, I think 16/1 for top four is very ungenerous. Have a saver on Reading to win the handicap but get on soon before they spend more money. Also, back them to win in the first four games of the season, I think you will make a good profit. I never bet on Everton. Obviously I would never bet against them but I have, in the past, stopped them like a magic bullet.

Mike, let me know next time, I will lay you 16's all day on betfair.. really, I would..
Reds to be fair are a cracking lay at the price you mention for a top 4.. for what its worth, I reckon Villa are a little bit of value points wise ? Lay Fulham..

That is a fair point Sean, and I for one admit to being fairly hypocritical when it comes to Everton players as long as they bring success to the club (like everyone else I have a sticking point but I don't know enough about Pienaar's reported 'misdemeanours' to want to ostracise him at the moment). Just have to rely on the manager, board and team-mates being the de facto moral arbiters in these cases.

I am hopeful that we sign him simply because he has performed well for us in the past and the club seem set on signing him, which probably makes success in this matter pretty important for morale and sense of achievement at EFC. Though grateful for what Pienaar and Donovan have both brought to the club in their spells here, I do think there must be realistic alternatives to these two players who we could attract. If we could get some younger versions then I actually think that the club would be better off, even if they required more of an initial outlay.

"Given he is a convicted drink driver, has previous for punching his partner resulting in his arrest and is currently awaiting a possible trial for assault back in south Africa as well as leading the club a merry dance"

Says Sean McCarthy # 688 of Pienaar.

Kinda puts said Pienaar's 'in your face' Christianity in perspective doesn't it.

So Pienaar punched his bird eh? Which court of law was that trial held at?

Mike Green

Log onto oddschecker, you`ll find half a dozen bookies giving odds of 20/1 or bigger - one of them offering 25/1.

If you haven't already taken 16/1, don't.

It is good news that Everton are being linked with these players. But is this laying the ground for the big sting? Although it has been denied that big players will go, I can see it happening to stave off the banks and then bankroll the signings. In reality how are the season ticket sales going? Better than ever worse or about the same as previous seasons given last seasons poor start but excellent finish (derbies apart). COYB

Go Mike Green — the tipster's tipster.

Mark - the books still open, how much do you want to lay then? Odds are 16/1.

Mike

They`re not. 16/1 is the skinniest price on the market.

Log onto bet Victor, you`ll get 25/1 for first 4 and a free £25 bet. if you put that on too . .you effectively get 50/1 for your 25 quid.

16/1 is a joke

Thats of course assuming you are in the UK Mike.

Just checked the small print in T+C`s and for some very strange reason (I can't work out)... These odds (or free bets) are not available in certain (most) countries

Good effort Dave! Cheers.

Jelavic is 33/1 top scorer, and Everton are 5/1 for a top 6 finish. I assume you can do the top scorer each way which makes that a decent double.

Heard that we have secured both Pienaar and Rodallega?!?! Will wait for an official confirmation first though.