With it being a slow news week and not much riding on the weekend’s final game at Hull, I thought I might jump the gun and take a look at what it is we need this summer in terms of playing staff.

It’s been a hugely encouraging first season for Martinez and though we have ended up just short of the lucrative promised land of Champions League football I, for one, am excited to be in Europe next season, with the opportunity to watch more Everton games and perhaps test out some youngsters or fringe players in the early stages before meeting some of the exciting European bigwigs later on. The difficulty, especially with losing four loan players will be to build a squad this summer capable of competing in four competitions and hopefully ending the long wait for a trophy in one of them.

So, let’s have a look at what we might need. I have numbered, starting with the most needed first and looking briefly at what we may have in the youth squads as well as who might be available in the market. Obviously the latter is based mainly on tabloid gossip and, as such, is highly speculative; but i enjoy it all the more for it. Apparently we should expect six or seven signings:

1 and 2. Strikers: With Lukaku leaving we will be left with only Kone (assuming he can recover from his long-term injury) and Naismith who can play as recognised strikers. Mirallas is possibly another option but clearly this is an area on which we most need to concentrate and I fully expect that to be reflected in our transfer spend. We need at least one if not two more strikers able to hold the ball up, create and, crucially (as Lukaku has done this season), score goals.

Youth: Hallam Hope has had a reasonable run for Bury but league two is a distance below. Courtney Duffus and particularly Chris Long seem good prospects but both are untried at higher levels and probably need more time to ease in. Perhaps Conor Mcaleny might put his injury troubles behind him?

Possible Transfers:
Romelu Lukaku (£25m) – Not totally convinced but will score goals.
Wilfried Bony (£18m) – Looks a handful and would do well if we could afford him.
Loic Remy (£10m) – Great value but possibly Arsenal-bound.
Josep Drmic (£7m) – Unknown quantity but looks well rounded.
Lacina Traore (loan) – Why else has he been sticking around?

3. Attacking Midfielder: A lot depends on the development of Ross Barkley and where Martinez sees him playing next season. As much as the boy has talent, I have concerns over how much he is capable of creating and was in a way delighted more by his run and pinpoint through ball to Naismith versus City than his goal. We need a playmaker capable of unlocking tight defences; perhaps that will be Ross, perhaps not. Otherwise the candidates are the ageing and much-maligned Osman or Mirallas, who seem mercurial and best used out wide.

Youth: George Green is the glitzy name but has not exactly set the u21s alight and probably needs another year or two to develop.

Transfers:
Dusan Tadic (£10m) – very skillful forward player but proven only in the deceptive Dutch league.
Jonathan Firmino (£10m) – Brazilian would bring flair and goals potentially if he could adjust.
Ryan Gauld (£4m) – The Jock Messi or the smaller Osman? Maybe either would be good.
Lewis Holtby (£5m) – Did not excel as he might have at Fulham.

4 and 5. Central Midfielders: Our defensive solidity and all round control has been in large part thanks to the tireless efforts of Barry and McCarthy. I say tireless but of late they have looked a little jaded and no surprise given the dependence on them. Gibson cannot be relied on fitness-wise and Osman and Barkley are usually better further forward. Perhaps Baines may be an option according to the gaffer but at the moment McCarthy seems the only obvious candidate for the two spaces.

Youth: John Lundstram might have done better on his loans but will be hoping to impress in pre-season as will Conor Grant who did well last summer. Ryan Ledson is a star in the making but still very young; perhaps he might appear in any European dead rubbers.

Transfers:
Gareth Barry (free) – wages allowing.
Jack Colback (free) – Would be a solid if unspectacular signing.
Jack Rodwell (£5m) – Second chance saloon for the Everton fan?
James Milner (loan) – City may need English players for regulation reasons but Milner would do a good job if available i believe.

6. Central Defender: Every year we think Distin is done and every year he proves us wrong. Him, Jagielka and the much improving Stones will be the core. Alcaraz, I believe, is better then he was against City but nonetheless we could use one more here as 3 of the 4 are getting on a bit or have injury history.

Youth: Shane Duffy is the obvious candidate though I have still have doubts over his distribution and mobility; Martinez will have a good look at him this summer. Tyias Browning has been on the bench lately and can cover right back as well. Jonjoe Kenny is an outstanding prospect but too young perhaps to be relied on greatly at the back for now.

Transfers:
Lescott (free) – Not as good as he was but could offer something.
Eric Dier (£4m) – Him and Stones could make a hugely cultured back two for Everton and England.
Steven Caulker (£10m) – Too expensive probably considering our priorities but young and solid as a rock.
Bruno Martins Indi (£6m) – The new Distin? Quick, strong and dependable.

7. Winger: With Deulofeu leaving we may perhaps be one short, though with McGeady, Mirallas, Pienaar and possibly Oviedo we are not doing too badly. Osman and Barkley will possibly be used out wide at times though not ideally.

Youth: Matt Kennedy has done well on loan and beats men for fun but could probably use some time in the Championship first. George Green often plays wide as does McAleny and may be options.

Transfers:
Gerard Deulofeu (loan) – Makes sense. Will expect more from him this time round.
Tom Ince (free) – Played little at Palace but has lots of potential still.
Victor Moses (loan) – Martinez knows him well and would be itching to prove Liverpool wrong for underusing him.
Carles Gil (£4m) – quick Spanish winger? Sounds familiar.

Obviously there are hundreds of other names linked with us and will be hundreds more.

Given that we have reportedly have around £25m to spend I will pick my 7 from the ones I’ve mentioned as:

Remy
Traore
Firmino
Colback
Milner
Martins Indi
Deulofeu

Highly unlikely, I know, but I think that would give us a pretty strong squad and very capable first team. Arguably we could use a new keeper as well but I think Howard has done alright this season and our priorities lie elsewhere for now.

Either way I think summer business will be crucial for Roberto as he looks to build on his first season and really mold a team of his own to embody his philosophy of positive, attacking, possession-based football.

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Kieran Fitzgerald
1 Posted 09/05/2014 at 08:47:29
Lescott is an interesting one for me Sam. He’s 32 in August. Not old by any means for a centre half by any means. I think he would be a good signing but I wouldn’t be prepared to spend that much on him. You have him marked down as a ’free’, is he out of contract this summer?
Sam Hoare
2 Posted 09/05/2014 at 09:04:51
I believe he is Kieran, though of course with agents fees and signing bonuses it could be argued there is no such thing as a ’free transfer’.

I think if Lescotts wage demands were reasonable he would be a good CB/LB cover though he has never looked as comfortable for City as he did for us. Perhaps if made first choice he could rediscover his confidence and form though I don’t often enjoy resigning old players who failed to make the grade and Lescotts departure was particularly acrimonious.

Andy Osborne
3 Posted 09/05/2014 at 08:59:34
Well done, Sam. I expect the summer will be full of this kind of speculation, which I am looking forward to. Lescott is a strange one for me. I think, if he is free, then he would be a great squad player for the European adventure next season. I would take Rodwell back, because I think he is the type of player that would flourish under RM. Of all the strikers mention, Remy would be my pick, even over Lukaku. But I would love the two of them, unlikely to happen though. I would definitely try and get Barry, and bring both Del Boy and traore back on loan. The former, because I like watching him unlock defences, the latter because we need extra squad members that can contribute, when called upon. It just depends on his much money RM has to spend. I have a funny feeling it is a bit more then they are letting on.
Ray Said
4 Posted 09/05/2014 at 09:19:41
There is a interpretation /perception problem here. 25 million to some supporters means 10 mill fee for player A and 10 mill fee for player B with 5 mill remaining.

25 mill to the board means 10 mill fee for player A PLUS 70k wages per week over 4 years =14.5 mill added to the 10 mill fee leaving 500k remaining.

Andy Osborne
5 Posted 09/05/2014 at 09:52:31
Good point Ray, but with a slight modification. The fee is the purchase price plus the first year of wages. The wages for the remaining years of the contract will come out of those years budgets. So there isn’t as much to spend as most people ink/hope, but not as little as you think either. Having said that, it would not surprise me if the board used your model to calculate their spending.
Spragg Johnson
6 Posted 09/05/2014 at 09:58:23
Get Bony ... Give Swansea £15M plus Alcaraz and Vellios. Colback’s versatility will be useful too. Holtby would love to come here surely? We don’t need a CB – Jags, Distin, Stones and Duffy all good. Keeping Barry and Deulofeu would be good too, but if not I trust RM to bring in a couple more La Liga loan gems. Five new signings to look forward to, I reckon (and Traore will stay).
Andy Osborne
7 Posted 09/05/2014 at 10:07:57
I agree with using Alcaraz and Vellios for Bony. But I don’t agree that we wouldn’t need another CB. One or two injuries and we will be fucked, especially with more European games next season. I would take Lescott on a free, to give a bit more comfort.
Kieran Fitzgerald
8 Posted 09/05/2014 at 11:16:11
Thanks for the information on Lescott Sam. Even with agent and signing on fees, a couple of million would still be money well spent for a guy of his experience.

I think that Bony would be a cracking signing and I would be happy to pay circa 15m for him. He’s hit twenty plus goals this season. Barring injury, there’s no reason he can’t do at least as well for us this season. I think that he would be a better signing for us at the moment over Lukaku.

Signing a defensive midfielder outside of what we had on the books last season may well depend on what Barry decides to do and on how Gibson holds up in pre-season. With a player like Holtby he is going to be very much in demand. The vultures may well already be circling the relegated clubs. If we wait to see how Gibson stands up to the riguours of pre-season, a player like Holtby, who may be within our reach right now, may well be long gone come late July.

The thing is though, for us to get any of our transfer business completed early, firstly we will need to navigate the timing of the World Cup. Secondly, and more importantly, we will need to have a lump or cash available before the prize/Sky money cheque arrives in August.

Chris Lunt
9 Posted 09/05/2014 at 11:48:56
On the centre-back front, it’s a shame one of our former players is doing so well at Sampdoria and has now been picked for the German World Cup squad. Would have been a lot cheaper to not release Shkodran Mustafi!
Roger Sunde
10 Posted 09/05/2014 at 12:03:44
Is Demba Ba worth a shout? He would probably be around £4M since Chelsea are gonna clear out.
Paul Ellam
11 Posted 09/05/2014 at 12:13:44
Bony, Vossen, Lescott, Martins-Indi, Holtby, Fer and Ince would be my hit list along with Tadic if we have any cash left over!
Denis Richardson
12 Posted 09/05/2014 at 12:58:19
Not a bad stab Sam. Lescott on a free would be a no-brainer for me, IF he was willing to drop massively on his £90k+/week Man City wages. However, all the signs are that he’s off for one last big pay day to one of the Turkish clubs (Besiktas I think).

Distin won’t go on forever but a striker is by far the most important position to sort out – even if it means spending a large part of the transfer kitty. Quite simply you only finish nearer the top of the table by scoring goals, regardless of how good the defence is. The guy needs to also be able to hold the ball up and bring the AMs into play – not many of those around at our budget.....

After this, I would say the CM needs to be sorted out re the Barry position. Baines will need time to adjust to this role (if he does it) and Gibbo can’t be relied upon to stay fit as you say. McCarthy looked knackered in the last couple of games.

Third, I think we need cover for Coleman, he also needs to be given a break now and then and am not sure Stones is the answer.

After the above, just need to add bodies to make sure we have enough for European football, another AM would be good as Osman and Pienaar are fast approaching their use by dates. Summer should not be too busy as we don’t have any players to off load - for once!

Kunal Desai
13 Posted 09/05/2014 at 13:18:07
I’d hazard a guess that out of all those names, the likely one who may be here on a permanent basis next season is Barry (wages permitting). I’d imagine RM has long ago identified his targets, those depending on whether we finish in Champions League, Europa League or not in European positions.

Going by previous seasons, I really wouldn’t get hopes up on the possibility of an array of signings; we get let down time after time by this board. Whatever the rumoured amount is that will get tied in with wages/loan fees.

The worry is we need to buy players of our own so we don’t get left in limbo at the end of the season knowing which players aren’t here and which players are when it comes to loan players. I hope RM gets in three good quality players (striker, midfielder and defender) but you just never be too certain with BK and his pals.

Mike Childs
14 Posted 09/05/2014 at 13:26:24
As much as we all love Bony, I feel we’re going to be outbid for him. Arsenal and Chelsea are both going to be hunting for a striker or two.

Also, given Saldado’s season and Adebayor’s attitude, I’d imagine that the Spurs will be in the market too. I bow to the knowledge of the rest of you... what about someone like Fraizer Campbell at Cardiff?

Andrew Ellams
15 Posted 09/05/2014 at 13:49:37
Fer is a non-starter for me. I have seen nothing of him this season that leads me to believe he would ever have been an asset to us. I don’t think Ince will attract anybody higher up the league than Crystal Palace or Swansea City.
Brian Hill
17 Posted 09/05/2014 at 14:00:05
Why would Swansea, or any other club for that matter, want Vellios?
Gareth Fieldstead
18 Posted 09/05/2014 at 14:02:56
This article kind of links in with Wayne’s article and how much we get to invest in new players. I remain a huge cynic of the Europa League. We are not going to win it. Not when sides are still allowed to enter from the group stage of the Champions League. However, Roberto seems to be embracing it... therefore, he will require a squad that can cope with two games a week. Therefore he needs two genuine teams that can alternate.

Let’s presume Gibson, Kone and Oviedo all return to the standards they are capable of. That means we would still need cover at right back, centre back, midfield, a left winger and another forward. We would need someone approaching the calibre of McCarthy, Pienaar, Coleman and a better forward than Kone.

I would love Everton to be that little more adventurous and accommodate two strikers. Obviously I would love Bony and Remy. I know, highly unlikely! But the thought of Martinez hanging on in hope for Lukaku does not inspire me.

I really hope he has a lot more than £20+ million to spend. Considering he has £20 million from player sales and an extra £30 million from TV revenue, I would hope he has £40 million. That would still leave 10 million for Finch Farm. Here’s hoping.

Shane Corcoran
19 Posted 09/05/2014 at 14:35:48
I don’t really see us buying another centre-back. That would mean the Alcaraz would presumably be pushed down to fifth choice.

We have Duffy to come back too so I think that’s one place we’re okay.

My guess is that we’ll get Deulofeu for another season as I see no chance of him getting in Barca’s team. That will leave us with plenty of options in the attacking three positions behind the striker.

We’ve just bought a new young keeper in Jan so I’d say it’s unlikely we’ll go for another.

It’s central midfield and up front for me. I think we’ll get Traore back for another season as keeping him this time around doesn’t make any sense otherwise.

Any cash to be splashed to go on a central midfielder and striker permanently even if we get Barry back.

One last player I’m wondering about is Francisco Junior. Any reports on how he’s gotten on?

Raymond Fox
20 Posted 09/05/2014 at 14:01:43
Good effort Sam.

I think we’re going to have to rely on loans again to keep the standard of the team up. Its going to take an exceptional effort to even equal, never mind surpass this season’s performances.

Obviously very hard to get to grips with a team for next season when we have little idea who will stay and who’s off, I’d be delighted to accept all of the loans back for another season though.

No doubt Roberto will have had his eyes open for talent from all corners of the world, while at Wigan he recruited several players from South America, who were then sold onto bigger clubs for a substantial profit. Watch this space!

One position where we lacked this season was a top class creative midfielder to open the opposition up, problem is they don’t come cheap. Gibson is back again, but for how long and Ross is not a creative player as such yet, he does create opportunities for himself and scores some spectacular goals nevertheless. I would leave the defence as it is, the’ll all do for me for at least next season. I would not want Remy, my impression of him is that he’s a stirrer.

We might have to sell to buy as per usual, but who? Don’t all jump on me at once but if we have to, I would be tempted to sell Seamus we would get a substantial sum that might be put to better use for players in the midfield. I only said if we have to!

Whatever, I have every confidence in Roberto putting together another exciting team that will do us proud. I’m sure he’ll pull a few surprise rabbits out of hat for us.

Happy days.

Sam Hoare
21 Posted 09/05/2014 at 15:28:43
Shane@19. From what i’ve heard Fransisco Junior has had a pretty disastrous season. He’s had two loans and barely played in either of them despite the second one being in the let’s say unglamourous Danish league. I would think that his days with us are close to numbered.
Shane Corcoran
22 Posted 09/05/2014 at 15:44:09
Just checked his stats there Sam, cos I love stats, and he’s made two appearances and scored once. Is it not the Norwegian league he’s in?
Either way it doesn’t bode well for him.
Breandan Clarke
23 Posted 09/05/2014 at 15:46:37
Firmino is being chased by BVB, the Madrid teams amongst others so he will not come to us.

What is the fascination with Bony? His name cropped up a while ago and now it seems like it’s snowballed into a consensus that he is a brilliant and we desperately need him. He might be decent but I certainly don’t rate him at the prices quoted by some.

Not a fan of these type of things... just gets people excited over nothing and then they get let down. I doubt many had Lukaku, Barry and McCarthy on their wishlist last summer.

Leave the pure speculation to the rags.

Clarence Yurcan
24 Posted 09/05/2014 at 15:54:33
Why is there all this hate for the Eredivisie? Christian Erickson has done very well for Spurs, their only summer signing that’s panned out. I follow Napoli an they signed this fellow Dries Mertens in the summer from PSV who’s been one of Napoli’s best players this season.
Andy Osborne
25 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:07:25
Further to my comment that I would be happy to bring Lescott back on a free transfer to provide an extra option at central defense, despite his age, this prompted me to check out the ages of our current squad.

Next season, with the extra games, it is quite likely we will see the following team line up for a few games:

Tim Howard 35
Leighton Baines 29
Phil Jagielka 31
Sylvain Distin 36
Tony Hibbert 33
Gareth Barry 33
Leon Osman 32
Steven Pienaar 32
Aiden McGeady 28
Around Koné 30
Steven Naismith 27

This would surely be the oldest team in the Premier League.

On the other hand, we could see:

Joel Robles 23
Seamus Coleman 25
John Stones 19
Phil Jagielka 31
Leighton Baines 29
James McCarthy 23
Ross Barkley 20
Bryan Oviedo 24
Gerard Deulofeu 20
Romelu Lukaku 20
Lacina Traoré 23

Which would surely be one of the youngest teams in the Premier League.

Whilst I think we have a good mix of age and experience, the defense seems to be where average age is quite high.

So maybe I shouldn’t be thinking Lescott would be a good addition, maybe we should be looking at younger players. I live overseas now, so I am not very familiar with our youth players, and which of them are likely to make the grade in the first team. Should RM be buying young players to replace our ageing stars, or can he add older experienced players, because we have a load coming through our youth system?

Paul Andrews
26 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:08:41
If Barry does not stay, I would not hesitate to bring Rodwell back. The lad looked a very good player in the making until Moyes started playing him wide right and wide left midfield.

I would trust Roberto 100% to get the player to show the massive potential he had when he first broke in to the team. Playing without the shackles of Moyes on him he could develop into the top player we all thought he would.

Shane Corcoran
27 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:02:52
Clarence, I don’t think anyone hates the Eredivisie. Such feelings would be peculiar.

It’s just not a top league. Of course there are good players there but if a player can’t get a game in it then he’s unlikely to be making inroads in a teams placed fifth in the English Premier League.

In any case, I think Sam got the wrong league.

Andrew Ellams
28 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:12:11
Clarence, it’s not hate — it’s more a fear of you don’t know what you get until you’ve paid your money. For every Suarez or Ericksen there’s an Alfonso Alves or Ryan Babel.
Sam Hoare
29 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:17:29
Yes Shane meant the norwegian league. Although I mistakenly said the Danish league so not sure what that has to do with the Eredivisie. Either way as you say I think Junior will not be setting Goodison alight next year...
Si Cooper
30 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:12:30
Following Ray and Andy’s earlier posts, could someone settle it definitively for me.

I had always assumed a ’transfer pot’ was something that would cover the transfer fees only, with the wages being accounted for in the general planning for overheads.

For instance, when we sell a player we receive a fee but also his wages are removed from our debits so (theoretically at least) the whole of his transfer fee is available to use as the existing wages (if broadly similar) would simply be diverted to a new recipient.

Obviously, when adding numbers to a squad or investing in higher quality players with higher wage demands then that is a factor to be taken into account when determining how much of the gross can be used for transfer fees alone, but generally I am going to assume that when it is made known that someone has £x million pounds to spend on transfers then that is how much they have to spend on the transfer fees alone.

Why do so many people believe Bony will be available this summer, and why do people think Tom Ince will improve our first team (given his loyalties I very much doubt he’d sign with us to be a squad player / bench warmer)? I expect RM to find some most of us have never even heard of, though Stephen M’Bia is an old ’target’ who really interests me.

Shane Corcoran
31 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:26:12
Si, I think you’re trying to define something that doesn’t necessarily exist.

A "transfer pot", to me, sounds like a media term thrown about.

I’d assume that a meeting takes place between manager and chairman that begins with cash currently available for player dealings and it goes from there.

If the transfer pot did exist then I think it would have to include wages but, as you point out, this would rise and fall with players leaving, signing on fees, wages for incoming players, new deals for current players etc.

Also, I think M’Bia has too much to say for himself despite doing well with Sevilla.

Eric Myles
32 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:49:59
Paul #26, re: Rodwell " Playing without the shackles of Moyes on him he could develop into the top player we all thought he would." what shackles has Moyes had on him in the last few years?
Chris Wilson
33 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:01:20
Sam, very creative on some of these choices you’ve made.

I love the Eric Dier choice. I recall fans gushing over this kid when he was here, we just couldn’t afford him. I worry that he’s gone back to Sporting Lisbon and nobody made a move to bring him back to England. But from all accounts, he’s considered to be one of the new breed of English central defenders like Stones, where he has good possession abilities and distribution skills. He’s also apparently versatile enough to play right back and defensive mid.

I think Rodwell would do very well in our new system. I don’t think he ever settled at Man City and I think he was even a little hurt to leave Everton to be honest. I think with us, he would be much more positive in his passing and he’s a good athlete who could cover a lot of ground like McCarthy, so he might be someone who could step in for him.

A player that I watched this year whom I thought would be a really interesting addition to our team was Ki Sung-Yueng of Sunderland. I think he’s on loan from Swansea, but I thought he brought a lot of energy and creativity to a Sunderland team that had nothing going for it-in fact, if it wasn’t for him and Adam Johnson; Sunderland would have been relegated in February.

John Daley
34 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:00:31
I fail to understand the fascination with all this fantasy football style bollocks about who we might be buying or selling and, as such, wasn’t going o comment here. However, I have to ask: Where does the mooted £15-18m fee for Bony come from? 

Why do people seem to thank Swansea would even consider selling Bony unless they were to receive a ridiculously inflated bid for his ’Black Dynamite’ styled bonce?  They bought him, only last summer, for £13m. Why, after the success he’s had this  season, would they be prepared to let their star player sod off to pastures new for a piddling couple of million profit. Are they in financial difficulty? Is the player himself desperate to leave and proving to be a disruptive presence in the dressing room? None of the above as far as I can see. 

As for this suggestion: "I agree with using Alcaraz and Vellios for Bony."
Yeah, that will seal the deal. Their manager, whose name I can’t remember but whose face I recognise as belonging to the guy out of Homeland, must be salivating at the prospect of getting his hands on the snazzily named A-Team of Antolin and Apostolos. 

At the moment, those two couldn’t attract a bite if they were stripped bollocks naked, bound by the wrists and ankles, seasoned with salt and pepper, slung into a big fuck off cooking pot full of boiling water with a fistful of fava beans stuffed  in their gobs and a sign round their necks saying ’Free Lunch Mr Lector. Complimentary Chianti (well, Chang) at the bar’. 

Alcaraz has spent almost the entire season sat on his arse through constant  injury.  Velios has spent almost his entire Everton ’career’ sat on his arse because....well...his gaming chair is just TOO comfortable, has a handily placed cup holder for his cider and, if he stands up, the virtual reality headset that allows him to live in a world where he actually makes  it as a Premier League striker might fall off and get smashed. 

Raymond Fox
35 Posted 09/05/2014 at 16:53:08
Si, I take the money available to spend (pot) on new players as paying, for their transfer fee only.

It does not include their weekly wage, for which the club always need to try to keep at a manageable amount.

Eric Myles
36 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:01:06
Si#30 wherever wages are accounted for they still have to be budgeted for from income.

Also you forgot agent fees in transfer dealings.

John Daley
37 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:04:52
fail to understand the fascination with all this fantasy football style bollocks about who we might be buying or selling and, as such, wasn’t going o comment here. However, I have to ask: Where does the mooted £15-18m fee for Bony come from?

Why do people seem to think Swansea would even consider selling Bony unless they were to receive a ridiculously inflated bid for his ’Black Dynamite’ styled bonce? They bought him, only last summer, for £13m. Why, after the success he’s had this season, would they be prepared to let their star player sod off to pastures new for a piddling couple of million profit. Are they in financial difficulty? Is the player himself desperate to leave and proving to be a disruptive presence in the dressing room? None of the above as far as I can see.

As for this suggestion: "I agree with using Alcaraz and Vellios for Bony."
Yeah, that will seal the deal. Their manager, whose name I can’t remember but whose face I recognise as belonging to the guy out of Homeland, must be salivating at the prospect of getting his hands on the snazzily named A-Team of Antolin and Apostolos.

At the moment, those two couldn’t attract a bite if they were stripped bollocks naked, bound by the wrists and ankles, seasoned with salt and pepper, slung into a big fuck off cooking pot full of boiling water with a fistful of fava beans stuffed in their gobs and a sign round their necks saying ’Free Lunch Mr Lector. Complimentary Chianti (well, Chang) at the bar’.

Alcaraz has spent almost the entire season sat on his arse through constant injury. Velios has spent almost his entire Everton ’career’ sat on his arse because....well...his gaming chair is just TOO comfortable, has a handily placed cup holder for his cider and, if he stands up, the virtual reality headset that allows him to live in a world where he actually makes it as a Premier League striker might fall off and get smashed.

Shane Corcoran
38 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:04:59
John, don’t you have a home to go to?
Pete Edwards
39 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:05:01
Isn’t Holtby still a Spurs player?

I thought he was only on loan at Fulham? We all know how Spurs ring every last penny out of transfers!!

John Daley
40 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:08:38
Shane,

Literally just walked in. Is that you over the road peeking out the curtains like an arl busybody again?

Si Cooper
41 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:08:22
Excuse the terminology Shane. I was just trying to indicate that I would expect a club to have an idea of what wages they could afford over a period of time and that any surplus money above and beyond that could be identified as purely for the transfer fee pot.

Therefore, when it is ’revealed’ that a club has X amount to spend it doesn’t seem too much of a stretch to assume that it is for the transfer fees only. If you are trying to calculate how much may be available from published figures, then extra players wages will certainly have to be factored in, but replacement players could be transfer fee only.

What has M’Bia been saying?

Si Cooper
42 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:18:32
Eric - didn’t forget agents fees, just assuming those come from an associated side-pot and not the ’headline’ one.
Shane Corcoran
43 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:20:54
John, I’ll ring the cops back and tell them all is well round the Daleys’ place.

Si, I just think it’s too complex for it to be anything but X amount for RM to deal in all things related to players.

He might feel it best to offer new deals to half a dozen players at the expense of a signing but with the "Player Fund" being effected in the same way.

One thing I have just thought of is that clubs will often try to keep their salaries as a certain percentage of turnover. Not sure whose theory that backs up but it must be one of us.

Nothing recent from M’Bia. I just recall the season we were meant to be in for him that he was telling(allegedly) anyone that would listen about how there was no limit to what he could do.

Oliver Molloy
44 Posted 09/05/2014 at 17:36:50
Baines to play left side midfield next season with Oviedo at left back is the plan Martinez is thinking strongly about, I would suggest.
Paul Andrews
45 Posted 09/05/2014 at 19:14:41
Eric Myles 32,

None whatsoever since 2012.

And your point is........

Karl Masters
46 Posted 10/05/2014 at 00:18:07
Good shout, Fraizer Campbell, Mike Childs.
Eric Myles
47 Posted 10/05/2014 at 00:27:56
Paul, without the shackles since 2012, has he ’developed into the top player we thought he would’?
Andy Crooks
48 Posted 10/05/2014 at 00:56:37
John Daley, surely if Hibbert was part of the deal, Swansea would accept. What incentive have they to keep their best player?

However, maybe we can give them a deal like the one we mugged Birmingham for when we got Latchford.

Andy Osborne
53 Posted 10/05/2014 at 08:19:25
Vellios and Alcaraz to Swansea; I know, why would they want them? But who would have thought we would get that much for Victor going to West Brom?

I suppose, these kind of threads, at this stage of the year are just for fun. It's nice to speculate, it's nice to mention a name, and then three months down the line claim credit for the idea when we actually sign that player. In the spirit of fun, please don't shout at me, why not talk to Sharpy and Big Dunc, and get them out of retirement for a year. Might lower the average age of the team a bit!!!

Mike Oates
54 Posted 10/05/2014 at 09:10:42
Shane Duffy will never play for Everton under Martinez, his distribution is awful... just plain diabolical.
Steve Mink
56 Posted 11/05/2014 at 21:43:26
Think a lot of the names listed here are unrealistic, e.g. would love Remy or Bony to come to EFC but it's not going to happen.

Moves in the plausible category that I'd like to see are Lescott and Holtby. Other away players who've impressed me this season - Ki (Sunderland), Bolasie (Palace).


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