Everton confirm Atsu loan signing

I’m very happy with his first interview, I like the fact he claims he’s honoured to join us and he describes himself as a quick player who likes to beat his man and also likes to work hard!

One other thing I’d have likes would have been that we had signed him with a fee in place for a permanent transfer for next year instead of having to try to live in hope that he performs well but still Jose doesn’t want or need him as we have had to do with Romelu.

All in all though, happy with this deal.

All jokes aside I liked the look of this guy at the World Cup before I even realised who he is so I’m glad to see him in.

A lot of people will probably just see him as back up but to me the midfield at its best will now look like this:

Barry (Besic), McCarthy
Atsu, Barkley, Mirallas

But no, he's nowhere close to slotting into the starting lineup.

I do disagree, however, that many will see him as ’back up’. He’s here to play on either flank or through the middle.

We have here a more mature Del-boy with buckets of flair and more team-minded.

I’m excited by this, I really am, and Bobby’s skill in the window so far (and, crucially, getting those present and future stars nailed down and signing on the dotted line himself) and there is more to come, rest assured of that.

But, if nothing was to change in the spirit of the good old counter-factual: Howard, Coleman, Stones, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Besic, Atsu, Barkely, Mirallas, Lukaku - Joel, Browning, Oviedo, Jags, Barry, Pienaar, Naismith, Long/Kone (not including McGeady, Osman, Garbutt, Hibbert, Ledson, Alcaraz, to name six). And there will be at least one and I bet two more incoming. Thought that we had a shallow squad?

But did we get that option to buy?

Erm, a Ghanian international, the best player on the pitch when they were beaten by the US but were by far the better team.

Erm, we lack pace.

Sub Saturday will start one of the next few games.

When he was first linked it was certainly mentioned that there would be.

Does anybody (Colin) know if there’s anyone else on RM’s radar....or is the bank account empty?

Nice to see on the BBC and other websites PL predictions that we are usually placed as 6th with little objection from the comments list. Perception has finally caught up with reality here - we are a genunine member of the Top 7 mini league and an ever present outside shout for top 4.

This is an important pshcyological step as we have now got clear daylight between us and former recent rivals such as Villa and Newcastle. This will lead to better exposure, better players wanting to play for us, our top players not leaving (both already in evidence this summer) and ultimately more TV and merchandising revenue. Now to chuck one of the Sky teams out of the top 4 and the gap will begin to close further.

Hope we have a buy option as another young talent who could become a top class player.

Balance in the team looking much better now though we need another striker and I still think we could use a central playmaker to pull the strings. Our David Silva/ Mata/ Eriksen/ Cazorla etc That piece of the puzzle may have to wait till next Summer or maybe Barkley will find that creative ability in his locker...

I too, am anxious to know whether we have had the acumen to have that option to buy at £6.5m, inserted into the deal, (Ant, Paul F and Jamie S) have already raised the same concern. The negotiaitions certainly took long enough, and as I have mentioned, looking forward we don't want a drawn out saga again with Chelsea before next season starts over the fee.

He has certainly sounded very positive about joining us, with the usual soundbites you hear from a new player, but somehow (intuition tells me) that this lad means it.

I certainly hope we get a chance to have an early rendition of his footballing terpsichory at Leicester, even if it's just a cameo part.

I presume, as is the case with all loanees, that he will be prohibited from playing against Chelsea. We shall also lose him to the ANC in January, along with Kone (how will we cope without Arouna?) so potentially there are a few games in total that we will not have him with us.

Welcome aboard the good ship Chris, long be it an enjoyable voyage!

I share the concern for backup in RB and GK but hopefully Hibbo and Robles will prove me wrong.

Anyway, I delighted to get Atchoo to feed the Luke Akoo.
Also delighted to see Irish channel Setanta Sports 1 are showing the game live on Saturday. There's always live games on Sats on Setanta so ye could sign up on an Irish sky card if you know someone over here.

Wingers down the years often were inconsistent, and seemed to be a barometer of how good a team was performing overall, at that time. In the 80s they tended to be either all pace, or all skill, very seldom would you get both (and occasionally you'd get neither!)

If they had the analysis and metrics systems back then that they have today, it'd be really interesting to see how patterns of play have changed, and how players to day are much more athletic in the main than they were then. Well, I'd be interested anyway...

I think there is more chance of 'Nelson getting his eye back', or the 'Titanic being refloated' .

Please no Eto'o he is over the hill and wages too high. Can't understand why many Africans from poverty stricken countries demand more wages than the national income of their country ie Drogba, Toure, Eto'o, Kalou, etc

What a difference a year makes, and hopefully he can play a big part in taking us to the next level.

Atchoo to Luke Akoo, gona sound funny after a few pints, Brian!

We still need striking back up especially as the Guardian were reporting this morning, at the same time as confirming that the Atsu deal is done, that Kone is up for sale. Very odd given RM's comments on Monday night. Can't see us getting close to re-couping our outlay if it's true.

Rommy! What we've seen so far is mainly just natural talent. I think after another year or so with Robbie, he'll be one of the best in the Premiership.

I think this lad Atsu is more mature than Gerry was and he's played at a higher level of football and done really well. That is no slight on Gerry, nor is it because he is no longer with us. I think this lad will show more awareness of his team mates than Gerry does and I think he'll be in the team sooner rather than later. Only time will tell but I'm excited about this lad and I think he'll provide the crosses for Rommy but he'll also terrorise defences with his running at them.

Whether we have a "to buy" clause or not, at least for this year we have another Evertonian who wants to play for the club. That's not to be sneezed at!

I hope we get Henne as well but it seems that we're being held to ransom for him and I don't think we'll just pay any amount for a player. We'll get him if Robbie thinks he's worth it.

It's looking good but I agree with the posters vwho have pointed at Micah Richards. If we could get him he would be a fanatastic addition to the team As well as being a quality player, he's another who has that "mean streak" attitude that we want. He'd be right in the opposing players face,

I'd love to see us get Ben Arfa, as he's a tremendous player but a) we might have run out of money by now, as BK will be having a fit of the vapours and b) maybe his attitude is wrong. Still a cracking player though.

I tend to agree with you on the wage demands of some of these guys but, to be fair, Drogba has been raising plenty of money for different charities to combat malaria and to provide hospitals in impoverished areas.

Atsu is a speed demon but very little end product whenever I have seen him. Let’s hope Roberto can bring out the best in him.

Obviously as one poster has already mentioned, (Matt Traynor) they didn't have all the statistical analysis, they do now ie. distance covered in a game, speed etc.

Dave Thomas certainly worked tirelessly( think we got him from QPR) to provide the 'Latch' with what I would estimate 60% + or - assists. I would be interested to make any comparison, should there be any, to todays, although sandwiched between massive changes in just about everything really, the ball, boots, training, tactics and wages.

I remember being at that game, ironically against Chelsea, where we scored 6 and Bob got his 30th goal, and even then, I often thought that feat would never have been achievable, without Dave Thomas.

Things change sometimes for the better, but not always so. Even Nostalgia, is not what it used to be. :-)

Kone, Robles, Alcaraz, Duffy..............?

I'd say once he's fit and ready to play, RM says 4-5 games I'd say it'll be more like 8-9, he'll end up being a good squad player for us. He was very handy with Wigan. Didn't have a great start with us but didn't have much playing time to impress.

As for the keeper situ RM had to give that lad Stanek a chance. Robles gets me feeling so nervous when he's on the pitch.

This talented team needs silverware (as well as us fans) this year but if RM pays Robles in the cup games to give a Timmy a rest... We're sure to be left empty handed again this year.

We had a Polish keeper too but not sure if he was released.

An earlier post suggested that Besic is the ideal backup for Barry. I can't have this one at all. There will be red cards, yellow cards and free kicks aplenty. In fact, unless someone is being secretly coached for the job, we're still a man light in that position. Gibson is not an anchor man. Trained to attack from his schoolboy days at United, he doesn't have a defensive mindset but I suppose he could play the Arteta Gunners role with McCarthy as cover.

It’s a strange point you make. Why should someone’s continent of origin determine what wages they can demand?

Are you suggesting Africans demand higher wages than their European contemporaries?

By the way the GDP of Côte D’Ivoire, a country in which I regularly work, is about $24 billion.

Jim, brought a smile to my face on a busy Thursday morning, thanks

Clearly the lad was quite in awe of the situation, but also at the same time quite clearly said the right things, and I know you always get that from new signings, 'I always watched them as a boy, and dreamt that one day I would be lucky enough to realise those dreams' etc.

Open the window please, there is an overwhelming aroma of concentrated bullshit!

I honestly, and actually think that Christian's comments were genuine, either that or there is a definite future for him in the legal profession (Gladstone Crooks, Injury Liars etc.) or even as an actor.

What did concern me a little though having watched the OS video re: www.evertonfc.com/evertontv/home/10551 and as some of us have mentioned before, that the interviewers asked Roberto (having drawn parallels to Rom's situation,and from the same club) the answer from Roberto he just laughed and said more or less ' No he is here for ten months to improve his football '.

Whether that was just diplomacy on Roberto's part, but should he be the player we believe him to be, I can foresee almost the same scenario as with Rom, it seems almost inconceiveable that any loan deal would not contain such clauses. Otherwise, we get stiffed for what ever the parent club want, again.

They are trying to get his strength up and see how he goes before deciding on his future and replacements.

As far as the deal goes, I can’t agree with you.

Everton get a player for 10 months without having to pay a fee. Chelsea get a player back with more experience. Are you suggesting that Vitesse had some sort of agreement to buy him last season?

Unlike you to disagree mate, or be pessimistic, or negative, but I was not referring to either Atsu or Roberto. I was alluding to the usual soundbites you get in general from players when they initially sign.

Maybe, I didn't make that clear enough, so apologies if I have ruffled your quills.

And we won't have to pay whatever the selling club wants - we will pay the market price whatever that is. If they really want to sell him then they will need to accept the then market price...or they will end up keeping him for another year (and paying his wages).

"Yes I am saying a lot of African players wage demands seem to be higher than South Americans or Eastern Europeans are."

Stereotypical bullshit I would say. I think you will find lots of huge earners from South America. Neymar, Suarez, Tevez, Aguerro. As for Eastern Europeans I’m struggling to think of any really top players who could demand the big wages.

A report published last year by the Daily Express had the top 10 players in the PL by earnings as

3 English players, 2 Spanish, 1 French, 1 Belgium, 1 German, 1 Dutch and 1 African (Yaya Toure).

Maybe the absence of any other Africans is they not really cut out for a windy Tuesday night at Stoke.

As for the keeper, we also have Stanek along with Robles but a safe pair of hands at the end of his career would definitely be handy.

I thought Atsu came across as an honest, intelligent young man. Wish I could say the same about the people asking the questions.

It was also interesting to hear his view on Gibson, Last pre-season, Roberto suggested that he would be our new playmaker and has just said as much again. Of course, it depends on his tendency to pick up injuries...

But never have we been in such a strong position starting a new campaign. If we can come out of a very tough opening 9 games anywhere near the top 4, then we our in for a very interesting season.

We all fall down!!

I'll get me coat......

If I could make a constructive criticism: how about replacing the syntactically disastrous "goal's" with the equally incorrect but somehow more effective "goalses"?

Then, instead of 'doing a Poznan' when a goal is scored (ie, turning our backs) we could all fall down with Atsu scores. I can just imagine it!

You say they must have been. You know this for sure, of course you don’t.

Your original post said

"Can’t understand why many Africans from poverty stricken countries demand more wages than the national income of their country."

Apart from being obviously factually massively incorrect, it is a lazy stereotype of African players. You keep claiming African players demand more money than other players, yet other than tossing a few names around you have absolutely zero evidence to support your claim.

And just for the record, neither Jelavic or Dzeko are from Eastern Europe.

I just hope he isn't a diver – otherwise, every other team will be singing it.

Either suggestion is not not to be sneezed at!

Well done, Roberto.

I think giving Eto'o, Traore or Kalou a place in the team when the two lads mentioned are on the cusp of getting first team action will only IMO hit their confidence hugely knowing RM has no faith what so ever in their abilities to step up to the mark. I am the only person who thinks this and apologies for going off topic slightly.

Back to the post. Welcome Christian to our Blue family and I for one am really looking forward to seeing you in blue/black/white this season tearing a new one for all he comes up against.

I think the reason many are asking the question about an agreed future fee is because that's what the media have been telling us for the last month while this particular negotiation has been going on.

I agree that given his short time at chelsea and young age it would be strange, but for numerous different media outlets to mention it then it must have at least been part of the negotiation. I for one hope that it has some grounding, otherwise if he's ace we may find ourselves £15 million+ poorer next summer to make it permanent.

"Everton get a player for 10 months without having to pay a fee."
Shane, we had Lukaku last season and paid £5m for the privilege of having him on loan. I can't imagine that we won't be paying a loan for Atsu as well.

Besic on last 30 to close the game out.

He reminds me in stature and looks to Shaun Wright-Phillips, so if he turns out to be like him, I would be well happy. He was dynamite for a while and had some high profile transfers, Chelsea, Man City and then seems to have faded into obscurity.

Maybe he got bigger.

http://www.marca.com/2014/08/14/futbol/equipos/barcelona/1408014507.html

I'm happy to take Atsu over him given his greater experience.

Well I guess it depends which map you look at, the general UN classification places them in Southern Europe. However the geo-political history of the region is a tad complicated and probably doesn’t merit an argument.

Let me just tell you what I think. African footballers are no different than those of other continents. Some are good guys, some are bellends. Where they originate has fuck all to do with anything.

In fact, I just did a quick search and there's a Wikipedia page called 'Eastern Bloc' which includes and explains all the countries I would consider 'Eastern European'.

Maybe it's an age thing and you grew up after the fall of the Berlin wall? Otherwise surely you knew what he meant by Eastern European.

As for the Atsu deal, if Chelsea wouldn't agree to a set fee next summer what can we do? He's their player, if we want him we have to do what they say. If they say things we don't like we look elsewhere

Maybe you just don’t get my point.

You have already stated
"Yes I am saying a lot of African players wage demands seem to be higher than South Americans or Eastern Europeans are."

This is blatant unsubstantiated nonsense.

You latest post talks about ’African players and their wage demands.’

My problem is you are portraying African footballers as greedy mercenaries. Some of them may be but that is an individual character issue rather than a result of their geographical heritage.

Mike as I said it depends on the map you look at. How can I say this not everything on Wiki is true. By the way I was born four years after they put the thing up in the first place. Wiki will tell you when that was.

You managed to get one thing right. Yugoslavia was a communist (or socialist) republic.

However other than the the three years after the end of WW2 is was never part of the Soviet or Eastern Bloc. In fact it was part of the Non-aligned movement having no allegiance to either the East or the West. He was a stubborn old bastard that Tito.

Tony, it was quite widely reported at the time (and since) that Chelsea received £5m loan fee from both Everton and WBA for the two seasons he spent at each club. This (below) is just one of the articles.

http://www.statsbomb.com/2013/09/the-curious-cost-of-the-everton-loans/

If anyone wants to read a serious article on the Africa-to-Europe football migration, have a look at this: http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/a-new-slave-trade-europe-s-thirst-for-young-african-footballers-a-698508-5.html

You are right it is a generalisation. Not sure how many times you have been to Africa, I spend half my life there especially in West Africa where the majority of African professional footballers come from.
Yes there are lower levels of income especially in rural areas but believe it or not, not everyone is ’dirt poor’. Cities like Abidjan, Dakar or Accra are seeing an emerging middle class.
I need to get off my high horse now but I stand by my original opinion that it is just lazy stereotyping.

How we will do this year is in the hands of the Gods but from the magnificent purchase of Lukaku to Atsu, the latest brick in the wall, we can go to the gunfight with more than a pen knife and I give massive praise to the board for facilitating that. We are not going to be sold to a benevolent benefactor but we can live with that now.

We won’t click from minute zero on Saturday but we have hope now.

Yes, Tony, seems daft but there you go. Chelsea certainly know how to do business, they got almost all their outlay on Lukaku back in loan fees and then sold him for £28m!

Strong enough for you, Martin?

I expect an announcement on ground moves before Christmas if not sooner it it fails to materialise the board will start selling our assets as soon as they deem it necessary.

So, before we try and make greed sound like feeding the nation — it's not.

Also to claim that 'not everything on Wiki is true' counts as evidence that a particular thing on Wikipedia is not true, correct or useful is a logic fail of epic proportions. Are you claiming that the Eastern Bloc page on Wikipedia has been hacked by some bored teenager in his IT lesson to make it look like Yugoslavia was part of Eastern Europe during the cold war when really it wasn't?

You're managing to make yourself look silly despite having been right in the first place about the lazy stereotyping, quite a feat. (I see from your post #90 that you read up on the Wikipedia page anyway...!).

Anyway, a separate point, maybe African players do ask for more when in a position to do so, because they can take the money back home and do some genuine life changing work with it. That's pure speculation, but it makes sense and there are definitely some African players who take their own earnings and set up foundations, orphanages and sometimes football academies with it. Why wouldn't you demand more when you know it means you can help more people?

That Spanish Sky Sports presenter also tweeted earlier that Martinez spent a lot of time last season telling Gerry that the game still goes on when you've lost the ball, kind of explains the numerous times last season where I saw Coleman screaming at him during the game, Atsu will be better imho.

I hope it isn’t put to rest. I wouldn’t care if it went right down to the last minute of the window if it meant we get him for another season.

Imagine this scenario: Barkley needs a rest, so Mirallas plays in his position, the ball comes out of defence to McCarthy who passes to Besic; Besic twists, pulls the ball back and moves forward, evading two players, moves forward and looks up to see who to pass to; he’s got the option of Mirallas in front, Atsu on the left, and Deulofeu on the right with Lukaku upfront. I don’t think there would be too many teams able to deal with that pace.

It would be a great option to have; saying that, now I’ve typed this, he’s no doubt signed for Sevilla.

I was trying to give up on this one as it was way off the point I was originally stating.

But as you took the trouble to post let me try and explain.

Firstly there are a number of definitions of Eastern Europe. The United Nations does not place the Balkan States in Eastern Europe, it defines them in a grouping with Spain, Greece and Italy called Southern Europe. The EU definition says they are in Eastern Europe, hence it depends which map you look at.

My reference to Wiki was a light hearted one to state any online resource that can be edited by the public may contain incorrect information.

Finally Yugoslavia was never part of the Eastern Bloc. It was a non-aligned country from 1948 following a fallout between Stalin and Tito. Therefore any claims that any country in the Eastern Bloc or behind the Iron Curtain are by definition Eastern European does not hold water in the case of Yugoslavia. Being a Socialist Republic does not by definition make you European, ask the Cubans.

Hope that helps

I just read the Eastern Bloc page on Wiki and it actually confirms what I just said

Atsu will give us that extra bit of cover. If there is any spare cash left, let’s try for a loanee striker to help Lukaku. As much as Naismith improved last year, he is not good enough to lead the line on his own.

And Santa, can you please please get us a backup goalkeeper as the one we have is a dud. Marshall would be a good shout if you can manage. I know it’s early to do my Xmas list but if we could have them in the next week, all us ToffeeWebbers will be good lads and not moan for the season.

Feck — I must take my medication.

While I'm at it the way Lukaku heads the ball reminds me of Joe Royle.

Is lightning going to strike 3 times at Everton - I hope so.

I'm looking forward to another great season.

UP THE BLUES.

As a biased Irishman, I'd love to see him and Coleman form an amazing partnership like B&P on the left but I don't think Robbie will give him enough full games to build that confidence. Unlike most of us, he doesn't like getting pulled off at half-time.

In the end we know that the ANC is coming and so we just have to live with it.

I did have a whizz through the page, and definitely learnt something, but it does have a map of Europe, with 'Yugoslavia' in the East (of Europe). There's the basic matter of longitude to consider after all. Would you genuinely consider a Croatian and a Bosnian not to be Eastern European?

A quick search reveals a Wikipedia page that doesn't include the Balkans in Eastern Europe, a Bleacher Report article that does, although specifies East and South-East Europe in its introduction and various other pages where Croatian, Slovenian and Serbian players are talked about as Eastern European.

Before this conversation it was obvious to me that the former Yugoslavia was definitely 'in Eastern Europe' now at least I understand there's another way of looking at it. I wonder if there is a motivation to try to end old divides between East and West in the way people think.

However, given that those countries are in Europe, and in the East of it, I can't help but think of them as being in Eastern Europe, just as I will continue to consider Spain and Portugal to be in Western Europe.

Not quite sure how I got into debating the geography of Europe. It was a bit of a throwaway comment to be honest.

The Balkan States are described as Western Europe, Eastern Europe or even South Eastern Europe depending on your reference source. You pays your money you take your choice.

The UK is in Western Europe or Northern Europe again depending on source.

However by my definition, I would not consider them Eastern European. Would you for instance consider Greece in Eastern Europe. It occupies the same Balkan Peninsula as Croatia and Bosnia, and even lies further East than both.

I think the reason most people associate it with Eastern Europe is the belief they were part of the old Soviet or Eastern bloc, despite the fact they actually were not.