Swansea knock back Everton bid for Williams

I would have preferred Williams over Fonte and Lamine Kone from Sunderland. I'm really not excited by the prospect of either of those signings.

Actually I would have both as we need centre back cover if Stones leaves.

2026 Liverpool bid for Commonwealth Games...

Just nice for our new stadium at the docks!

Try £12m and if they don't like that they can fuck off. Although we do badly need at least one center back in.

They cant be hoping for much more given his age and service to them. If he really wants the move a figure needs to be agreed promptly.

He's physically big/strong, looks like (on the park) he has a big mouth, seems switched on, looks like a real leader – imo exactly what we have been lacking – presence, leadership.

No guarantees of course, but I really believe a couple of players like this are priority and could make a big (positive) difference to our entire squad.

Former players like Graeme Sharp and Adrian Heath have (in the past) publicly stated that the presence, leadership and attitude of Reid and Gray (two 'oul crocks) was the spark that ignited us in 84.

Having watched us in 83 and seen the transformation in that side, I can tell you, the effect of a couple of real/natural leaders can be immense.

㿅m - 㿊m spent on two real winners could give our squad a lot more than 㿔m - 㿞m spent on one eye-catching, headline-grabbing, skilful 'star.'

There are some good players in our squad, many of them just need leadership and example.

Until we land a Mata, Witsel or Carvalho, I'll just continue to worry that this new Moshiri era will be more of the same.

If Swansea really wanted to keep the player who is contracted until 2018, surely they wouldn't have allowed him to talk to another club?

That said, we can't go no higher.

But like Eugene says: who cares, it isn't my money. We need him, so let's bloody well make it happen.

All kidding aside – get it done already!

Jesus – all that glitters (or 'glisters' for you Shakespeareans) etc.

Currently, the main talent of the third most expensive signing in our history, appears to be that when he receives the ball, he can instantly do a boss impression of Norman Wisdom walking on a highly polished floor, after having his shandy spiked.

Anyone at the moment not prepared to give time to Moshiri/Koeman is going to 1) drive themselves fucking nuts and 2) drive the rest of us fucking nuts.

If we lash money at it immediately (to satisfy the Viv Nicholson types) and we're 5th from bottom by the end of November, prepare to hear angry rants at the match along the lines "He just spunked the money lad and hoped for the best lad, there was no plan lad" etc blah.

There are many other better, younger central defenders out there worth paying decent money for.

Either cough up for the money they want, clearly he's available and open to a move or walk away. Messing around makes us no better than City or Chelski.

I like the look of Koulibaly on YouTube but I know what we will get with Williams. Tried and tested in the Premier League and a natural leader.

Let's face it, we can pick holes in any transfer and its 'value'. I happen to think the player has good experience, both as a defender first and as a captain

Those qualities are missing from the current squad and would be worth the the fee. Clearly the prime reason to buy him not just the other CBs out there for more or less money

Unlike Jags, his game is not affected being captain. Thoughts?

An ultimatum is the only way forward... or perhaps a mass.

Huth and Morgan, same age, champions.

As for 'greedy', subjective of course, but some might think many Evertonians expecting/demanding 𧴵m for 2 players (that many Evertonians can't find a good word for) no less greedy.

As for - 'There are many other better, younger central defenders out there worth paying decent money for.' – I'm not disputing this out of hand, but it would be good to have the names of a few you consider fit the bill (and who could make a real difference, who could provide leadership, who want and are willing to move and who aren't signed to long-term contracts with other clubs etc).

Letting them have Galloway or Holgate on loan as a makeweight might soften the blow, especially if they have other positions targeted with the profits from the sale.

BTW - does anyone think we might be in for Berahino? There seems to be a lot of cloak and dagger about the announcement tomorrow of his sale to 'either Crystal Palace or Stoke' and Koeman does appear to like a 'quick' up front.

The much-vaunted "marquee" signing would be a statement of intent that may well change the perception of how we're viewed by sponsors, agents and players alike. Bring in one 㿊m-㿔m signing and other players of a similar ilk will surely want to follow.

I don't disagree that bringing in Williams would improve the side (I'm less sold on Gueye) but a summer that promised so much is threatening to turn into a massive disappointment – and if Lukaku and Stones go I do believe that this squad will struggle to get into the top half.

Sure, building a team is a slow, iterative process and we're not going to be transformed in one transfer window or one season but if Moshiri is truly willing to give us the much-needed cash injection which has been expected then there are plenty of big name, proven players out there for us to go and get right now. Gueye, Williams and Stekelenburg don't guarantee us European football and that should be our aim as a minimum!

You can't say (true financial) might makes doesn't make it right on the one hand then get all up in the air when Swansea have the temerity, the audacity, to say No... even if it 'No' might only = more money please.

We do need to get a leader in, whether it's a CB or a CM, even in the Euros, I found it hard to see a player that had real leadership apart from the likes of Ashley Williams with a fighting heart .

I think we have to look towards an Italian or a German for a CB and a Spaniard for a CM to give us some craft.

Williams is a leader that we desperately need. If Walsh and Koeman rate him, I want him.

Always baffled me too with how supporters getting fixated on the actual transfer fee of players. It doesn't matter, it's all funny money and footballs gone mad but don't let it worry you.

1) Ashley is 32 soon.
2) John is only 23.
3) 㾶M in old school thinking seems steep.
4) 㿞M seem like us making City dance to our tune.
5) Ashley is a respected leader domestically and internationally.
6) John is stylish but still naive quite often.
7) Our defence has been a real cause for concern for two consecutive seasons, that has to be entirely reversed.

In conclusion, because the comparison is far from "like for like", I have real misgivings. Keeping Stones and adding Williams would however seem ideal to me. Could transform Stones into a defender of true World Class, for us. If that was the outcome, then coughing up 㾻M for Williams would be good money well spent.

However:

John sold to City for below expected fee.

Ashley purchased over the odds

Then:

Three weeks into the season Stones scores his first EPL goal for City

Same day

Williams does his cruciate ligaments and is out for the remainder of the season, or approximately 50% of his contract

Of course, the goal/cruciate could always happen in reverse.

At 㾶 million it was a snip... Even at his age. he looks like he has another few seasons in reserve. Some players are like that...in the John Terry mould.

I wonder if this will result in a bumper new contract for Williams.

Swansea would be mad to let him go.

I think £10m is a decent price for both parties but fair play to them for sticking to their guns.

Williams will probably be tempted to move (transfer fee, wage increase, bigger stage, new challenge etc) as has been at Swansea for 8 years, signing for 𧷤k and this could be his best chance of a last hurrah.

Swansea will naturally want to keep him but ultimately will cash in if the money is good enough for a player at the end of his career, especially if he asks to leave. They've got to be seen to be fighting to keep him and get the best deal for the club.

I think the stars will come into line on this one, we might have to go up to at least 㾻m to get him though. Then there's something in it for everyone.

Sounds like legal jargon, that 'not minded' bit – seen it before.

Stuff the pious moral high ground. Get Williams and every last penny out of Chelsea and City.

He's a leader and two or three of those are more important than a marquee signing.

He is proven in our league, is a captain and a great example to our young lads. It's a no-brainer for me. As Eugene says, it's not my money or your money, just spend it.

I don't care about the money involved, quality counts for more, and if we sign Williams, we will be getting quality.

The two guys we should not underestimate are Holgate and Galloway. They both have more winner mentality than John and are more athletic – in turning and reacting than John in defence. I could see their winner athleticism dominating Europe in 3-5 years with Koeman behind them. They can also play a ball – not as good as John but they can and are developing that in our system.

That omits to mention Pennington and Mr Browning who could both be 㿀m type CBs. Williams in to cover for their development would be great.

if Swansea want more than 㾸-13M then I'd be tempted to switch to Kone who is supposedly available for 㾼-17M and is only 27, so has his best years ahead of him and is a similar type player with possibly a yard more pace.

Jags has been rock solid. Best in the Premier League.

It's getting annoying all of the players that we've been linked with which haven't materialised. I thought Mata and Sigurdsson would have done well at Everton; I wasn't convinced by Arnautovic.

I would rather have him than Koulibaly, Martins-Indi or Kone, that's for sure. Proven Premier League experience – and he is not afraid to do the dirty side of the job.

Your comments regarding players we already have in 'reserve' like Holgate, Garbutt, Galloway, etc echo my own views of why we are apparently busting a gut and preparing to spend millions when we already have young experienced players who can do a job just as well, or even better, than the so called 'elite'.

We have constantly been told by the hierarchy that certain players are more than ready to step up into the first team and it must be disheartening for them to be overlooked in the pursuit of foreigners, these lads deserve their promotion and their loyalty to the Blue shirt would never be in question – unlike Stones and Lukaku.

One it is a massive leap in level to the Prem from what they have been used to.

Two there is so much going on in a youngsters head and life at this period of their development.

The amount of money and instant fame can be hard for some kids.

I also think players like Garbutt must be full of self doubt after playing some great games for the first team then finding himself loaned out, getting injured etc meanwhile Galloway gets into pole position and Oviedo recovers from injury.

Really think we should have got other defensive options lined up? Just shows Martinez was out of his depth.
Its not exactly caught us by suprise, everyone knew he was going to go in January.

Villa and Sunderland failures will walk into the team just because they cost £millions but only Davies will get anywhere near PL football this season and even that will be rarely.

Brentford will be drawing their list of loan players they fancy as I write.

We've got rid of the amateur now lets give the professional a chance to do their work.

Seemed like it was going to get done though and was delighted, just the type of player we need.

If they want another few million do it and get it done. If not, shame but move on to other targets whoever they may be!

I was really impressed with him in the games he played for us and looked to have huge potential.

He's got a beautiful left peg and his deliveries dead ball or otherwise were fantastic.

I think he must be really demotivated atm - after the way Martinez treated him, he was then unlucky last season to pick up a bad injury, which takes time to get back into form from.

It now appears that Koeman doesn't fancy him, even to develop behind Baines.

Either that, or he's looking to loan him out again for his development for this season.

He's one of those players I think will go elsewhere and in time go to another PL club and become a top class player, we turn around and say - I can't believe we let him go.

I'm always amazed at how touchy we are regarding comments on the internet. I'm sure Colin was just having a bit of a laugh.

While I'm not truly Welsh, I have a deep affection for Wales and its people – my surname suggests some distant lineage, of course, and I spent five years at university in Swansea – and I'm not sure referring to leeks, despite them being stereotypically synonymous with Wales, is all that offensive.

I don't know Mr Glassar personally but having seen his comments on the site for years, I don't believe there was anything malicious intended; on the contrary, I took it as a tongue-in-cheek cultural reference but that's hard to convey in text.

It's a pretty sad state of affairs that someone would actually go to the effort of writing an email to complain about a leek related post.

It seems the Internet has for many people just become a way of being offended.

Xenophobic my arse!

As for Ashley Williams, he would be a great acquisition for the Mighty EFC.

Believe me, Colin knows his onions.

I guess caravans, sheep and Tom Jones are fair game?

I never, for a moment, truly thought that Colin was Xenophobic. As you said, I too have been following him on ToffeeWeb for many years and thoroughly enjoy his comments and insights.

I just thought that this outburst was out of character for Colin and wondered what, if anything, in particular, had prompted it.

#93 "Colin(1)- For someone whose comments and opinions I follow closely and generally admire, I am astonished by this somewhat xenophobic utterance."

#110 "I never, for a moment, truly thought that Colin was Xenophobic."

Almost as good as one of Trump's...

To begin, let me say that it was not me that e-mailed a complaint. I am a great admirer of Colin and his posts and read them avidly.

Also, I never seriously thought of him as being Xenophobic - but was surprised by his sudden outburst and wondered what may have prompted it.

I am saddened to learn that your "arse" is xenophobic - but what about the rest of you?

The dictionary definition of "somewhat" is "to a moderate extent or by a moderate amount; rather".

As indicated, it implies a moderate tendency towards, not an outright accusation.

Consequently, my second post upheld this view, rather than being a total volte face, as per Mr Trump.

I like the use of 'somewhat' to change the meaning of a word. It nice to know you only thought Colin was moderately xenophobic.

I think Jeremy Clarkson is somewhat annoying and Nigel Farage is somewhat of a racist fucknugget. No, forget that... Farage is a racist fucknugget.

Similarly, I do not question your right to say what you did about J. Clarkson and N. Farage - I am merely enquiring into what has driven you to say that?

Is it, xenophobia, intolerance, or mere pique?

I'm going to have a guess its "Welsh"