The Rumour Mill — Summer 2004 (July, August & September)
Speculation, conjecture, whisperings, half-truths and outright nonsense. Disclaimer
[Note: most links in this section are to external media/internet sources, where available. 
If the link is recursive (ie, leading back) to this page, it means that no external story exists — Editor].

Interest in Sean Thornton
30 Aug - Sean Thornton used to play for Tranmere, now plays for Sunderland, but perhaps in the future he could be playing for Everton.

Everton target Beattie
28 Aug - David Moyes is keen to offer Southampton £7M for James Beattie if Wayne Rooney leaves this weekend.  Aston Villa failed to tempt the Saints to part with the England international for £6M.

Barcelona to gazump Uniteds?
27 Aug - According to an e-mail we have received at ToffeeWeb Towers, sources from within Everton say that there is a strong suggestion that Barcelona will enter the bidding with a £30m offer.

Rooney's heart set on leaving
27 Aug - In an enlightening synopsis of yesterday's events, the People's Forum Admin Team relay the outcome of many hours chasing leads and holding discussions with sources at Goodison trying to ascertain just what on earth is going on.

The jist of it appears to be that Wayne made up his mind to leave months ago citing irreconcilable differences with manager David Moyes.

Newspaper reports of a training ground explosion yesterday between player and manager are apparently spot on (and we at ToffeeWeb have received independent confirmation, including Rooney yelling at Moyes "I cost you nothing and yet you put a £30m price on my head. That's not on."), backed up by the Forum summary.

The ball appears very much to be in Wayne's court and a statement is expected from him today explaining his decision, accompanied by a written transfer request. It is believed he will sign for Manchester United for £24m (only £12m of that up front) plus dynamic midfielder David Bellion.

Rooney wants Toon move
27 Aug - So say sources on Merseyside which goes against all other "intel" that puts Wayne's future firmly at Old Trafford.

Bellion a makeweight
27 Aug - The newspapers, who have been playing catch-up on the Rooney story, throw midfieler David Bellion's name into the ring as a potential part-exchange in a deal taking the 18 year-old to Old Trafford. Not sure what Bellion would think of taking such a step down, but there you go...

Traoré deal done?
27 Aug - A few of today's papers are reporting that Everton made an official bid for Liverpool's Djimi Traoré while The Guardian go as far as to suggest that the deal is already done for £1.5m.

Rooney gone by tomorrow
26 Aug - The latest rumours are thus:
This evening, Manchester United will announce a press conference for tomorrow morning at which they will unveil the £24m acquisition of Wayne Rooney.
The deal has been sanctioned by Bill Kenwright and not David Moyes.

Moyes will resign in protest. Wayne Rooney doesn't want to leave and doesn't know what is going on. His father, Wayne Sr., is unable to make contact with him because of his agents' control. Wayne left Bellefield behind Paul Stretford's car, current whereabouts unknown.

Traoré price tag is £2M
25 Aug - Everton will have to pay Liverpool £2M for the signature of Djimi Traoré.

Almeyda heads to Italy
25 Aug - At 31, it's unlikely we were ever interestes in him in the first place but Argentine midfielder Matias Almeyda has joined Brescia on a one-year contract.

United offer imminent on Thursday
24 Aug - Manchester United will wait until their qualification to the Uefa Champions League is assured before lodging a bid for Wayne Rooney on Thursday. This would be line with speculation that Newcastle's offer was merely a Paul Stretford ruse to bring Everton out into the open and tacitly admit that £30m would be enough.

Newcastle to increase bid?
24 Aug - Today's edition of The S*n claims that Newcastle will come back with a £24m offer for Wayne Rooney after Everton told them where to shove their £20m bid yesterday. The red-top rag also speculates that the Magpies could eventually match the Blues' £30m asking price. Now, if that were true, why would Everton accept the lower bid when Newcastle's intentions to go higher are in the public domain? Great this tabloid journalism lark, isn't it?

Add Finnan to the mix
23 Aug - In addition to £1.2m-rated Djimi Traore, Everton are believed to be targeting Liverpool's Steve Finnan in a £2m raid.

QPR winger instead of AvdM?
23 Aug - The Sunday Times suggested yesterday that Everton will drop their interest in £4.5m-rated Andy van der Meyde and go for Irish international Martin Rowlands of QPR instead for £750,000

Not Henchoz but Traore
22 Aug - Sky Sports says that Everton are in talks with Liverpool to sign Djimi Traore... who is injured!!!

Oi, Robson! No!
22 Aug - Newcastle are apparently eyeing Joseph Yobo, Everton's best player not called Wayne. David Moyes has insisted he doesn't want to sell his best players so we shall see.

Defection from Red to Blue
21 Aug - Talksport suggested strongly today that a Liverpool player will cross the Park within the next few days and sign for Everton. Further rumours are all over the map: is it Swiss handball expert Stephan Henchoz, or Igor Biscan, or Djimi Traore?

Gregg to mount counter-bid
20 Aug - Referring to a letter that apparently landed on the desks of David Moyes and Bill Kenwright this past week, David Prentice in the Echo reports that Paul Gregg plans to launch a counter proposal to the theatre impresario's apparent £20m rescue package. It would mean, however, that Moyes wouldn't get any cash until the next transfer window in January because the takeover wouldn't be in place in time for the end of the month.

Matias Almeyda again
20 Aug - The 31 year-old Argentine midfielder is back in Europe from his native country following a kidnap scare. He's adamant he won't play in Argentina and is now looking for a European club. Which simply must mean Everton want him.

Andy van der Meyde
19 Aug - Chicken (People's Forum) or egg (Sky Sports)... who knows? The player's agent says there's been no contact, so...

Wolves interested in Big Dunc
19 Aug - Davie Jones is apparently thinking about swooping for Duncan Ferguson to strengthen his attacking options.

Moyes in for Dudic
19 Aug - The latest transfer target for David Moyes is 24-year-old Milan Dudic, the Serbia & Montenegro international with Crvena Zvezda - formerly Red Star Belgrade.

Ricksen is not coming either
18 Aug - Fernando Ricksen of Glasgow Rangers is not moving to the Premeirship despite rumoured interest from Everton.

Hamburg give up on Gravesen
18 Aug - Hamburg will apparently not be increasing their bid to get Thomas Gravesen from Everton.

Moyes ready to quit
16 Aug - That's what that execrable rag The Sun  would have us believe... based on precisely nothing.

Gravesen price set at £3.5M
16 Aug - Everton have supposedly told Hamburg they will need to pay a lot more than their £2M offer if they are to pry Gravesen away from Goodison Park.

Moyes linked with Gregan reunion
14 Aug - So says the "Having a Ball" weblog, whatever that is. Sean Gregan played under David Moyes at Preston and the midfielder recent lodged a transfer request at West Brom.

Ivorian striker linked
12 Aug - No, not Back-o-the-Echo. Planet Football speculate that Dagui Bakari would be an Everton target if his rumoured move to Tottenham falls through. He had spent part of the pre-season on trial at White Hart Lane but Lens rejected their offer to loan him for 3 months.

Moyes getting around
12 Aug - The Everton boss took in the Celtic-Tottenham friendly on Tuesday evening and Charles-Edouard Coridon's agent Willie McKay insists Moyes was there to see his client play as a trialist for Celtic. The 31 year-old looked destined for Parkhead but now the £1.5m price tag could be a stumbling block. Isn't he a little old for Moyes's plans?

Moyes was also apparently spotted in Belgrade on Wednesday night watching Red Star take on PSV Eindhoven. Whether he was there to have another go for Mark van Bommell or someone else remains to be seen but Jurgen Colin, full-back for the Dutch club, has been mentioned as a possible 12-month loanee on the People's Forum.

Charles-Edouard Coridon
11 Aug - Lens midfielder Charles-Edouard Coridon, who appears to be Celti bound, has emerged as a target for Everton

Murphy heading to The Valley
10 Aug - Having rejected a move to Tottenham because he couldn't be guaranteed first team football, Danny Murphy has apparently signed for Charlton Athletic for £2.5m. Rumours suggested that Murphy's desire to stay in the northwest would make Everton favourites if they could find the money (which they surely could if they were bidding the same amount for Michael Carrick last week, right?).

Danny Murphy to cross the Park!
7 Aug - Everton are supposedly one of the three clubs vying for the signature of Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy. It would tie in with reports that Rafael Benitez is interested in signing Thomas Gravesen -- indeed the Reds' boss was at Goodison today to watch the friendly against Real Sociedad.

Rooney, Real Madrid, yawn...
7 Aug - Real Madrid are planning a shock raid on Wayne Rooneyn before the season starts according to the increasingly unreliable Sky Sports. Except with this rumour cropping up every week, it wouldn't be such a shock now, would it?

Crocked Moore staying put
7 Aug - Rumours fron north of the Border now suggest that Craig Moore's suspect knee will put the kaibosh on any proposed move to Everton.

Moore set to sign for £300K
7 Aug - Craig Moore will become the third Australian to sign for Everton this summer according to a number of reports. The central defender is surplus to requirements at Rangers and is expected to join the Blues for a cut-price £300,000.

Rooney expected to stay
6 Aug - In the longest running saga of rumour and counter-rumour, the latest has Rooney staying with Everton, as long as there is an escape clause if another club puts in a decent fee... they are now arguing about the fee.

Gravesen to Liverpool
5 Aug - The Telegraph reports that Everton are looking to sell Tommy Gravesen to Liverpool in order to raise the money for Michael Carrick.

Gemmill to Leicester
3 Aug - Scot Gemmill's search for a new club may take him back to the Midlands with Leicester City. The 31 yyear-old was released by Everton this summer when his contract expired.

Argentine midfielder linked
1 Aug - The People suggest that Everton have been offered Argentinian midfielder Matias Almeyda who is surplus to requirements at Inter Milan. He is apparently willing to drop his enornmous wage demands to keep playing but wants to sign sight-unseen whereas David Moyes would prefer to check on his fitness.

Green to back Kenwright defence
1 Aug - British Home Stores tycoon Philip Green, who recently led a failed attempt to buy out Marks & Spencer, has apparently pledged his support to friend Bill Kenwright and persuaded him not to resign as Everton chairman in the face of Paul Gregg's recent challenge. The billionnaire businessman won't be providing any of his own cash but his wealth will help shore up Kenwright's position according to this Business Telegraph report.

Moyes Out; Strachan In
29 Jul - A totally baseless piece of fantasy from that wonderful paragon of journalism, The Sun, has Moyes leaving to be replaced by Gordon Strachan.

Pascucci on trial with Oostende
29 Jul - According to this Belgian website, Everton's Youth Academy striker, Patrizio Pascucci is to have a trial with KV Oostende. It's a little surprising because the Italian appeared to be a good prospect based on his goal-scoring record for the Everton U-19s. [NB: The page linked is in Flemish]

Another story suggests Pascucci will be farmed out on loan to Chester City to gain more experience.

Panucci offered to Everton
27 Jul - This Goal.com report starts by suggesting that Everton are looking to bid for Roma full-back, Christian Panucci, but talks itself out of the rumour by the end. In actual fact, the Italian was offered to Everton but that's as far as it goes for Moyesey.

Gregg victory = Rooney sale
27 Jul - In an e-mail we received this week at ToffeeWeb Towers, it is suggested that Paul Gregg is looking for temporary control at Goodison should he emerge victorious from the face-off with Bill Kenwright; enough time to sell Wayne Rooney and recoup his investment.

"Dear Editor,

"If Gregg takes over the Club there will be £15m, mainly from his new Thai friends. If they take over, they will 1. Sell Rooney for about £30m. 2. Finance their investment by taking £15m of this "Rooney money" to their own pocket and invest £15m that is left to Everton.

"So, Gregg is telling us what we want to hear to get support. He doesn't want to lose money and Rooney is a quick fix for that. When he gets his money back, he will let the Thais take over.

"Kenwright also knows all this. That is the real reason why he is trying to stop Gregg."

RVS

In response to our publication of this rumour, Paul Gregg has issued this statement.