Fer deal stalls over knee concerns

, 29 January, 333comments  |  Jump to most recent
FC Twente reject modified payment proposal

Leroy Fer's proposed transfer from FC Twente is on ice this evening following reports that Everton are concerned by the results of scans on the 23 year-old's knee.

The Club's medical staff are worried about the potential long-term effects of the surgery that the player underwent to mend the damage he sustained on international duty for the Netherlands last September.

In seeking to protect themselves from a future flare up of the injury, the Club have proposed restructured terms for the £8.6m deal agreed over the weekend, with the bulk of the fee dependent on appearances, which the Dutch club say they cannot agree to.

The first indications of a snag in the deal emerged earlier this evening when Dutch football sources released quotes from Twente's President, Joop Munsterman who claimed that Everton have made "additional requirements" and that negotiations are "stuck".

After rumours gathered pace that there were concerns on Everton's end regarding the results of Fer's medical, Munsterman appeared insistent to Telegraaf that it was the financial side of the deal and not the results of the player's physical examination that were the issue.

Fuller quotes appeared later on SkySports.com which suggested that Munsterman was not confident that the impasse could be broken:

"Yesterday Everton claimed on their own website they reached an agreement with FC Twente about a transfer of Leroy Fer," the Twente supremo said.

"Today they started up the negotiations once again. During the day they came with all sort of additional conditions about the payment terms and also the transfer fee.

"We won't deal with that. Then there won't be a transfer. We don't play that game at Twente. They can come up with any demand they wish but we're not playing along with their demands."

Twente are keen to sell so they can fund two transfer bids of their own for Filip Djuricic and Claudemir, although their offer for the former was reportedly rejected by Nurnberg this evening.

With Fer himself set on the move, a deal is still possible before Thursday's deadline but it may depend on Twente accepting a modified deal for the former Feyenoord midfielder.

Quotes or other material sourced from Liverpool Echo



Reader Comments (333)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


Graham Mockford
1 Posted 29/01/2013 at 18:53:00
@FCTwenteOnline are reporting some some difficulties with the terms of the deal.

Jim White of @skysports_jim is reporting he has failed his medical. This is being denied by allegedly the president of Twente.

Fair to say still some way to go to get this over the line.

Graham Haines
2 Posted 29/01/2013 at 18:59:24
Why am I not surprised!
Sam Hoare
3 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:00:10
What?! How typical!
Chris Morris
4 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:01:15
Let's just wait for something official.
James Stewart
5 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:01:07
The snag being blue bill realises he doesn't have 8m! Why am I not surprised!
Jeff Beaumont
6 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:00:57
Couldn't organise the proverbial piss-up
Sam Hoare
7 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:03:16
What's the source here, Lyndon?
Paul Ferry
8 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:01:38
Fuck me, what fucking additional add-ons? I suppose we are now offering £4k up front rather than £7k I also suppose we ought to hold our tongues until we find out if they are reasonable or not. But, fuck me, we cannot afford to screw this one up. 48 hours to go and if we have screwed this up then we are our own worst enemies.
Colin Glassar
9 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:03:41
McClaren doesn't want tickets for Cats as he's seen it several times but Billy Bullshit is refusing them tickets for Les Miserables.
Andy Boyer
10 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:03:49
There's word on the Internet that Fer is in potentially serious trouble with the law in Holland.

He apparently has ties to a drug dealer called Antonio Fernández who was murdered last year, apparently there are 3 players implicated.

Nothings concrete but funny how this all comes out then the deal stalls......

Si Cooper
11 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:02:54
Are the additional requirements for the player or for FC Twente?

I can see the club wanting some assurance / insurance if a problem has cropped up with his medical, but what can we ask of FC Twente? Not to put the cheque in the bank before September perhaps?

Alan Newton
12 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:03:12
Maybe I'm being naive concerning the specifics of football transfers but what additional requirements could possibly snag the deal at this stage?! Surely if the terms of transfer has been agreed with FC Twente (i.e. the cash and payment terms), then it's down to the player and his agent?!

Unless.... Everton have tried to re-negotiate the specifics of what was agreed in the first place. Now, that wouldn't surprise me a cynic like me. But, Everton would be pretty stupid to do that, especially with the amount of media attention on the deal and the possibility of another club coming in for him.

Sam Hoare
13 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:07:36
If the medical has thrown up some unexpected issues and they are re-negotiating on that basis, then that is only sensible and standard practice.
Ged Simpson
14 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:09:08
Was it all a bluff? Who the hell knows... but announcing it before it was signed was bound to give them leverage.
Brian Waring
15 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:08:34
Watch someone else swoop in while we try and sort out our 'Additional requirements.'
Brian Williams
16 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:09:29
For once, can people not try to see that maybe Everton are doing the right thing?

If the club went ahead despite some obvious problems, and then those problems came back to bite us on the arse, would that not be worse?

Everton agreed a deal... something's come up... Everton aren't happy... good that we're looking after what little we have to spend!

Ian Bennett
17 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:11:02
Perhaps we offered £8.6m in HMV and Jessop vouchers?
Chris Morris
18 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:11:34
If we actually knew of anything instead of speculating then it'd be easier, but as of right now we know nothing.

Can anyone genuinely confirm this?

Brian Waring
20 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:11:27
Agree Sam, but why couldn't we have got the ball rolling on this transfer a few weeks ago, then we wouldn't have all this crap with only a couple of days till deadline, because if this ends up not going through, there is no time to line up someone else.
Colin Glassar
21 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:13:28
Chris Morris, do you honestly expect the club to tell us the truth? If they mess this up they'll just carry on as though nothing has happened. Remember Moutinho?
Nick Entwistle
22 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:13:50
All through this I've thought about what MK says and that is do not believe someone has signed until he's wearing the shirt with a scarf above his head having his photo.

Could all be another phantom Owen bid, or was it Shearer... just to look like something was going on.

If its medical stuff, fair enough, but... fuck it.

Nick Entwistle
23 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:15:58
Oh bravo! Nice pun in the title Lyndon. Do I win a prize?
John Keating
24 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:12:03
Who's his agent?

Not Chris Samuelson is it ?

In that case, not to worry, the player will be in the bank tomorrow.

Steve Cotton
25 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:14:08
its apparently to do with sell on value so stop all this bollox about drug gangs etc...
Ged Simpson
26 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:11:57
Better bid, Brian? Seems a worry.
Colin Ryan
27 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:16:15
Muller Ravenelli and Shearer are signing instead!!
Lyndon Lloyd
28 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:16:37
Sam H: What's the source here Lyndon?

It's hard to nail it down, Sam. The site linked above carries an FC Twente copyright but turns out not to be their official website and an @FCTwenteOnline Twitter account that is pushing the same story also claims to be the club's official account but isn't either.

A handful of football writers in the Netherlands all began Tweeting at the same time that the deal has hit a snag so just waiting on more developments now.

Ged Simpson
29 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:25:06
That makes me less concerned Lyndon – but just because I am an optimist!
Paul Andrews
30 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:07:52
As Blue Bill makes yet another mess, we can always console ourselves with the fact that he is a great Evertonian.

Why, he stood in the Boys Pen with piss going through the holes in his shoes. Strange that, with Bill living in a very expensive detached house in Menlove Avenue during his childhood – I didn`t imagine he would have holes in his shoes.

Joe McMahon
31 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:24:14
Why is this always the way it is with us. Pathetic, it's a joke, Everton FC is nothing but a shambles, from the shite wooden stadium to the charlatan chairman.

Why is it deals to sign crap like Naismith never fall through?

Joe McMahon
33 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:28:21
Ian Bennett (#111) – classic!
Mike Webb
34 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:28:19
Joe @126, because he was "free"?
Ian Glassey
35 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:24:42
We are Everton nothing is ever straight forward at this club, just add it to the list of
fuck ups...
Brian Waring
36 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:33:12
I Think before we jump on the club's case over this, we need to wait till something official is released.
Brian Waring
37 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:36:36
Fucking hell! Can't believe I've just said that.
Bobby Mallon
38 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:33:26
Once again, our hopes are up... then they are down. Typical Everton... Roll on West Brom.
Phil Bellis
39 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:38:15
We should all know the rules by now:

Echo... picture... shirt.

Kevin Tully
40 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:38:14
It will fall through because of some lame excuse, after we all showed such unbridled enthusiasm for this deal as well.

We shouldn't jump to conclusions though – we might get over the final hurdle in this deal later tonight.

I wonder what excuses the board will trot out if this one is a non-starter?

Peter Warren
41 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:42:41
Spot on, Phil!
Graham Mockford
42 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:37:54
I think Brian's voice of caution is the best route before anyone starts slitting their wrists. What we have are rumours from unofficial sources who didn't even seem to know about the transfer until it was announced.

What we do know he is having a medical, has publicly stated he wants to join. I'd be amazed if there really are any issues concerning the deal there will not be a compromise.
Still holding my breath though.

Chris Morris
43 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:44:46
Rumours of pay issues?

I don't believe that because surely that would have been discussed before now?

Patrick Murphy
44 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:41:09
Who else wants him? Why don't they want him?

How serious are the charges – if any – he might face in the Netherlands?

It was such a bolt from the blue that his name came up, I'm not surprised the deal has hit some snags.

Brian Waring
45 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:43:16
Surely it can't be over payment terms? We had our bid accepted, so then Twente must have accepted the payment package we offered, or has Bill tried to move the goal posts last minute?
James Martin
46 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:44:53
Let's be honest if he wants to join, if Moyes wants him, he passes his medical, and we can afford him, then the deal gets done. If one of these things doesn't happen then the deal doesn't happen.

If he's in deep trouble and Moyes doesn't fancy him, we won't get him. If we can't afford him – we won't get him.

No-one is intentionally cocking up at Everton over every single thing every single day of the year. That sort of paranoid mindset is just ridiculous.

Lyndon Lloyd
Editorial Team
47 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:46:59
From what I can gather, Chris, the £8.6m was agreed. It's the terms of those payments to FC Twente that is the issue.
Kevin Tully
48 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:48:20
He wouldn't have flown over on a private jet yesterday without knowing what wage we were offering.

Bobby Mallon
49 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:49:37
I have just been watching Moyesy on Sky and he said at that time Fer was halfway through a medical — I can only guess they have found something wrong with the guy.
Barry White
50 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:44:42
Well, can't say I'm not surprised one bit. Why didn't the club just fucking sign him and THEN parade him in a press conference? How many times does this have to happen? Remember Muller circa 1994 etc.

Oh well... back to Odidja-Ofoe!

Chris Morris
51 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:51:37
I am still struggling though to figure out if he travelled here without knowing what we were paying him?

Or maybe he thought he was getting a better deal and it's based on bonuses etc?

I've no idea so I'll hang on for official news.

Brian Waring
52 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:52:11
Kevin, I don't think it's Fer's wages, the rumours seem to be about the payment terms of the £8.6m deal with Twente.
Steven Telford
53 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:42:28
Bastards! I hope we don't have to send Big Dunc around to get our 50 quid deposit back!
Phil Sammon
54 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:52:50
Blue Bill has gone fucking mental with the lad. He only authorised a Jet2 flight for him.
Gerry Quinn
55 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:56:47
Can't we go Dutch on it?
Alan Newton
56 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:44:52
No matter what the issue, I felt yesterday (and voiced my cynicism about it) that it was a little strange to make such a big announcement concerning having had a bid accepted for a player.

We all know that having a bid "accepted" does not constitute having wrapped up a deal, as Moyes himself alluded to in his press conference today, when he iterated nothing was done yet and the medical was still on-going. So, the question is, why announce it and open yourself up to the possibilities of another club trumping your bid or enticing the player away (á la Nigel Martin to Leeds)?

My cynicism yesterday was that the Board had sanctioned the press release so that it looked like they (we) were trying to sign someone, but expecting the deal not to happen. I must admit, this did seem far fetched cynicism and even now, I'm not fully prepared to believe such thoughts, but you do have to wonder why the big news story before conversations have even occurred with the player.

I accept any issue with the medical can lead to re-negotiations, and this may well be what is happening but I've felt slightly uneasy about this whole deal since it was announced. The Coerts quote provides more comfort but this could well dampen the mood at Goodison tomorrow for a game where positive energy is required for a much needed 3 points.

Jay Harris
57 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:50:30
Lyndon
I would have thought those terms would be sorted in heads of agreement before they even let the player talk to us.

If the report is genuine "additional requirements" might mean some reassurances over number of games played viz-a-viz the alleged court case coming up that they may claim to have been unaware of when they made the offer.

Nick Waters
58 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:53:21
James, you can't intentionally cock-up, that's a contradiction. On the other hand... you can announce all sorts of promises to the fans and then fail to deliver through incompetence or through having no intention to deliver in the first place.

I know we're all anxious to have this lad signed on the 'dotted' but, until we hear that or we get to Friday morning, all theories and blame distribution is going to have to wait.

Aidy Dews
59 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:53:36
Doesn't this all sound a little too familiar? Same happened with Mirallas but he signed in time to be paraded in front of the crowd against Man Utd. There was talk about glitches to Jelavic's deal upon him signing but surprise, surprise, he also signed in time to be paraded in front of the crowd against Man City.

I firmly believe the deal is being stalled so that Fer can be introduced to the crowd before the game! There may be a few things to iron out on the deal but I bet we'll get it sorted and he'll sign.

Scott Bosworth
60 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:58:05
I fully expect that this deal will fall through, he'll end up at Anfield, and will ultimately prove to be one of the names in Brendan Rodgers's envelopes.
Zaid Omar
61 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:45:11
To hell with Everton and the Board!! I'm done with this shit... I will switch on Sky Sports on Friday morning and see who we haven't signed. That Vadis deal or "no deal" in August was an even bigger joke...
Guy Hastings
62 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:57:57
Buy this player or we shoot this horse

[With apologies to National Lampoon.]

Colin Glassar
63 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:57:22
Fuck it. Let's get Andy van der Meyde back on a free. Free booze, free drugs, free sex etc.....
Alan Newton
64 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:57:25
And another thing.....

SkySports haven't run with any story about this yet, which may be because of the FC Twente website and Twitter feed concerned not being bona fida. Journalists on Twitter have been known to jump on stories previously that have not been verified, so this could all be a storm in a tea cup.

That said, how long does it take to do a medical? He was half way through it at 2:30pm this afternoon, so you would have expected it to be completed and the deal done by now. Does that suggest something really is wrong??

Phil Sammon
65 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:00:27
Alan Newton,

Milan announced their deal to sign Balotelli pending tomorrow's medical.

It's standard procedure in most transfers.

Brian Waring
66 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:59:20
Thing is though, Jay, when the bid was announced, we had someone come on here and mention the court case straight away. You would have thought the club would have done their homework on the lad before they actually placed the bid?
Ian Bennett
67 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:02:48
Everton are the Bermuda Triangle of goodstuff. Able to pull a defeat from the jaws of victory.
Lyndon Lloyd
68 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:05:04
You would think so, Jay. There must have been an agreement in principle at least. We know nothing there beyond what Munsterman is reported as saying. It could be brinksmanship on his part, we just don't know.
Ged Simpson
69 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:59:34
Alan N – I was thinking along similar lines when I posted "Who the hell knows but announcing it before it was signed was bound to give them leverage."

Intro at start at Goodison tomorrow would be good though – especially after this. Would win 2 - 0 then – in relief!

Brian Waring
70 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:05:29
Or Aidy, you could point to the Manny debacle.
Aidy Dews
71 Posted 29/01/2013 at 19:58:36
Do you know what baffles me about all this, is why would Twente accept the bid and give the player permission to fly over for talks and a medical if they weren't happy about how the deal is structured?

I'm gonna bet that it's a load of bollocks, scare mongering amongst the net, and if there is a glitch, we'll get it sorted.

These rumours happened when we first agreed a deal for Mirallas in the summer and there was scare-mongering across the web that he wouldn't sign but, hey presto, he signed and just in time to be paraded in-front of the crowd against Man Utd!

Same with Jelavic, people thought we couldn't agree terms with him and that he was leaving to discuss things with his agent... but instead, he was going back to his hotel to freshen up and change ahead of signing in time to be paraded in-front of the crowd at half-time against City.

I'm pretty sure we'll get this deal over the line, credible people linked to Everton are very confident we'll have him signed up before the window closes — and I believe them!

Adam Luszniak
72 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:04:13
It really doesn't take much for some people to start slagging off the club does it?
James Newcombe
73 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:00:29
Meanwhile at Goodison Park...

"Looks like they read the small print, Bill. We're rumbled!"

Brian Waring
74 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:07:43
Adam, we have had to take so much shite, lies etc through most of BK's tenure, that you can't really blame people for getting wound up by this.
James Morgan
75 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:00:02
I'm as cynical as many blues, but I reckon this deal will get done. Negotiations are give and take and I'm sure if we really want this guy, we will get him.
Colin Glassar
76 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:09:18
Stop worrying, lads: according to GoT, it's a done deal and he has signed on the dotted line!!
James Martin
77 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:04:44
Can't have it both ways, everyone wants more transparency from the board. The club only announced that a deal had been agreed not that the player had signed, so now we're arguing that they shouldn't have said anything at all? Of course they have to because Twente will have released and Sky would have so it would looks tupid the lcub not announcing it.

Now there's some unsubstantiated rumours that there's some hitches and people come out with theories like the club announced the bid knowing it would fail, or that it was only done to boost the attendance at the next game, does anyone honestly believe this?

Why would they bother? Even if they're half as stupid as some peole think they are they'd know that announcing something to intentionally mess it up would agitate fans far more than not coming close to a signing whatsoever.

IF there's a hitch, then there's probably a reason for it, if its a big enough one the transfer won't happen, if it's not then it will go ahead. I doubt, however, that the hitch is that Everton flew him all the way to England because it was actually just a joke to appease some of the fans and get a big crowd for West Brom.
Al Reddish
78 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:05:40
We did this with Lescott. After something showed up in the medical we wanted to put a lower down payment on the table with more add-ons despite the fee staying the same.
Adam Luszniak
79 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:13:46
Brian, I understand people's point of view. But, let's face it, there are some unconfirmed 'reports' that the deal has stalled. The reports don't mention what the additional requirements are. Yet people are ready to believe that it's because Everton, and everyone involved in the club is totally inept.

What if the alleged 'additional requirements' are perfectly reasonable? What if the whole story has been made up?

People just seem overly eager to start throwing mud at the club.

Brian Waring
80 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:15:21
Al, I think Twente had 2 new players lined up who they were looking to sign and it looks like they need to get the Fer cash first to go ahead.
Andy Boyer
81 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:10:59
Neville announced on Twitter that Fer was now an Everton player but then it got took down again, you can see it on the grandoldteam.....
Ged Simpson
82 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:19:59
Reckon this worry is crap – no big papers have it.

We'll intro him on the pitch tomorrow.

Brian Waring
83 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:19:23
Adam, I agree: we need to hang back till something official comes out.

(God, I'm becoming sensible in my old age...)

Ged Simpson
84 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:21:08
May be a way of getting us all excited by one player — and it works. Good PR team?
Adam Luszniak
85 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:23:05
Fingers crossed. After the Southampton and Swansea games I was starting to think we'd blown our chance of top 4. Then I saw we were ACTUALLY BLOODY SIGNING someone and I felt like maybe the dream isn't dead yet!
David Chait
86 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:25:23
Can't believe it's the payment period... That would be a key discussion upfront. Wait and see.

On another note, the clip in the Echo is okay... I thought Barkley's for the U19 England side was better... Shows you.

Brian Waring
88 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:28:25
Maybe it's the diamond earings he wears!
Scott Bosworth
89 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:30:01
Spectacular. Phil Neville now claiming that the tweet he sent welcoming Fer to the club is a "fake" and "not sent by me."

https://twitter.com/fizzer18/status/296353269226283009

Kevin Tully
90 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:30:05
I heard he failed his medical because they thought he was mute – it turned out he was just hoarse...
Daniel Heaton
91 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:30:05
BK wants him to change his last name as we would not make enough money from personalised shirt sales.
Dennis Shaw
92 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:22:07
How much of this is our insecurities because we know Billy Liar is in charge of the deal? Let's all be honest – none of us trust a word he says, so we doubt all good luck stories until we actually see them in person.

This should be a leaving present from Billy out of his personal fortune and let someone with honesty and credibility take over the reigns.

Brian Waring
93 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:33:29
That's all I needed, my redshite brother texting me, saying rumours are the Shite have also had a bid accepted and Fer is keeping his options open, and is at Anfield meeting with Brendan Rodgers! Before anyone says anything, yes, I know it's a wind-up.
Tony Foxwell
94 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:34:13
Personally I think it can't be anything to do with payments as the 2 clubs agreed the payment structure through 1 week of talks.

Then Fer flew over and he was having a medical. Even Moyes said today he was having a medical. I think it's just silly rumours.
Michael O'Brien
95 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:36:44
Shocking, we realize we actually have to pay them, the stall is that they won't accept tiddlywinks.
Brian Williams
96 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:37:03
Then why mention it?
Phil Davies
98 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:36:36
Why is it that, when a transfer goes wrong, Kenwright gets the blame and not a word is said about Moyes, yet when we sign someone like Cahill, Moyes gets all of the praise and nothing is said about Kenwright?
Brian Waring
99 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:38:28
Because maybe deep down Brian, you know............
Dick Brody
100 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:40:01
Shit they finally found out Everton have no money and were intending to pay in magic beans.
Simon Harris
101 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:29:34
I'm definitely a glass half-empty type, when it comes to Everton. The words 'snag' and 'hit' should be in our motto.
Nick Armitage
102 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:35:49
Just a little bit of history repeating itself.

Müller
Fabrizio Ravanelli
Manuel Fenandes
Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe

Until I see his name on the team sheet, I don't believe a word of it.

John Shaw
103 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:39:05
Colin (#176) Where? I can't find anything on GoT saying it's done and sealed!
Graham Mockford
104 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:39:58
Scott,

Phil Neville is not 'claiming', he is stating it on his official Twitter account. Therefore it is true.

So far all we have is speculation and rumour. I'm suspecting some mischief-making going on!

Patrick Murphy
105 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:42:36
Moyes only identifies the players he would like at the club, the rest is up to the board and Bill Kenwright. He signs the cheques and does the deals, so Moyes gets the credit for the signing if they're any good and BK is just doing what a Chairman should be doing, unless of course he cocks it up.
Mike Webb
106 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:28:33
Alan @155, the Nigel Martyn deal was spectacular. The player himself said he wanted to sign for Everton, but was already due to go to speak to Leeds afterwards, out of courtesy. He said the Everton directors there practically shoved him out of the meeting room and gave him directions!
Ian Bennett
107 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:43:26
Perhaps we offered 50p a week, for 17.2m weeks...
Clive Lewis
108 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:47:29
Why are the odds for Fellaini to go to Chelsea at 11-10, do they know something we don't?
Scott Bosworth
109 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:44:53
Graham,

You'll have to forgive me, I guess. Typically, I assume that, when someone says that their account was hacked, or that they didn't send the tweet that came from their account, they are only saying as much because they're in trouble for actually sending the tweet and their agents/coaches/managers are making them.

TL; DR: When you say you didn't send it, you totally did.

Nick Waters
111 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:48:02
Graham

There is no difference betwee claiming something is not true and stating it is not true

Dictionary definition:

'to assert or maintain as a fact: She claimed that he was telling the truth.'

Kevin Tully
112 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:45:58
We have had confirmation of a medical at 2:30 today, so if there is no announcement tonight, we can conclude there must be a genuine hitch.

I thought it a little premature yesterday, and not like us to be shouting about a signing this early, I would have thought after the Fernandes saga we would have kept our powder dry.

John Audsley
113 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:46:03
Well... A fee was agreed (you can pretty much agree ANYTHING if the other side believe you) but then FC asked how we would be paying.........

If it was £3m down followed by follow-ups then it won't get them the replacements they need so....

It's all a bit smoke and mirrors but when BK is involved and it's the Transfer Window — you know it's gonna happen.

If it falls through then at least the excuses are ready made from the last few windows.

Ken Buckley
115 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:50:08
Maybe we will have a pitchside signing tomorrow night.
Kunal Desai
116 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:49:46
This is just so typical of Everton. N doubt they'll be trying to focusing on resurrecting this deal with no Plan B or C in mind and they'll turn around and say "We tried to work on this deal all the way, right to the deadline, and couldn't do it in the end," whilst not bringing anyone else in either.
Daniel Lawrence
117 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:53:04
"We'll go with what we've got".....
Graham Mockford
120 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:54:03
Scott / Nick

I know some like to always believe the worst. The rumour was about a tweet Phil Neville sent. I follow his account, have been checking Twitter all evening. There was no tweet! Someone is having us at it.

Ste Lewis
121 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:56:33
Twitter rumours that we are unhappy with scan results on his knee and are looking to renegotiate payment terms.
Kevin Tully
122 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:00:06
Don't rule out the whole story being a wind-up by a RedShite!
Clive Lewis
123 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:54:48
I suspect that It was based on appearances etc. He did suffer a knee injury recently and I expect they may have put some kind of protection because of the Mirallas situation. This is of course guesswork.

Apparently another rumour is Bill offered 10 top seats to a musical of their choice, or Naismith, as a good will gesture. They have taken the seats and are all looking forward to a good night out.

Alan McGuffog
124 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:02:11
Ste, with the number of sick notes we've bought over the years, why would we let that bother us? Wouldn't be an Everton signing unless he was given a few months to get to know the medical room at his leisure...
John Keating
125 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:59:45
Seems they want a 4-slice toaster as part of the deal. Bill's only prepared to offer a 2-slicer so it looks as if we'll be re-signing Bily. Seems he's learned to pass, head and run.

Like a new signing.

John Shaw
126 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:08:09
Colin (#176)... erm, are you sure??!!

@grandoldteam: Apparently, talks with Leroy Fer suspended. FC Twente chairman Joop Munsterman reckons Everton threw a spanner in the works (payment method).

Brian Waring
127 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:09:51
Tony Scott:- 'Management company, based in Holland, representing Leroy Fer have released this statement:- The transfer of Leroy Fer to Everton FC Twente is temporarily canceled.

Although everything seemed that the transition from the 23-year-old midfielder was only a matter of details had walked the negotiations between the two clubs today still solid According to FC Twente chairman Joop Munsterman, were 'the additional requirements of Everton' who threw a spanner in the works.

Notably by the English Premier League club proposed alternative payment method lap Twente in the wrong way. Then continue to negotiate tonight proved futile, both clubs decided to provisionally suspend the talks. The parties expect to still be together around the table to sit. It is urgent, because the deadline for transfers coming Thursday at 24.00'.

John Audsley
128 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:11:50
Fucking Amateurs......
Ray Said
129 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:10:30
Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory!!!
Steve Hopkins
130 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:15:10
You can understand why Twente might be upset with the promise of nothing paid up front followed by 48 monthly payments of nothing with the addon of a bag of Werthers Originals if we win the Champions League.
John Malone
131 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:04:01
Lyndon,

Can you tell me why ToffeeWeb are basing an article on unconfirmed sources? I'm sick to the back teeth of internet bullshit and hearsay. Do us all a favour and just report on the facts — not some dickhead's twitter account.

That's the thing what does my head in about the internet — you can say something in Holland and everyone around the world can see it and can jump all over it and make it into something else.

Whatever the snag is could well be sorted by tomorrow dinner time and we wouldn't have known any better, not lashed the remote when seeing your piece, not ruined me tea and slept happy believing our new boss signing would be unveiled before kick-off tomorrow.

Now were all pissed off without knowing any solid facts.

Will Leaf
132 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:13:16
Leroy mistakenly thought there was no extradition treaty between the Netherlands and the UK. Fer has announced to his twitter followers that he is presently googling a list of suitable countries in which to practice his craft.
Karl Masters
133 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:14:05
They would be fucking amateurs as you put it John if they did not follow up on a dodgy medical.

Remember Danny Williamson and Slaven in 1997? Transfers pushed through after unconvincing medicals and the result? Both hardly played, both retired and West Ham (with a certain dodgy bastard called Redknapp at the helm operating a revolving door policy on transfers) trousered Ten Million Quid, which equated to half our annual turnover at the time! (The equivalent now would be £40m!!)

David Chait
134 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:13:00
I'm reserving opinion for now... But if we mess this up... Wow... What a PR blunder!
Chris Owens
136 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:25:10
We need to get this straight from the horse’s mouth.
Steve Edwards
137 Posted 29/01/2013 at 20:53:43
Whats all the fuss about? We all know that the club don't have a pot to piss in. If somehow they have tried to conjure up some sought of deal to get this player in, then surely it's all credit to them. At least they are trying.

Do you expect the club to do a Rangers or a Leeds? If they've got no money, then they've got no money. It makes me wonder how some of you live your lives, spending money you have not got and then complaining that your up to your eyes in debt. Well I wouldn't want Everton to run like that.

I know it's frustrating, a couple more players and all that but no one should spend money they haven't got. If you do it's a recipe for disaster.

I feel that this deal has probably got something to do with next year's extra money that come to the Premier League. Let's just wait and see. Keep your fingers crossed because he looks very good indeed.

Ian Smitham
138 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:28:02
Graham #222, he is also on Twitter about an hour ago saying the tweet was a fake.
Peter Warren
139 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:31:03
I can't see any hitch when announced on OS that deal agreed. You'd only announce if deal done subject to medical.
Lyndon Lloyd
Editorial Team
140 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:27:05
John M: "Lyndon can you tell me why Toffeeweb are basing an artical on unconfirmed sources."

I was very careful not to go with anything until direct quotes attributed to Joop Munsterman were published by Dutch football writers on Twitter and on football news sites in the Netherlands and not by "some dickhead's Twitter account."

Even then, our report was very clearly labeled as unconfirmed but we wanted to post an update once it became clear — from multiple sources — that the negotiations had stalled. I am always very careful about jumping the gun.

This may turn out to be brinksmanship from Munsterman but, whatever the case, we can only go by what the president of the other club in this transaction is saying and, unless every quote attributed to him this evening is made up, he is clearly blaming Everton.

Mark Tanton
141 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:34:20
Hmmm, we do seem to have a habit of the worst, drawn-out, amateur transfer dealings. I have felt uneasy about this from the beginning. If he's not in an Everton shirt sitting in the Park End for a photograph, if he doesn't have a squad number, then don't tell us about it – hold fire until these things happen please.
Wayne Smyth
142 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:37:04
Well said Steve (#239). People (including Moyes) need to be very careful about demanding the club spend money it hasn't got. We need to make do with what we can afford.

As for this particular transfer, either the deal will go ahead or it won't. Us sat here moaning about something that may or may not be true won't have any impact.

If you're going to complain, at least wait a few days until the facts of the situation become clear and we can see if there is anything to actually be pissed off about.

Robin Cannon
143 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:41:55
Lyndon (#242) - I think it's legitimate to point out that "every quote attributed to him" is really pretty much multiple sources repeating the *same* quote.

I don't think it's illegitimate to post the article with a note about unconfirmed reports, and it's something that's been picked up in the last hour or so by a couple of UK outlets (who are, interestingly, highlighting a problem with the medical that Munsterman has neglected to mention).

In this case, it's as much the responders to the initial unconfirmed article who've chosen to assume that rumour = confirmation of the most negative fact.

Personally, I'll just wait until the window closes and see what we have.

Mike Iddon
144 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:45:56
Greg O'Keefe in Echo saying deal stalled due to problems with Fer's knee on medical; Everton trying to renegotiate deal.
Clive Lewis
145 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:43:35
Well excitement of a new signing... then this; you have to expect a certain amount of people pissed off. I suspect this is falsely exaggerated by agents and the Twente club, to try and mess up the deal for financial gain. Maybe they have heard from another club offering a better deal? We are not sure this is Everton's fault. When millions are involved, people can be like this — there are no gentleman's agreements until he has signed.
Trevor McKinlay
146 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:46:09
Steve (#232) and Chris (#238)... both classics and a pretty succinct summing up of the whole ridiculous business. Let's just see what tomorrow brings.
Mike Iddon
147 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:49:18
See here http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news/2013/01/29/everton-move-for-dutch-international-leroy-fer-in-balance-after-medical-shows-up-injury-problem-100252-32707378/
Patrick Murphy
148 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:43:55
Wayne, we'll never get to know the facts of the situation, if he doesn't sign, then that's it: he doesn't sign.

Steve (#239), Nobody wants Everton to do a Leeds or Portsmouth, but remember, we are already massively in debt. Income can only be achieved by selling our best players. This current transfer situation, for whatever the reasons, will have done nothing to raise the morale of the current squad or the Manager. Don't be surprised if Felli's clause is triggered on Thursday morning and he's in a different Blue shirt come Saturday.

If it is a giant cock-up on Everton's part, it might be enough to force David Moyes's hand. You say that you wouldn't want Everton to run like that; guess what we've been running like that for over 20 years.

Colin Glassar
149 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:49:52
Gents, it wasn't GoT per se, it was several posters who claim to have inside info saying he's signed and will be presented tomorrow. I don't know for sure but, fingers crossed!
Zaid Omar
150 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:54:11
Liverpool Echo reports that knee injury concerns was the reason that Everton asked to restructure the deal. Player has returned to Holland and different targets are being considered. Deal not dead but seems unlikely...
Colin Wainwright
151 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:53:39
Well said, Patrick. The only surprising thing about this latest apparent debacle is the amount of "surprised" posters on here.
Matt Butlin
152 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:53:50
Eyes closed, fingers in ears.
Colin Southern
153 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:52:11
Just a thought like but has anyone here reasoned that Everton are just tough negotiators. You can see this pattern on all of our buys going all the way back to Yobo. So for once, give our club a bit of credit for trying to drive the price down on players and not paying through the nose.
James Martin
154 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:56:29
If he's injured, he's injured. Do people really want to use £8 million of our money on a player who's career could be over? If he's failed a medical, then he can't sign!
John Shaw
155 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:56:56
Yeh, just like the Demba Ba deal and his 'supposed' dodgy knees, I mean he's spent loads of time on the treatment table hasn't he? ... Not!!!
Clive Lewis
156 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:58:21
Alternative targets, why does that seem scary at this stage. Who are we going to end up with? Another crap loan player. After a good weekend watching the red shite lose then this I knew it was too good to be true.
Patrick Murphy
157 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:57:43
TBH, I'd much have preferred to get the West Ham lad Diame – only because he is tried and tested in the rough and tumble of the PL, but we probably can't do installments with them either.

I see that Coleman may be out for 4 weeks, so maybe the idea of buying a young right back is not such a bad idea.

Jamie Sweet
158 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:57:05
I thought we were all guilty of jumping the gun a bit yesterday. The report said Leroy was flying in to discuss personal terms and conduct a medical.

So many transfers stall over personal terms and medicals yet it was reported, and received by the fans as a done deal. The Echo running with the title "New signing Leroy Fer insists his game is perfect for Premier League".

"New signing", to me, suggests that he has signed. Running an interview with a player about joining a club suggests he has signed. The fact it was reported on the official site would give the impression it's pretty much a formality.

If this all falls through then it will have been one of the biggest balls up we've seen for a while, and we've seen a few!

Having said all that, I'm still quietly confident we'll be cheering the horse loving bouncer as he's paraded on the pitch tomorrow night.

Lyndon Lloyd
159 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:01:50
Robin: "I think it's legitimate to point out that "every quote attributed to him" is really pretty much multiple sources repeating the *same* quote."

There were a couple of different quotes, Robin, and they appeared in different form on two different websites and from three or four Twitter accounts. Again, I'm very circumspect when it comes to what we report and how we present it; I'm certainly not going to go on the basis of one retweeted post.

In actual fact, if what is now being reported by Greg O'Keeffe in the Echo is true regarding the medical being the issue, I would have been more accurate if I'd gone with all the Twitter stuff that preceded the Munsterman quotes claiming that Fer had indeed failed his medical. I wasn't prepared to go out on a limb based on Twitter "ITKs", though.

Not sure why we're having this discussion seeing as we were correct in reporting the deal had hit a snag. Now Dominic King in the Mail last night... HE REALLY jumped the gun!

Brian Waring
160 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:00:59
The club have concerns over his knee, then why try to negotiate a new deal? Surely you just walk away?
Sam Hoare
161 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:00:36
A tad off subject but watched a bit of the Newcastle match tonight and thought Gouffran and Sissoko looked useful, introducing pace and power and no small amount of guile. In short, exactly what we need and the pair of them were signed for about £3m total. Given our lack of money, I'm not sure why we didn't put our hat in the ring. Sissoko in particular is like Fer, young and powerful but about ¼ of the price. Or was.
Ian Bennett
162 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:03:39
So the alternative will be third choice behind M'Vila and Fer.... I am not knocking either of those choices, it's just that the alternative will know they are third choice and player/club have the ability to try and screw a desperate Everton.
Colin Southern
163 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:06:39
Brian (#265) — Lescott?
Zaid Omar
164 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:00:20
So much for the "feelgood" factor that was expected at Goodison tomorrow as a result of our imminent signing! David Moyes's press conference was a clear giveaway I have never seen a manager downplay a potential new signing as much as he did.

Well, on the bright side... at least Neville will continue in midfield!! Lol!

Brian Waring
165 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:06:25
I like the Diame shout Patrick, he's supposedly got a £3.5m release clause in his contract as well.
Brian Waring
166 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:09:37
I forgot about Lescott, Colin.
Patrick Murphy
170 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:14:21
Maybe BK will get home tonight and find a horse's head on his pillow.
Kevin Tully
171 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:07:17
Surely we would have had his medical records in advance of him attending an examination?

Looks like there has been some brinkmanship, which has backfired. I wouldn't believe a word O'Keefe writes – he is only a club poodle.

Phil Roberts
172 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:11:51
Colin (#256) – Does it really matter that we are paying €10m of money we didn't think we have, for someone who may be injured from day one and never play for us? Of course we should go ahead and sign him come what may. Otherwise we will be seen as fools in the whole of the football league.

If Leroy turns out to be an injury liability, then people will forget that we should have tried to re-negotiate and say we are unlucky but, if we pull out now and save the €10m, we will have a reputation for not having any money and that would be far worse than just throwing the money away.

Eugene Ruane
173 Posted 29/01/2013 at 21:55:27
I'm not really all that arsed.

I mean it would be great if a transfer could go through without any fart-arseing about and he sounds a decent enough player but..he's not Messi.

For me, if he's in ANY way crocked and/or has a chance of going to prison, I'd say fuck it, save the 8.5m.

I was (like many) stunned that we could actually find that money - for me it's the money that needs wrapping in cotton wool.

People seem to think this lad could be the difference between 5th and 4th.

Can't see it myself - even if he turns out to be a genius, he'd still need half a season (minimum) to settle in.

And if Twente don't like it?

Fuck em.

Chances are, the only reason Everton (at this stage) will have made 'additional requirements' is because there IS a problem.

And (imo) as we're the buyer, it should be THEIR problem, not ours.

(experience says money on us blinking first)

Steve Edwards
174 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:00:56
Patrick (#251) —I'm well aware that the club are in debt but I think that that debt is manageable. That's the difference, check out teams like Fulham, it's more than twice our debt. The indications are that the club are very careful when it comes to spending, and for us fans, it's hard to take, especially when you see other teams spending. I for one am thankful that the club are trying to act responsibly and I know it hurts like hell.
Jay Harris
175 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:20:10
Apparently the lad has been in the form of his life since coming back from the injury so it surely can't be that serious.

Maybe we're just being oversensitive given the Mirallas and Gibson situations.

Derek Williams
176 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:09:57
If we're going to spend £8m of cash we've had to find down the back of the couch it has to be spent on cast, iron no problems, certainties. Okay, ok, Mirallas has had a catalogue of injuries but he had no 'previous'.

If the medical suggests a problem, even a teensy weensy one, then Everton are right to try to renegotiate the terms. Maybe it was 'let's have him on loan for a few months whilst we assess the knee', I'm obviously speculating but that's what I'd have done... And maybe Twente (quite understandably) have said 'what kind of deal is that?' and told Bill to knob off.

But if the only way ahead is to spend all our loot on a player who may have a long term problem I'd say look elsewhere, certainly if we can't get the Dutchies to play ball and let us have a good look before we buy.

Jonathan Tasker
177 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:27:35
Even the picture on the supposed private jet looked fabricated...
Colin Glassar
178 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:22:58
Who needs new players when we've got superstar Phil Neville? According to Moyes Neville can play on for another 40 years AND in any position including ball boy.nev will start tomorrow and then on Saturday and then every game til 2053.

So don't be pessimistic — every dark cloud has a silver lining and in our case it's called, Phillip Neville Esq.

Patrick Murphy
179 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:24:29
If things have fallen down because of concerns of an injury, it's only right and proper that the club are careful, in fact if they're that concerned they should just bin the idea of signing him at all. Gibson was worth a gamble because he only cost £½ million, but ú8 million is a big amount for Everton to pay out, albeit over a period of time.

Let's hope we can get someone else in, if not, we have to hope that our own players stay where they are at least until the Summer.

Does anyone else think that JMU is carrying out some sort of weird sociological experiment and all of us TWs are the subjects of their investigations? It certainly feels like that as Evertonians.

Eugene Ruane
180 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:29:24
Colin (28) if Neville becomes a ball boy, I want to play Chelsea every week.
Kevin Hudson
181 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:27:50
No point throwing silly money on damaged goods even if he is "the new Viera."
Clive Lewis
182 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:31:39
Seems odd that we wait until the last minute to sign someone who we knew had a serious injury in September. Is this another stunt to explain to the fans that we nearly had a player but it fell through, or do we know that the knee was maybe dodgy, so we went ahead anyway to try to force the price etc.

How would a 2½-hour medical show up serious knee problems, that would not show from scans medical records, discussions with doctors etc before a fee was agreed?. Something is not quite right about this.....

John Ford
183 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:33:45
Fair do's if the bloke's a risk. It's a pain in the arse but we have enough injured players. You would assume that the additional terms we applied were to cover ourselves against the bloke turning out to be a crock.

I really hope Moyes has someone else in mind.

Chris Wilkinson
184 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:34:48
My take is that after failing his medical, Everton wanted to put some conditions into the deal in case we end up with a player who spends all his time with the trainers. This doesn't strike me as Everton incompetence, but rather due dilligence.

Hopefully, Twente realise that Everton would not be willing to spend £8 million on a player who may have long term injury concerns without some sort of safety net in place.

Terry Myers
185 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:37:38
Odidja-Ofoe? Why not?
Patrick Murphy
186 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:42:10
Chris the strangest thing about the whole 'saga' is if this kid is such a good player – which it seems he is – why are Twente willing to sell him in the first place – and why, with all respect, to Everton? Have no larger European clubs shown an interest in him? It may turn out to be the biggest cock-up of all time or probably we may have dodged a bullet!
Jay Harris
187 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:41:50
The safety net is that the player will be fully insured for his value.

Sometimes you have to take a calculated risk a la Demba Ba.

Every footballer has something show up on a medical so unless it's serious they are right to have the hump about trying to renegotiate.

Noel Early
188 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:26:49
Moyes's press conference this evening was a clear giveaway, I had a feeling we would be talking about this. We never fail to surprise, if no-one is bought, I'm joining the Blue Union!
Kev Johnson
189 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:40:25
Clive – what would be the point of having a medical at all if every bit of information was available beforehand? I don't know how it works, but I wouldn't have thought that the buying club got to see every scan and record or were able to chat with the player's doctor as you suggest.

I think you were nearer the truth when you said we knew there was a possible problem after all, it was common knowledge that he had a bad knee injury in September – but went ahead to try and force down the price, or at least insert safety net installments, etc.

Maybe this also explains DM's extreme caution at the press conference, as he knew it was far from being a done deal?

Si Cooper
190 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:37:02
I think it makes sense that you potentially try to link fees to appearances if the medical shows up more to be concerned about than you previously expected.

I don't know that you would get to see a player's full medical notes unless he authorised it, and even then it would probably take a while for them to be delivered, so I think it most likely that all we have to go on is what the scouts have reported and our own medical people's assessment today.

What makes me twitchy about how things stand is the feeling we could screw it all up by being too demanding, and allowing the lad to go home — rather than putting him in a top hotel and taking him to the game tomorrow night — seems like we are not that bothered about how it ends up.

Joel Jones
191 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:12:12
Well aren't you a fickle, cynical lot! There is still no official word on this deal being dead/in the balance/complete. Some medicals can take up to two or three days to complete depending on a player's injury record...

There is also the issue of this rumour of Everton trying to restructure the deal due to issues with the medical, which if this is the case, the club cannot be pilloried for surely... even on the pages of the ever so positive and supporting ToffeeWeb?

Personally I think this deal is too far down the line for it to remain unresolved; Twente will get their money, it's just a matter of how long it'll take us to pay it!

Big game tomorrow, lets have a bit of positivity around these corridoors, win 3 - 0, sign this Dutch feller, finally get Moutinho and bring Wayne Rooney back!
Everton aren't we!?!

Drew O'Neall
192 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:43:03
Just because it is hard and embarrassing to back out at this stage doesn't mean it's the wrong thing to do... I'd back the club 100% in this course of action, the question is whether Twente are unsettled and cynical of Everton's motives.
Si Cooper
193 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:48:00
Joel - pretty safe to say that if it had been completed or was proceeding as planned the club would have let us know about it by now.
Brian Waring
194 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:43:44
The injury the lad had that kept him for a month was a rupture of the outer meniscus. I know there is a few lads on here who know about sports injuries, maybe you lads could shed some light on how severe an injury it is.

As Jay said though, since he came back from that injury the reports are he has been excellent for Twente, and banging goals in as well.

Alan McGuffog
195 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:49:14
Still got my money on Plan B... A late swoop for Scholes!
Eugene Ruane
197 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:48:16
Joel (299) wtf are you on about?

'Fickle, cynical'?

Why, because a few people suggest that we should only buy him if he's fit and we shouldn't allow ourselves to be duped?

Hardly the club being 'pilloried'.

Kev Johnson
198 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:51:08
Si - I wouldn't have thought it was our decision to send him back to Holland. He's still a Twente player so was probably instructed by his club to return home, which is brinkmanship on their part. This will be sorted one way or another by noon tomorrow, I'd have thought; if the deal goes through, that still leaves him enough time to show up at Goodison tomorrow.
Carl Peters
199 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:51:19
Sky have reported problems with the medical and also say there was a pay structure problem, they didn't know however, whether it was to do with the player or the clubs.

Negotiations have been suspended but they haven't said whether they will continue... but, as usual, don't believe anything until they announce he has signed on the dotted line.

Remember this is Everton were talking about, they could fuck up a cup of coffee.

Steve Smith
200 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:42:10
The club announces a deal to buy the player (something loads of you have been fucking screaming for since the window opened) and also inform us that he was coming over today for his medical and to agree personal terms (standard practice in ANY transfer).

Now it seems there might or might not be a snag with his medical, and from that, the club are "a fucking shambles" "fucking amateurs" etc.etc... They fucking would be if we spent £8.5M on a crock!

My shources tell me it's the language barrier... nobody can undershtand a word Shteve McClaren's saying.

Si Cooper
201 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:50:01
Patrick (#294) - it is possible the lad is on a few shopping lists, but just not right at the top or grouped with a number of other good prospects.

Squad building for the vast majority of clubs is done bit by bit and we may have timed this one right, with the most sought after midfielders already gone or in negotiations elsewhere and only us currently prioritising this type of player.

Drew O'Neall
202 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:00:41
Igor the striker's signed for Hoffenheim on loan.. The wheels have come off!

Go get Etienne Capoue!

Carl Peters
203 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:04:57
Looks like it's all gone to fuck now.
Jack Collins
204 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:02:35
Just curious but can someone shed some light as to why we haven gone after Vadis Ofoe again. Surely he was still on the radar and would probably cost much less than £8.5 mil?

Wouldn't getting Ofoe and pursuing a right wing cover for Mirallas as he recovers, such as Nathan Redmond, be a more efficient idea?

Both are similarly technical players and Mirallas can switch to the left in the event Pienaar is injured or not match fit.
Si Cooper
206 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:02:08
Kev - that doesn't make things sound very civil. Twente must be confident than can unload him to someone in the next 48 hours, or the deals that hang on this aren't that important to them, if they aren't worried that we will pull out of this deal.
Carl Peters
207 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:06:37
Fuck me... it's £9 million now!
Drew Shortis
209 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:04:56
Surely the whole point of a medical is to pick up on issues like these. Can't see any problem being cautions when £8m is at stake, especially as that's probably all we have to play with at the moment! Do we really need someone to keep Mirallas company in the treatment room?

If there really is an issue and they won't budge then perhaps we could go for Capoue instead. that is if Toulouse would accept that kind of fee-arrangement and will still be selling after letting Sissoko go to Newcastle. Stay calm and carry on!

Bob Hannigan
210 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:53:14
Hold on guys. If there is a medical problem they should balk and renegotiate. There was a case here in Boston with the Red Sox (yes, I'm in Boston MA USA a long time Red Sox fan but NOT a Lfc supporter by any means).

A new player ( free agent) the RS agreed to terms @ about $ 13 mil per year for 5 years was discovered to have degenerative hip condition (early stages) similar to what forced Bo Jackson to retire from baseball and US football.

So the RS offered a one year deal at $ 5 mil with incentives. The player & agent accepted. An ounce of prevention = a pound of care
Kev Johnson
211 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:07:44
Si - I agree that it's uncivil, but it's more likely to be them than us, surely? Their chairman said that he already had a couple of signings lined up with the money from the Fer sale, so I think they're banking on sorting something out with us. I imagine they want the money more than we want the player.

Alternatively, maybe Leroy just forgot his toothbrush! (Or his nice tartan horse blanket.)

Someone asked why Twente are selling him if he's so wonderful? That's an easy one: Dutch clubs are all selling clubs, from what I understand. They have great youth academies and the clubs make money by selling young players to England, Italy, Spain, Germany - countries which have more money circulating in their leagues.

Clive Lewis
212 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:11:50
Here the Mail's take on it and (I take it) the photo was taken heading to Liverpool.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2270348/Evertons-8-6m-Leroy-Fer-deal-jeopardy.html

Chris James
213 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:14:25
I don't really understand the hysteria on here at all.

1. We don't even know if this guy is any good, I'd imagine less than 1% of the posters has ever heard of Fer previously, I certainly hadn't.

2. Is central midfield really where we need to spend a shedload of money (for us) when there seems a much more obvious absence on the right flank and up front?

3. If there's a chance that injury issues are potentially worse than portrayed wouldn't the club be failing in not negotiating the deal when this information arises?

For me it's a little bit like when you have an offer accepted on a house and then do the survey, if the surveyor comes back and says the house is fine apart from the fact the roof needs replacing you don't just ignore the fact, you attempt to negotiate.
Paul Andrews
215 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:18:07
Does anyone think that – if we DON'T sign Fer – we will spend the money elswhere? Ahem!
Carl Peters
217 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:27:05
For why didn't Everton just send for his med reports before putting us through this shite AGAIN?
Chris Sillett
219 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:37:19
This is just so typical of Everton in the transfer market, whether we are actually in the right or wrong. There never seems to be a signing that goes smoothly, every time there seems to be a snag or some other issue.

If we are selling a player then everything goes through nice and quick usually within 24 hours but if we are trying to sign a player it can take days or even weeks to agree a fee or do a medical.

I have no idea whether Everton are doing completely the right thing over Fer or it's us trying to save a few quid but I've sort of resigned myself to seeing this guy go on to play every game this season for Twente and then probably move to someone else in the summer!

Chris Jones
220 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:41:21
As others have alluded to, the club are doing the right thing after a potential injury problem was found during the medical. What I think was daft was publicising the "done deal" stuff on the OS. It tells other clubs/agents what our budget (and offer structure) is likely to be up front and, if this deal falls through and we move on to the next name on Moyes's list, what does that say to the player concerned? Something like "we'd really like you to join us because we couldn't get that other bloke who we wanted a bit more." FFS keep it under wraps until it's a done deal!
Brian Waring
221 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:46:35
The sad thing for me Chris, is you can never rule us out trying to pull a fast one and blowing the medical findings out to be more than they really are, as to try and get a better deal.
Dennis Shaw
222 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:50:25
How amateurish is Bill Kenwright? Have we not researched this player before he came over here? Presumably we knew about his injury, the prognosis and any potential complications well before flying him over... or is this another half-arsed empty gesture to say, "Look! We are trying to bring players in."

All this has not just come to light in a medical at Finch Farm. We have got to put pressure on removing Kenwright from our club, he is ruining us and making us a laughing stock throughout Europe.

Carl Peters
223 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:42:51
I'm fairly sure this is just Everton being cautious, as is their right and we would fully expect them to be.

The issue for me would be the actual fee this player is valued at £6.5m, but we are reported to be paying between £8-9mill depending on who is reporting the story.

One wonders though as to whether Everton could have done this medical in Holland before announcing the deal as more or less concrete.

I'd be expecting Everton to be wanting to re-negotiate the fee as well as lowering the actual transfer fee, as well as looking for insurance of further injuries. Let's just keep fingers crossed that it all falls into place, but not at the price were we could get our fingers burnt.

Si Cooper
224 Posted 29/01/2013 at 23:46:40
"Is central midfield really where we need to spend a shedload of money (for us) when there seems a much more obvious absence on the right flank and up front?"

For me the answer is yes, Chris.

Unless you are writing off Mirallas, Coleman, Naismith and Pienaar / Oviedo then I would say we have adequate options on the right when everyone is fit, though I would still like to see an addition in this department.

We now seem set to operate with a lone striker in most games, and don't rely on one goalscorer exclusively. Anichebe has had limited use, Mirallas is another option and Vellios and McAleny are waiting in the wings.

In centre midfield we have Fellaini, Gibson, Osman and Neville / Heitinga. Gibson is unlikely to resolve his injury problems without resorting to surgery so will be in and out until summer, Fellaini is preferred in the advanced role and Ossie and Pip will struggle to maintain the required intensity for the rest of the season simply due to their age. To me a young box to box midfielder should be able to make a big difference for the remainder of the season.

You could argue quite reasonably that we could do with reinforcements in all areas of the squad, but in terms of one decent player making a difference I think central midfield is one of those areas that would benefit immensely simply from someone with a bit of power and pace allied to average technical ability.

For a winger or a striker top ability is required to be sure of the required result and that is likely to cost even more than 10 million euros.

Lyndon Lloyd
225 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:06:43
Dennis, the Club knew about both the injury and its severity before-hand but the in-depth scans threw up concerns over the surgery he had to repair the damage to his knee in September.

You can't blame anyone at Everton — players have surgery on bad injuries and recover all the time but the reason why you have medicals in the first place is to thoroughly examine the condition of the player, not just for the short term (he has played consistently since November-ish) but for the life of a 4½ contract.

Brian Cleveland
226 Posted 29/01/2013 at 22:39:58
Oh FER fuck's sake!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now a reason to say it!!

:-)

Lewis Barclay
227 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:11:53
If we buy another player who is crocked 5 out of 6 games we'll find our debts rise even more and our league position drops.

Forget this guy and spend the £8.5M on a less risky acquisition – let's just pray that the money isn't coming front the sale of Baines or Fellaini.

Dennis Shaw
228 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:11:17
I just do not believe they were ever going to hand the money over and feel that the scans are an ideal scam to either (a) void the deal altogether, saving money and putting the blame on Fer or FC Twente or (b) pay a heavily reduced down payment then structured payments over the length of his contract when we get new loans or next season's Sky money.

It's simple: we are a a top Premier League team who can't afford an £8m player something has to change because the wheels are coming off and watching them each week, it's obvious that we are a club that could fall rapidly this season. Let's try to enforce change now come Friday – it's a long run in to the end of season with our threadbare squad.

Andy Crooks
229 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:13:45
Lyndon, of course Everton cannot be blamed for being cautious, money is scarce. Still, if there is money available then surely a Plan B must be there. This cannot possibly be the only player we have looked at and, if the window closes with this near miss as our only involvement, then the club should be blamed.
Lyndon Lloyd
230 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:23:08
It almost certainly isn't the only player we've looked at or might possibly approach but as the deadline approaches, we compress the timescale and the likelihood of a deal getting done becomes more remote. Let's see what tomorrow brings.
Brian Cleveland
231 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:17:09
#336 Lyndon, I would add that it is not only for the life of the contract, they'd want to guarantee future value should they want to sell him, so they'd be looking longer term.

Another aspect could be insurance. It may be that the insurance company won't cover the player for pre-existing conditions, or they need to be more than fully convinced that it is unlikely to reoccur before covering it. Otherwise if he gets crocked the club may get nothing from the policy?

But, definitely frustrating to suddenly a deal after keeping it under wraps so successfully only to hit a snag.......... grrr....

Tom Bowers
232 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:28:53
Just our luck! All our sudden optimism out the window. So we go with what we have and resign to the fact that the team is not good enough.

This is evident by the fact that Moyes is happy to keep the same starting players who cannot win games and not find enough reason to start the bench players more consistently. He is obviously not sufficiently impressed with them save Naismith who is very average at best.

The next two games are very winnable and at home but if they do not produce 6 points then it's sayonara to the Champions League.

Ian Allaker
233 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:43:35
Just get a decent loan player in and re-group. The big problem is we have showed our hand. Everyone thought we were skint now everyone knows weve got £9m to splash. Very dissapointed by this, it could have give the players the lift they needed.
Harold Matthews
234 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:24:55
Jack Collins. Yeah. I'll go with that.

Brian Waring. Can't help thinking the same thing.

Of course, if his knee is really bad we don't want him. Mirallas and Gibson are already two crocks too many.

Eric Myles
235 Posted 30/01/2013 at 00:45:29
Jay #156, an MOU or LOI would be conditional on the player passing our medical and it would seem that he has not.
David Ellis
236 Posted 30/01/2013 at 01:20:06
I remember the signing of Sean Davis from (then) Fulham falling through on medical grounds. He was a rising star on the edge of the England squad and exactly the player we needed in midfield at the time. He was Moyes main transfer target that summer. It was a huge disappointment and we did not have time to go for another target (Moyes at the time said he has learned not to only have one key target on the go).

He failed the medical. We kept our money. He went to Spurs instead. Was injured all the time. Went to Portsmouth... ditto. Great shame for the lad, but we were right not to buy him.

Fer is clearly our second choice behind M'Vila (who choose the money in Russia). Obviously this will be a disappointment if he does not come. But we cannot blow our money if he can't play for us much because of his knee.

Why people think this shows Everton as incompetent, I don't know. Its highly competent.

Peter Thistle
237 Posted 30/01/2013 at 01:47:43
Damnit, we're never gonna get Neville out of midfield :/
Peter Barry
238 Posted 30/01/2013 at 02:53:23
Everton and Moyes have a history of cock ups like this.
Mark Stewart
240 Posted 30/01/2013 at 02:23:20
So long as we're not taking the piss, eg. 50 Euros up-front and the rest once he's played 500 plus games. This would seem to be the sensible approach by Everton, especially when we're on the bones of our arse.

If Twente are getting all twitchy because they knew we'd find out he's got a dodgy knee, then that's poor form from them.

Martin Mason
241 Posted 30/01/2013 at 02:57:42
I can't understand the criticism, it was a done deal subject to medical and agreement of personal terms. The medical found irregularities and as a result EFC want to renegotiate the terms. Absolutely correct and normal. We've bought enough crocks recently to remind us how important it is to be careful. £8.6M may not be much to some clubs but it really is critical for us
Steven Kendrew
242 Posted 30/01/2013 at 03:35:32
Quite right, Martin. Normal procedure I would say. I can't believe half of 240-odd posts are having a go at the club! Nowt better to do no doubt.
If you have a medical done, you obviously need to take action on the results. Move on, FFS!
Zaid Omar
243 Posted 30/01/2013 at 04:00:14
Why leave everything for so late in the transfer window!!! WHEN the deal falls through, there will hardly be any time left to conclude a deal for an alternative.

Now I realize Moyes may have alternatives lined up, but we know with Everton everything is not straightforward because of structuring of payment terms etc we may be forced into a panic buy which will hardly be suitable...

Paul Kelly
244 Posted 30/01/2013 at 05:16:08
If he failed the medical, why would we be renegotiating the deal? If he's a crock, move on.
Ernie Baywood
245 Posted 30/01/2013 at 05:24:19
Any time you buy... risk is a factor.

His knee may blow up or it may not. His club will have given us their view and the agreed fee would have been conditional on that assessment being backed up by our own medical. We've had experts give their opinion on the likelihood of of his knee going and we believe that a reallocation of the risk should occur.

It's bog standard stuff whether you're buying a house, car, TV, professional service, or anything else. No need to beat up on the club – they're fighting for the right deal for Everton.

Stephen Karnes
246 Posted 30/01/2013 at 06:15:03
Diame is available, as is Carlton Cole, both cheap. We need to move fast on somebody if this deal doesn't work out. I'll be disappointed if we get through the transfer period without bringing anyone at all on board.
Sam Hoare
248 Posted 30/01/2013 at 07:09:19
If this deal falls through and we don't get anyone else in then it will look suspiciously like showmanship on BKs behalf.

The next 48 hours will be revealing.

Michael Kenrick
249 Posted 30/01/2013 at 07:33:02
Gotta say... some of the 'conspiracy' posts on here are bizarre beyond belief. The move was conditional upon the medical. End of.

Think of it this way: how stupid would they have to be to think they could construct a conspiracy of the magnitude and complexity being claimed, with the intention of presumably fooling you lot... only to fail miserably on that score as you've all seen right through it!

Er.. Not.

James Morgan
250 Posted 30/01/2013 at 07:40:41
SSN have got their chairman saying its hit a snag because we want to renegotiate.
Brian Williams
251 Posted 30/01/2013 at 07:49:02
I thought long and hard about this one. If the club want to renegotiate in order to lessen their risk, due to misgivings over an injury, then that's a good thing.

However, on the flipside, if the concerns are enough to warrant renegotiating, should the club not pull out completely because, after all, the whole idea is to buy a player to improve the team. If there are major concerns about his injury then surely he's not going to, is he?

Christopher Kelly
252 Posted 30/01/2013 at 07:47:45
Haven't read all 231 comments so apologize if I'm being redundant... but...

My simple take is that obviously it's a good move if the boy is simply a sick note. Unfortunately, this club has fucked up so much (intentionally and by accident) that they do not deserve the benefit of the doubt and I don't know how anyone can give them that at the minute.

Do I think they're scamming Twente and the fans this time? No. But at this point in their tenure, they CANNOT be trusted and therefore I can't give them the benefit of the doubt anymore. Simply put.

Not sure we need to dump £8.6M on one player, either. I'd much prefer a £4M defensive midfielder and a £4M striker... How anyone could argue that, I just don't know. We desperately need goals. I pray Moyes sees this need!!!

Harold Matthews
253 Posted 30/01/2013 at 06:49:55
The Dutch Toffee-blues told us he had injury problems when his name first cropped up, so DM and The Board will have been well aware of the situation. Right now he is probably fit and raring to go but if we are going to double our money on we'll need him to stay injury-free for another 2 years at least. Not a surefire guarantee for a big lad who puts himself about a lot. That said, his age is a definite plus.

Like every Club bar the "super-rich", we are now a "shop-window" outfit and, sad though it feels, we just have to live with it. Much of the magic and romance has faded away but we are still the great Everton FC and we fans will never lose our fervour.

It's hard to believe the people in charge have let things get this far and this late without forethought and careful planning. How many times have I had to endure vivid descriptions of the wily, cunning, lying, cheating methods of BK and the Hole in the Wall Gang? Well, for just this once, I hope the descriptions are right.

Phil Walling
254 Posted 30/01/2013 at 08:30:08
Everton can ill-afford another Gibson or Mirallas, both of whom we seem to pay without much play. It's not just about transfer fees but with players getting north of £40k a week as basic, we could go skint just paying wages. Look at the last accounts for confirmation.

Get out of this one now, I say!

Adam Laffoley
255 Posted 30/01/2013 at 08:29:30
Given that we don't have a lot of money, it would be a big gamble to spend £8.6M for a player who in 2 years times would turn out to be the next Owen Hargreves... no thanks!

However, you could also look at the Stoke/Ba situation, with Stoke probably kicking themselves at the fact they didn't sign him... look at where he is now!

I still would love for the transfer to happen but I would understand the club's decision if they pulled out. One question is why didn't we go in for Moussa Sissoko? The lad Neuveu Chateau signed? They're the same type of player, similar age and as Moussa was in his last year would have probably been cheaper... anyway I'm not worried, we'll get someone.

Paul Gladwell
256 Posted 30/01/2013 at 08:26:05
As Franny Jeffers just stated, you either fail a medical or not; you cannot have an in-between as it will sound iffy. Fail him and move on by making this statement, not start saying "Well... we will buy him still if..."

The club needs to come out and say it's off, full stop.

Trevor McKinlay
257 Posted 30/01/2013 at 08:14:49
Quite right David (#351). I was going to mention Mikkel Forssell, something like £4.5m saved thanks to a stringent medical. Birmingham took the risk and he ended up playing about 3 times in 3 years. Wouldn't want that on our wage bill regardless of whether he's insured or not. Did anyone get a payout on Kieron Sure? Doubt it.
Brian Waring
258 Posted 30/01/2013 at 08:35:28
Michael, it's not as if the club haven't got form on underhand tactics (Gregg) and for feeding us bullshit to get what they want (Kirkby) and all the other lies that have been spouted over the years to try and keep us sweet.
Ernie Baywood
259 Posted 30/01/2013 at 08:47:48
Far be it for me to disagree with Franny Jeffers, but it's not simply the case that you are either medically fit to play or not. There are other degrees of fitness and future injury risk. Baines has a problem with his ankle at the moment... should we release him?
Anthony Jaras
260 Posted 30/01/2013 at 08:48:40
As far as I see it, this is pretty clear cut.

1. Everton scout, monitor and bid £8m+ for Leroy Fer and the bid is accepted.

2. The media run the story and Fer flies in for a medical.

3. The medical uncovers a long term knee issue and Everton begin to show concern, but still want the player.

4. To ensure they don't throw £8m+ down the drain and with the recent injury problems with GIbson and Mirallas, Everton inform FC Twente about the knee issue (which they'd have been aware of already) and demand the fee be paid based on a successful run in the team, to cover themselves in case he is a crock of Danny Williamson-esque proportion.

5. FC Twente think "Shit, they've found out the player is fucked, lets put all the blame on them in order to come out of this smelling of roses and maybe they'll still buy him anyway."

As far as I'm concerned, Everton are doing the right thing here.

If we signed him and he was crocked, we'd all be slagging off Moyes and Bill for wasting our whole budget on a player we never see play.

After all, you lot have been moaning about Mirallas all season.

If he is fucked, don't go near him Everton. Maybe go for Diame at £3.5m (release clause) and sign a striker for £5m as well.

Brian Harrison
261 Posted 30/01/2013 at 08:52:37
I think when you are spending this sort of money you have to be pretty certain the player won't break down within months, then you are left with an expensive crock and you have spent money we don't have to lose.

Now if the fee was a lot smaller, it may be worth the risk, I am sure Tony Pulis is sorry he didn't take the risk with Demba Ba but he cost next to nothing to sign so it probably was worth the risk.

Steven Telford
262 Posted 30/01/2013 at 08:55:18
Now the same people who are calling EFC a fuck-up for this. What do you think they would be saying if we did sign him and he turned out injury prone? You think they’d be sympathetic to the club?

Unfortunately, to some Everton supporters, it seems you're dammed if you do, and you're dammed if you don’t.

Steven Telford
263 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:16:17
Paul (#386):

I should think that there is a higher authority on that matter than that little scally Francis Jeffers.

I am not sure, but I don’t think a sports medical is perfectly straight forward, I would think that there is a reasonable degree of interpretation involved. And the mistakes that regularly get made would appear to testify to that reasoning.

Joel Jones
264 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:10:55
Eugene (305).

I used the terms fickle and cynical as less than 24 hours previous to this news breaking the majority of supporters were swinging from the roof tops. The issue I have is with the sudden turn towards negativity now there seems to be a problem.

If Everton have concerns over the lad's knees and feel the need to restructure the deal, thus offering the club a sense of insurance, then I think we'd all agree that makes perfect business sense, not something our board have been accused of around these parts for a long, long time?

Si (#301), there is also nothing from either club suggesting the deal is dead; with less than 48 hours of the window remaining, I'd imagine there's a lot of underhand tactics getting used in negotiations all over Europe?

Moyes pretty much summed it up yesterday when he said 'Until he's here next to me, I'd rather not talk about it'.

Unfortunately in this day and age, transfers are not so straight forward now. This whole situation has caused uproar and a glut of conspiracies.

Ged Simpson
265 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:21:30
This is just a negotiation based on risk. Risk assessment is something all businesses will do and all lenders behind the scenes will insist on. If you think Bill K is sitting there just making decisions on his own you are misguided. There will be all sorts of stakeholders in EFC telling him what he can and cannot do. It is easy to simplify this and make it a situation were BK is either wise or stupid but it doesn't work that way in businesses worth millions – especially if the business relies on borrowing to survive. Ruins the soap opera some see this as though.
Brian Garside
266 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:10:02
Well done to the medical team for finding the problem. That's why players have medicals, is it not? Keep the money and run. Better without any sighnings at all than than a something which is broken.

Would any of you blame-throwers spend that amount on something which was broken? I think not.

Get real people and stop this pathetic blame game. You sound just like our neighbours.

Brian Waring
269 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:37:45
The thing is, I agree, if his knee is fucked we shouldn't touch him with a barge pole and credit should go to the club for doing a thorough job. Deep down though, I just wonder if were being overly cautious because it's a lot of cash we're laying out.

At the end of the day, since the injury the lad has played 17 games, scoring 9 goals with 2 assists and going by reports he has been mustard for Twente.

Ray Roche
270 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:35:12
Franny Jeffers? Now THERE'S a man who knows a thing or two about treatment tables. He spent most of his career lying on one, so if there IS a problem with Fer then Everton are doing the right thing by demanding a re-scaling of the fee. Talk about damned if you do, damned if you don't!


Stephen Karnes @368

Carlton Cole? Sorry, Stephen, I'd sooner take a chance on Nat King Cole. OK, you'd have to dig him up first but he'd still be more mobile than his love-child Carlton.

Sam Higgins
271 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:42:32
Just had a phone call from a mate who works on the sportsdesk of a national broadsheet – the deal is off, Everton pulled out this morning. Risk was too big and Twente refused to budge on the price
Phil Bellis
272 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:40:54
As Ged, above says, it's all about evaluating risks. Thank Christ we were able to "restructure" the Reid and Lescott deals. We have no money to gamble with; the club knew about the lad's injury so may well have a Plan B (no laughing at the back!)

Just proves how right us cynical bastards were when decrying the earlier "HE'S OURS!" and "Song for Leroy" posts... Seems like a toss-up at this stage, the outcome may well determine the mood at kick-off tonight.

Harold Matthews
273 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:33:14
Interesting to hear Redknapp is offering Jamie Mackie as part of a deal to get Crouch. Wonder what we could get him for? This Scottiish rightsided dynamo (27) has impressed all season,nis 10 times better than Naismith and I would have him tonight. Especially with Mirallas and Coleman out. He can also shoot!
Steve Edwards
274 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:33:51
Interesting that common sense seems to be winning on here. This is probably due to the problems with Mirallas and Gibson.

If the deal is abandoned, at least we know that there is a transfer kitty available, which to be honest has completely surprised me, therefore I suppose I shouldn't be too disappointed. I have to keep telling myself that.

Would you really want to support anyone else? It's great being an Evertonian.

Brian Waring
275 Posted 30/01/2013 at 10:02:55
Jamie Mackie, isn't he 'hard working' as well?
James Stewart
276 Posted 30/01/2013 at 09:59:01
It can't be that bad otherwise we would have walked away. All players have issues. Look at the time it took us to decide over Lescott's knee. Demba Ba is another one. I think we just like to drive the price down as much as possible personally.
Chris Fisher
277 Posted 30/01/2013 at 10:04:12
I 100% agree with the FC Twente chairman, if a club came in for say Fellaini and we agreed the fee and they then came back saying actually we only want to pay half of what we said and then maybe give you more based on appearances etc, I would tell them where to go. If we want him great, we agreed the fee... pay it and get him in; if we don't, then call the deal off and watch him leave for Arsenal, Liverpool, or Juventus in the summer and realise the mistake we made!
Paul Andrews
278 Posted 30/01/2013 at 10:27:46
We have £8.6 million burning a hole in our pocket. Does anyone think we will spend it?
James Morgan
279 Posted 30/01/2013 at 10:50:23
I wonder if Vadis is waiting by the phone?

If this falls through,then Diame would be a good buy at £3.5m.

Brian Waring
280 Posted 30/01/2013 at 10:57:36
I know there will be lads on here saying why should they, but you would think by now a spokesman for the club would have come out with some official news on the saga.
Shane Corcoran
281 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:01:16
BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty reports: "Leroy Fer has returned to Holland while Everton and FC Twente attempt to resolve a hitch holding up his £8.6m move to Goodison Park.

"Everton want to restructure payment of the fee after the 23-year Netherlands midfield man's medical uncovered a problem with his knee.

"Fer was on Merseyside on Tuesday hoping to complete the deal and while Everton are still prepared to pay the full fee, FC Twente are refusing to accept the changes in the way it will be paid.

"Everton have given FC Twente until this evening to agree or they will explore other options - but so far there is no sign of a breakthrough in negotiations."

Denis Richardson
282 Posted 30/01/2013 at 10:38:30
Cannot blame the club for renegotiating if something came up in the medical. If Twente are not prepared to alter the deal and accept the medical then the club should walk away. (Although I think they'll come to a compromise personally – both sides want to do the deal at the end of the day.)

The above however just highlights the stupidity in always leaving the transfer dealings to the last minute. If we don't have to rely on selling someone to fund a transfer, why could we have not sorted this out weeks ago and so had more time to look for a replacement if the deal doesn't go through???

I am always surprised so few transfers happen on 1st Jan given the clubs would have had months to sort out the details and the player could then play for the new club for the whole of January as well.

Fingers crossed this guy still comes over and his knee is okay.

Kev Johnson
283 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:01:57
Brian - why should they?

No, really. They've already briefed the BBC - the link is under the main article - and Shane has just paraphrased it above. It's a funny situation, agreed, but we're just going to have to wait and see.

I was going to suggest we pass the time coming up with other horse-related players we could buy if the Fer deal falls through, but my heart's not really in it at the moment!

Joe Bibb
284 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:05:29
Everything was going fine until Moyes asked the lad, could he play at right back?
James Martin
285 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:12:26
Denis, there have been suggestions that M'Vila was the top target before he chose Kazan. There was also a story that Moyes had worked for a week on this deal. Who knows what the truth is but I doubt it that Moyes and Co just sat around for the whole of January before identifying Fer with a few days to go and striking a deal. Who knows, he could be the tenth name on Moyes's list.

The lateness of the hour is unfortunate but I just don't think that we've left it late intentionally. Unfortunately we don't have the finances to identify a top target months in advance, have the money ready and be sure of his desire to come regardless of his wage. Our deals have to be worked on and thus take time. Saying that, we got Jelavic and Pienaar on the last day last year so for people to be saying that no one good can come in now is a bit off the mark.

Brian Waring
286 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:19:46
Kev, I know you say they have briefed journalists etc, but there is nothing better than hearing it straight from the horses mouth, I mean, how long would it take them to put something up on the OS?
Kev Johnson
287 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:17:16
It's not just Everton who leave it late, it's most teams. The price tends to go down the closer it gets to the deadline as the selling club reconsider their options.
Jim Knightley
288 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:20:48
I'm with James on the lateness of the deal stuff....we are clearly a club whose transfer dealings, for whatever reason, remain secret. It is very difficult these days to find a big deal that flies under the radar...but that's what has happened with Fer, and that's what happened when we sold Rodwell. I'm guessing the Fer deal, as most transfers do, took a while to iron out...and if they want to bring people in, I expect their reluctance to restructure may waver.

I'm also hoping we had a right winger on loan. Given the surprise of the Fer deal, and last Jan's dealing, I'm hoping it is not pure optimism to consider it a possibility.

Trevor Lynes
289 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:13:16
I see that some people are saying that EFC are right to be cautious, but all this could have been sorted during the early weeks of the transfer window and not wait until the last minute then uncover snags. DM has reportedly been scouting Leroy for ages so why leave things so late?

When we bought Felli, it was a last minute panic buy that has worked luckily but it may well have backfired. I see other clubs signing four and five players quite quickly but we are now in a predicament of our own making. If the lad has been watched for so long surely his injury would have come to light.

We signed Mirallas quite quickly and took on Gibson who was a known injury risk. We took Saha and a shedload of has-beens so why wasn't this lad's injury problems (if true) seen earlier?

We could have been doing this business weeks ago but now we will probably sign no-one or take on someone at the last minute who hasn't been scouted.

In a nutshell, it's Everton's fault for leaving things so late and no-one else's, really amateurish business acumen demonstrated by so-called professionals!!

Roberto Birquet
290 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:24:32
One of the problems with last minute deals is that players do not commit until the last minute as they are waiting for the best deal. In the final hours, they know which is the best deal. Hence, so many last-minute deals.
Shane Corcoran
292 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:36:15
That's the spirit Brian.
Trevor Lynes
293 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:37:04
Incidently the lad just won MotM against Feyenord in a draw last night.

Look at FC Twente on the web.

Kev Johnson
294 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:39:57
Not sure where you got MOTM from Trevor, but you're right - he did play last night in the 0-0 draw against Feyenoord. I had a look at FC Twente's website. Here's the link: http://www.fctwente.nl/en/2013/01/no-goals-in-rotterdam/

Surprising, but it explains why he jetted back to Holland last night.If anything, this may weaken our hand in negotiations, as he has proved that he's currently fit. Although our doubts are more long term, I suppose.

Jim Knightley
295 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:45:18
Trevor... why would we know about potential injury issues with his knee? How are we supposed to find that out without a scan? We are not doing going to get that from watching matches.

Transfer deals also generally take a while, and we have no idea who else we've been trying to get in. Transfer deals also have domino effects, which rely on one playing going on account of another coming in etc etc... which is why stuff happens so late. It's not ideal, but it's hardly just Everton is it?

Which club hasn't signed or sold on deadline day in recent seasons? Didn't City get in 4 players last deadline day?

And we won't buy someone without scouting... what do you think our scouts do all season? There will be a list with other names on it, and everyone of them would have been scouted.

It's frustrating... but just wait and see. I'm inclined to say that, if the player wants to leave, and other players are waiting to come in, we will see some movement.

Chris Sillett
296 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:47:32
Some of the names being mentioned on here as potential replacements – Jamie Mackie? Carlton Cole? Hahaha! I'd rather sign nobody than these two yard dogs!

A player I would seriously consider though is Aiden McGeady from Spartak Moscow – he's available and is a terrific player whenever I've seen him play.

Brian Williams
297 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:53:13
I see the "deal agreed" story has been taken off the OS. Not a good sign I'd guess.
Brent Stephens
298 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:46:06
Sorry, I aint read all above posts but see some of the usual stuff thrown at EFC without any of us knowing the details (jerky knees).

If you're buying, say, a house, you want to pay as little as you can for it, so you aren't going to give the vendor the impression that you're really keen (weakens your negotiating position). So you don't jump straight in after seeing the house and start to talk, but let the vendor know you're looking around. I'd guess that's what EFC do. So what some here sees as "too late into the market" is probably a wise ploy.

Continuing the analogy, if I suggest a price for the house to the vendor and that's accepted, I would still give it a "medical" (house survey) and if that reported some issues, then in England at least I'd renegotiate the tentative initial offer - price reduction, or pull out. Or in the case of a player, suggest I pay a smaller amount now and if the player turns out later not to be a medical liability, then pay the rest then.

Isn't that what EFC are doing probably?

James Martin
299 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:54:48
Trevor,

Gibson was £500k, I'm sure Moyes was willing to gamble that probably after a friendly chat with Fergie, he knew full well what he was getting. As he did with Saha.

Paying £8 mill to a Dutch club who aren't keen on appearance-related payments is a lot more risky... hence why we can't just rush him in like Gibson.

Sam Hoare
300 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:54:11
Trevor, late deals happen for 90% of clubs due to players/clubs looking for the best deals. The odjidja ofoe thing was clearly a balls up/misjudgment but this time it just looks like we are doing our due diligence.

On the plus side, contrary to all our beliefs, it appears there are a few coppers in the coffers so hopefully if fer falls through we might have other targets.

Brian Waring
301 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:10:00
The funny thing is and I think it's already been mentioned on this thread, we have now alerted other clubs to what we have to spend.
Denis Richardson
302 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:04:25
James @422 - I see where you're coming from but I was talking about our transfers in general and not just Fer. We have left it to the last minute on so many occasions in the past, this is not the first time.

If we didnt need to sell to buy, then talks could have (presumably) been started in Dec/Nov or even earlier so the guy could have had a medical on 1st Jan etc. We don't know the full details obviously but I don't understand why the wheeling and dealling could not be done before the transfer window even opens, so the player can join beginning of Jan.

Its not as easy as we think but we seem to leave it to the last minute so often. So if Twente don't budge we have 1 day to sort something out!

Chris Sillett
303 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:06:54
I've just read that Stoke are in for Darren Bent from Villa for around £10 million. I said at the beginning of this month a striker should be a priority and I still believe it as Brett Angel would be a better option than Jelavic at the moment. Why not try and get Bent with the money we had for Fer? I doubt Stoke will be paying the full £10 million upfront (not many do these days) so if we could negotiate a deal where we payed half now, half in the summer it could happen....maybe even throw that lump Naismith in for good measure!
Denis Richardson
304 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:15:03
Chris, as much as I think bent is a great striker (not sure what villa are playing at), I think a CM is a priority for us - Moyes favours playing with only 1 up front and having Jelavic as a number 2 is a luxury we cannot afford at this time (Bent is not going to come to us to sit on the bench presumably). Apart from the fact Moyes will never let go of Anichebe.

We cannot reply on Gibson staying fit and we have to end Neville playing CM - its beginning to get embarassing.

Brian Waring
305 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:17:08
Also meant to say, some have pointed out on here that clubs leave it till the last minute because it forces the selling club to take a lower offer, the thing is, it's the opposite, because managers always talk of having to pay over the odds for players in the January window, that's why most of them hate it.
Jim Knightley
306 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:19:51
Chris, I love Bent as a player...but 10million? with likely wages of around 50-60,000 I expect... I think it would be awful business. He is 29 in a week, and I'd much rather see us invest in a younger player, especially because I feel Jelavic will re-discover his form, and our team is not suited to a 442.
Ray Roche
308 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:15:35
Chris, that would be Bent's 6th club in 11 years. OK, he's scored goals at some of them but there must be a reason why the likes of Spurs, Villa, Sunderland etc. get rid quite quickly. My guess is that he's another Yak, but without the predators instinct. I'd sooner have no new players than gamble on Bent.
Gareth Fieldstead
309 Posted 30/01/2013 at 11:49:52
If as Moyes has mentioned that he has had Fer watched for over two years surely the club would be aware of any potential problems? Secondly is there any decent midfielder in Euroean football that hasn't had an injury that has kept him out for a while? It goes with the territory. Parker, Lampard, Gerrard, Carrick, Wilshire, even former and present Everton players have suffered long term injuries, yet like all of the above they have returned just as good, ie Fellaini. As noted above the lad has returned from injury and has been playing the best football of his career, hardly getting presented to the fans in a wheelchair, is he? Missed the boat big time here, over something they were well aware of. Sadly, I would believe the chairman of Twente before Kenwright, every time.
Brian Waring
310 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:24:34
Agree with Jim, £10m for a 29 yr old is a tad too much, especially for us. Also Jim, I think he is on 90k a week. Ray, think Bent has the best scoring stats for a striker, 1 goal every 2 games.
Matthew Mackey
311 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:19:08
A mate of mine who’s not a Blues fan said to me the other day it must be good at the moment supporting Everton coz we have a good team, a good manager and we’re playing well etc etc. I responded by thanking him for the compliment and then telling him (and like every Evertonian is already aware),- when supporting Everton you know there is always a banana skin around the next corner. This transfer fiasco confirms my point!
Chris Sillett
312 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:22:20
Denis, is CM a priority though? We have Gibson (could be back for saturday), Neville (I know lol), Osman, Fellaini, Hitzlsperger and Barkley who can all play that position. Mirallas and Pienaar can play 'in the hole' aswell if we want. Where as in the forward position we only have Jelavic, Anichebe and Vellios. Moyes is persisting with an out of sorts Jelavic every week because he simply has nobody else good enough to put there.
Dennis Shaw
313 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:39:01
Incompetence by the board that's all this is. I cannot believe that there are still people on here applauding the board and manager for not spending OUR money on reinforcing the squad. His injury has been widely documented and his medical records will have been studied long before we will have flown him over here ( you would hope).

BIlly Liar has done it again with his smoke and mirrors the majority now think we are actually trying to source a quality player for big money whilst the minority of us know he never had the money nor the intention of spending the money. If I sell my car on Autotrad I want the cash up front when I release it and wouldn't accept £20 a month over 4 yrs.

Love the fact that Gibson, Saha and Mirrallas passed medicals despite never being fit.

Denis Richardson
314 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:41:09
Chris, I meant a proper CM / holding midfielder, not an ACM. Gibson is too injury prone, Neville we can write off, don't think Hitz is good enough anymore (he cannot even knock Neville out of the side), Osman is not a holding midfielder and is also now in his 30's, Moyes prefers to play Fellaini up top, Moyes prefers not to play Barkely at all, Pienaar is not a holding CM, neither is Mirralas.

In short, if Gibson is out, our form takes dive, imo becasue we don't have a decent strong CM to take his place (Fellaini being played up top).

Nick Entwistle
315 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:51:22
Mirallas has always been fit in Greece, and the other two were cheap for a reason.
Andrew Ellams
316 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:51:21
Dennis, that is why we got Gibson at cut price, I'm fairly sure Saha's injury problems were factored into his contract and salary payments and as far as we know Miralles' problems are from a new injury and not a pre existing one.

And also, it looks as though this is stemming from potential future problems as a result of recent surgery and not that the player is currently carrying an injury so therefore not known until he had his scans/tests etc. yesterday

Steavey Buckley
317 Posted 30/01/2013 at 12:46:01
If there any doubts over Leroy's fitness, Everton must pull out the deal. And sign loanees until the end of the season. In the summer, transfer fees will be more realistic. 8.5 million transfer plus salary of over 4.5 years for a player who has a dodgy knee, is not good business. The sums involved are nearly 25% of Everton's annual turnover. And probably would not get insurance to cover the player's susceptible knee if the knee fails completely due to strain and stresses of premier football.
Trevor Lynes
318 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:00:14
My point is virtually every club has completed something and Necastle completed five deals well before this window closed.

If we always wait until the last two or three days there is hardly any time to get someone else in.
Felli was a last minute panic buy and he came good LUCKILY !!

Fer has starred in recent games and now he is back in Holland and playing again I don't understand how this professional board of ours could not have had this business over with earlier.
Its an amateurish way of doing business compared to other clubs who give themselves time for alternatives.

Explain the stupid way the Ofoe situation occurred, again a late deal held up by paperwork !!!!!

As I have said before; stop giving this board excuses, let them make their own !!

Dennis Shaw
319 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:04:18
My point is every one is applauding the board because they refuse to buy a decent fit player in case he becomes injured in the future and it affects his sell on value but we are willing to take poor, injury prone players from everyone else on the cheap. The only people benefiting from signings like Gibson, Saha and Naismith are Kenwright and the cronies on the board.

We need a decent signing to lift our club and find it convenient it's all falling apart unless FC Twente agree ridiculous financial terms. I hope I am proved wrong.

Lee Smith
320 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:10:42
I'm very much 'anti Kenwright / Board', but from what I can make out EFC haven't done a lot wrong here (for a change). IF the medical has shown up an under lying issue then fair enough for EFC trying to re-negotiate terms.

BUT, what I will hold EFC culpable for is if there is no 'Plan B', and we leave it too late to find an alternative. And most of us here know how shit EFC are with 'Plan B's'.....

Dennis Shaw
321 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:14:41
This is spookily similar tothe time Demba Ba failed his medical at Stoke and Pulis spoke widely to the media in support of his board trying to bring in quality players.

Well Ba has hardly suffered setbacks since apparently being turned down by Stoke has he. I believe if you really want to find a problem in order to still look good and save the money you never had you can always find that problem.

Ray Roche
322 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:07:22
Brian Waring @453

Brian, I am aware that his goalscoring record, 1 goal in every 2.4 games, is clearly very good, but my point is that Bent never stays anywhere long enough to warrant buying a house. I repeat, why would Spurs, Sunderland ,Villa, and Charlton from his top flight clubs, offload him after two years? There must be some reason. In addition, apart from his knack of putting the ball in the net with what must be the highest percentage of miss-hits, knees, bollocks and elbows of any player I've ever seen, I don't think he's the most skillfull forward, do you? (I realise that the brigade who (a) Want ANY new signing and (b) the lads who adopt the "doesn't matter how you score" attitude will have a field day with my musings but, well, I don't give a toss. He's not my type of player)

James Marshall
323 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:13:54
We should definitely sign Fer, if he's fit long term.

This is the guy who's keeping Wesley Schneider and Rafael Van de Vaart out of the Dutch National team - he's that good.

It's not a huge fee in the current climate, but it is to Everton as we all know so it's only natural they're being cautious, especially given that we already have Mirallas & Gibson who are both injury prone (at least this season).

This kind of thing happens all the time during negotiations for players; the only difference is that it''s become public knowledge - a mistake on the clubs behalf, but as someone else said above, the fashion at the moment is to inform as soon as the fee is agreed - the Balotelli deal is all over the news, as was the RS deal for Coutinho - both before the players had had medicals or agreed terms.

All the posts on here about the club bluffing, and Kenwright not really wanted to buy Fer, are, in my opinion, well wide of the mark. It's £8m, not a small amount of anyones money to part with. Remember, you support a 'real world' club, not Chelsea, not Man City, not Anzhi, and you're not playing Football Manager either.

There are human beings involved here, with thoughts & feelings of their own, and all too often football fans forget the human element, and seem to see players as pieces of meat to be traded around like computer game characters.

There's always way more to it than meets the eye.

Dennis Shaw
324 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:17:45
To add insult to injury Stoke then brought in a free injury prone Michael Owen. We are more similar to Stoke than you know.
Harold Matthews
325 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:08:06
Back to John Lennon again.

"Everything is happening........and nothiing goin' on"

Kevin Tully
326 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:09:51
The cynic in me suggests if his knee really is that bad, they would just walk away - who would pay £8.5m for a player with a known medical condition?

Who is to say there wasn't a financial hitch late in proceedings, and this was an excuse to call off the deal?

Name a P.L. transfer where the player has failed their medical? They even push deals through when players are injured these days.

The fact they still want to sign him is a little contradictory, let's see if any other clubs decide he is fit enough if we don't close this deal.

James Marshall
328 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:28:02
A Kevin 474 - Demba Ba failed a medical at Stoke before he came to this country, That's one that springs to mind.

The other issue is insurance - I'll wager the EFC insurers won't cover him for pre-existing medical conditions, which could also put a spanner in the works re payments.

Simon Watts
329 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:19:45
I think they leave it late, because Harry Redknap back in management lol. Also Spurs and a few other clubs always look to who we want to buy, as we have a known good scouting system. Most of the players we buy are out of the blue. I had never really thought of Jagielka Lescott, Cahill etc. Think they throw a few false leads as well.
Joe Clitherow
330 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:28:48
Dennis Shaw I really don't get your logic on the Michael Owen thing alone, as well as not agreeing with pretty much anything you've posted (where do you get the OUR money thing from?).

The issue here surely is risk mitigation in that the injury hampered players Everton brought in really were low risk - Saha would not take any wages initially for instance.

Michael Owen is anything but free as any Newcastle or Stoke fan would tell you so I don't know what comparison you are trying to make there. At Newcastle each goal cost £1.3M and I think his Stoke stats are even more expensive.

Quite rightly Everton did not touch Owen with a bargepole for the reasons identified by some above, despite the fact I think we were his club of choice. I don't think the club in this case can be pilloried for conducting business negotiations in a business manner despite the hysterai which seems to be palpable in this thread.

I'd give special mention to the Michael Kenrick (374) and Anthony Jaras (390) posts as keeping the right perspective on this situation. Clearly some people on this thread have never carried out a negotiation involving significant moolah and associated risk.

Kevin Tully
331 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:40:43
James #476 - If they can't get insurance, why are they saying they still want to go ahead, but on different payment terms?

If I understand it right, they want to base the payments on appearances, so what if Moyes wants to put someone else in because he doesn't rate him?

I wouldn't agree to those terms either.

Dennis Shaw
332 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:44:07
I think the majority of us have negotiated large amounts of money and risk it's done each time we take out a mortgage and yes if I really didn't want to spend the money but Mrs Shaw still wanted the house I could find a number of excuses for the deal to fall at the last hurdle.

My point about Stoke was that they didn't really want to spend the money on quality players like Ba whilst they can get away with spending next to nothing on big name has beans like Owen. I would suggest Owens medical highlighted a lot more problems than Ba's. Im also sure that Gibsons medical showed up far more problems than Fers.

Pulis is like Moyes backing the board even though the board never back them. This board has never conducted business in the right way but they are allowed to get away with it whilst the Joes of this world still support them.

It is OUR money because it's our club as fans, season ticket holders and shareholders.

Tom Evans
333 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:57:08
May be old hat as I write this, but apparently we have given the Dutch until this evening to agree to our request, or should that be demand?

All I do know is that, to quote the oft muttered saying... "This is the Everton Way". This saga will run right to the deadline, I am sure.

I'm more concerned now about getting three points against WBA. COYB

Tony J Williams
334 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:02:34
Dennis, "our money" wouldn't cover Fellaini's wages for a season.
Trevor Lynes
335 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:00:27
People on here are saying £8 million is a lot of money but we paid FIFTEEN MILLION for Fellaini years ago and no one knew him !!
That was risk that became good.

Fer has played regularly without being subbed and has regular mentions as playing well.
That cannot be said of many of our fist team FFS.

If BK is only playing tricks that is OK so long as something happens before this window closes
We have a whole raft of injuries to first team starters with no one to adequately replace them.
The fans want and deserve a new player who can give our team the impetus to fulfill the potential it has shown earlier in the season.
Apart from Man Utd there are no teams in the premiership playing consistently including Man City,Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs fourth place is a realistic goal if DM is supported.
The money spent will be recouped at the gate.

Drew O'Neall
336 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:12:32
Yeah but Fellaini had two good knees.
Kev Johnson
337 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:12:08
"The money spent will be recouped at the gate"? If only it was that simple, Trevor.

Maybe a TW poll would be appropriate, once a decision has been made one way or another?

Did EFC handle the Fer transfer negotiations well? YES or NO.

Harold Matthews
338 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:11:57
Leroy on ESPN now 2 15
Paul Andrews
339 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:13:02
Just a thought.

Could we not sign him and take an insurance policy against future injury? I think that is standard practice in football.

Ros Taylor
340 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:18:58
Kevin @474, didn't Mikael Forssell fail a medical with us? Mind you, no bad thing in the end!
Drew O'Neall
341 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:15:42
The cynic in me says it's the ultimate tap up..

We've agreed a fee, had him over for a medical, filled his head with noughts and sent him back saying we won't pay the money.

Look at this from Twente's perspective now, they've got a player who wants to move and a buyer who doesn't want to pay, their deals for the cover players are falling apart and the clock is ticking..

It could be very good negotiating on our part, maybe we never had the upfront readies..

To strengthen their bargaining position Twente need to introduce a competetive bidder to the situation to put the willies up Everton and Everton need to line up an alternative player (Capuoe please)

Brin Williams
342 Posted 30/01/2013 at 13:59:09
For £8.5M I would expect a Gold Cup horse not a 5 Furlong flyer or a one-trick pony – so well done to the vets that spotted the problem.

Mind you I thought equines with doggy legs were put down, not encouraged to do 'box-to-box' stuff.

James Martin
343 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:20:32
Trevor through suspension and freak injuries Fellaini has probably missed more games for us than most. Most of our first team play regularly without being subbed and most play well. Just because he cost 15 milliond oesn't make him any different to any player at our culb and it certainly doesn't excuse his bad performances like they have been of late.
Kev Johnson
344 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:24:11
Drew - Twente better keep their willies to themselves!

Keep us informed on what he said, Harold. We don't all have ESPN.

Mike Dolan
345 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:21:33
This is all so friggin predictable, it is just so ballsey that you always think they wouldn't dare to do it again. An audacious transfer window teaser just to make us look ambitious and turn our attention away then the last minute sale of one of our much needed star players, then the promise that the money, while unfortunately too late to use in this window will be 'reinvested' in the next window. It is a massive massive recurring con and we fall for it every time.
Brent Stephens
347 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:40:44
Yes, Mike, a lot of predictable stuff I'm reading here.
James Marshall
348 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:36:01
It's not our money. Never has been , never will be.
Kev Johnson
349 Posted 30/01/2013 at 14:45:26
If it's oh-so-predictable, Mike, then what you say will definitely happen. If so, I (and others) will acknowledge your foresight.

If it doesn't then please come back on the forum and admit you were wrong.

Just for the record: you are saying that the Fer deal will fall through and we will sell someone at the last moment. (Also, that any money from a sale will effectively vanish into the mist rather than be spent on transfers in the following window.)

Well, we'll know in a couple of days, won't we?

Andrew Ellams
350 Posted 30/01/2013 at 15:04:12
I think this will happen. If it was dead in the water it wouldn't have turned into a pissing contest or game of deadline day chicken, both clubs would have moved on to the next piece of business.
Drew O'Neall
351 Posted 30/01/2013 at 15:09:23
What's the betting Fer bowles out at Goodison tonight with Sly Stallone to the tune from Rocky?
Kev Johnson
352 Posted 30/01/2013 at 15:17:43
Drew, I prefer the idea of 1970s popster Donny Osman dramatically revealing himself as a lifelong Blues fan and leading Elroy on to the pitch to the strains of The Osmans' rock-till-you-drop classic, CRAZY HORSES!
Brent Stephens
353 Posted 30/01/2013 at 15:45:19
Elstone saying on Sky it's off.
James Morgan
354 Posted 30/01/2013 at 15:46:11
Yeah Brent, I just heard the same on talkSPORT. At least we know we've got cash so lets get something sorted ASAP!
Sam Hoare
355 Posted 30/01/2013 at 15:48:03
Hmmm. Shame, he looked handy. Better get someone else in coz we sure need it.
Nick Entwistle
356 Posted 30/01/2013 at 15:48:04
Oooooh the excitement tomorrow night when at 12:01 its announced McFadden has returned. Can't wait.
Ben Jones
357 Posted 30/01/2013 at 15:50:53
I reckon maybe Diame now
Harold Matthews
358 Posted 30/01/2013 at 15:05:31
Kev. He didn't say anything . Was playing his last game before joining us. He is extremely tall and looks like a film star. At the final whistle he hugged everyone and smiled like he had just won the lottery.

During the game he roamed the middle but Twente were under pressure and he couldn't get into it. With 30 minutes left he began making threatening runs from deep and near the end he burst through and nearly scored.

Someone said he was MOTM but I wouldn't know about that. He looked ok without being particularly impressive. He certainly doesn't have the skill and mobility of Odjidja-Ofoe. However , he does have the" X - Factor " much loved by Uncle Bill and might well end up in a London show.

Brent Stephens
359 Posted 30/01/2013 at 16:00:00
Nick, why can't we get this McFadden deal tied up before now?!

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.


About these ads

© ToffeeWeb