Blues set to land young Belgian striker

, 22 July, 108comments  |  Jump to most recent

Updated Everton are set to sign David Henen from Anderlecht, with Roberto Martinez confirming after the friendly at Tranmere Rovers this evening that a deal for the teenager is in process.

News of the move was broken by Belgian sources this morning and the 18 year-old striker, who is represented by Kevin Mirallas' agent Christophe Henrotay, reportedly underwent a medical at Finch Farm yesterday ahead of a 1.5m move.

Henen is highly regarded in his native Belgium has been linked with Manchester United and, more recently, Arsenal — both Sven Claes of Het Laatste Nieuws (the source of this latest link with Everton) and a number of English media outlets reported at the end of last month that he was in talks with the Gunners but the move hasn't thus far come to fruition — when it was suggested that he could be available for 1.5M.

Apparently comfortable as an out-and-out striker or playing out wide, Henen came through Anderlecht's youth ranks but spent last season on loan playing for Monaco's B side. "He's a young, talented footballer who represents Belgium in the lower teams, in the under-18s and has had good experience in going to France," Martinez explained to the Liverpool Echo this evening.

"He is a bright boy and we feel he is something different that we haven't got in the under-21s so we are hoping he is going to be giving us something different in that group,

"We want a strong group. We have already got talented and very interesting footballers and I think David can fit in really well in that environment."

"[The deal] is in the process of being completed," the manager concluded.

The 6' 1" player has represented Belgium at U15 through U18 level, notching 14 goals in 17 games, but has yet to play for the senior side.

Claes suggested over Twitter that Henen, who is regarded by Roberto Martinez as one for the future, has opted for the number 39 jersey due to his admiration of Nicolas Anelka.

 

Reader Comments (108)

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Nick Wall
1 Posted 22/07/2014 at 07:39:25
Hopefully the first of many young Belgian strikers to sign!
Andy Meighan
2 Posted 22/07/2014 at 07:58:35
Underwhelmed moi. You bet your sweet life I am
Derek Knox
3 Posted 22/07/2014 at 07:57:24
Nick # 836

Well, is this to happen ? All other attempts to sign anyone,------------- even players in this country, have seen to fallen flat !

If so, I suppose it’s good news for the future.

By the way, can’t think who the other young Belgian striker could be, doesn’t seem to be getting much publicity ! :)

Dermot O'Brien
4 Posted 22/07/2014 at 08:06:57
Breaking: Everton sign Nobody
Nobody has signed a 4 year deal with Everton for an undisclosed fee. The Toffees had been linked with Everybody throughout the summer but nothing came of it. As the new season approached great effort was made to sign Somebody, who would have been popular with the fans. However in the end, the fans had to make do with seeing Anybody in an Everton shirt.
Steve Hopkins
5 Posted 22/07/2014 at 08:21:53
Sorry Dermot but the deal to sign nobody has fallen through due to our inability to meet the asking price. You heard it here first!
Matt Traynor
6 Posted 22/07/2014 at 08:20:11
Whichever currency exchange is only giving £1m for EUR 1.5m is having a laugh as well. Credit where it’s due though, if BK has convinced them that is the exchange rate we could be onto a winner... that’d be £187,600 in reduced costs.
Rob Sawyer
7 Posted 22/07/2014 at 08:21:31
On a slightly related theme, my local club, Stockport County, have announced the signing of a new centre-forward. His name? Scott Spencer. Some Blue’s may recall his capture from Oldham Athletic in 2006 as a 17 year-old tagged "one for the future". He never made the (Goodison) grade and, after a handful of loan appearances for Yeovil, made his living at Rochdale, Southend, Lincoln and latterly Hyde. At 25 I hope that Scot can still work his way back up the league ladder, preferably with County.
Mark Tanton
8 Posted 22/07/2014 at 08:29:01
I am left wondering if there’ll be a magic 48 hour period and what complications will occur during it. Let’s hope Belgium is less of a minefield than Milton Keynes.
Dan McKie
9 Posted 22/07/2014 at 08:34:13
No doubt 10 different parties will all own a piece of him, thus exonerating Bill when the deal falls through.
Kev Johnson
10 Posted 22/07/2014 at 08:35:04
Unfortunate analogy there, Mark, what with Belgium being very much a minefield exactly 100 years ago!

Dermot @ 844 and Steve @ 846 - ha-ha! Like it.

Chris Sillett
11 Posted 22/07/2014 at 08:48:47
I’d never heard of the lad before but apparently he’s the next big talent to come out of Belgium, comparisons with Januzaj and even Ronaldo and Neymar!
Duncan McDine
12 Posted 22/07/2014 at 09:10:01
Comes to something when we’re all clinging to the hope that Bill won’t fuck up the signing of a reserve player with potential.
John Pickles
13 Posted 22/07/2014 at 08:56:18
He’s ’The Next Big Thing’ yet neither Man Ure or Arse have thought fit to shell out £1-1.5M on him?

Sorry but we’re too far into another transfer window full of media bollocks and false dawns to get too excited by this kind of story at the moment.

Bob Heyward
15 Posted 22/07/2014 at 10:15:18
Is it too ’off message’ to suggest that maybe Roberto has made a bit of a dogs ear of this transfer window? It’s late July, training begun, friendlies starting, and still no new signings... getting a tad concerned.

I mean, does anyone think the rather long ESPN-sponsored jolly to the World Cup is coming back to bite us here? Compare and contrast with Brenda’s approach - no five-week long distractions post season, and look how much business is being done up ’the hill of p@ss’. Ditto for the Skunks.

Anyone agree, or am I just scape-goating?

Trevor Thompson
16 Posted 22/07/2014 at 10:47:14
John#855, I was thinking the same: why wouldn’t Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea or even Man City not have snapped him up for 1.5M, if he’s that good? I can’t see this one happening, although I’d liked to be proven wrong.
Trevor Lynes
17 Posted 22/07/2014 at 10:50:30
He would be equivalent to signing one of our own youngsters who has not played for the senior side. I hope that he does not come under the four expected signings as the lad will probably not play for the senior side.

We will NOT be getting the players Roberto wanted initially and we will be left grabbing whoever is still available at the close of the window. All this rubbish about only signing players who will fit into the squad is a damn smoke screen. It took weeks for our established first eleven to buy into Roberto’s way of playing so how long will it take new signings to become the ’correct fit’?

Tony Page
18 Posted 22/07/2014 at 11:12:34
Goal.com has us inching to signing Lukaku, and that’s two hours ago, and news on David Heden, hope it’s true.
Christopher Wallace
19 Posted 22/07/2014 at 11:41:32
John 14

United also refused to pay £5m for James Rodriguez, deciding to go for Bebe instead.

That James boy must me rubbish as well...

Colin Glassar
20 Posted 22/07/2014 at 11:49:39
Absolutely Christopher, if United or Arsenal don’t sign ’em they must be rubbish, but if we don’t sign young players it’s a case of how did we miss out on that one? Some people.......
Sam Hoare
21 Posted 22/07/2014 at 11:53:56
The next Magaye Gueye? Hopefully not...
Andrew Ellams
22 Posted 22/07/2014 at 11:53:13
If you were a young player, would you go to Man City, Chelsea etc? They have a revolving door for established talent and youngsters are brought in, loaned out and then sold on for profit. He would have more chance at a club like Everton.
Christopher Wallace
23 Posted 22/07/2014 at 12:15:39
Yeah Colin, I remember Wenger being asked about Kompany when he was at Anderlecht, and Arsene said he was aware of all the good Belgian players. He obviously didn’t fancy Kompany, and has failed to snap up any of the quality players from that country, other than Vermaelan.

Also, do people not realise that if Arsenal, City, United, Chelsea wanted to sign a player, our only chance of seeing them in Royal Blue would be if we begged for them on loan?

I don’t know about this guy in particular, but we employ scouts for a reason, and I’m confident that Roberto is very involved in the scouting process.

Harold Matthews
24 Posted 22/07/2014 at 11:31:22
Skinny 6’-1" and still growing. Moves very well to the rhythm of You Tube music. Looks a decent prospect. Can’t go wrong at the price.

I like the look of Delial Brewster, a first year Everton scholar since June, born up the road in Southport with 4 goals in 3 games for the U18s. He says his assets are pace and finishing and he is working hard on his weak foot and heading. His favourite player is Ross Barkley.

Now I haven’t seen this lad play. All I’ve watched is a scholar interview video on the official site. I liked the look of him straight away. Real cocky hardcase type with a great build and a scouse accent. By the time he finishes growing this lad will be something to behold and if he’s as fast as he says he is then the sky’s the limit."Move over Lukaku. I’m on my way."

Seems like Joe Royle has arrived at the right time.

Jim Knightley
26 Posted 22/07/2014 at 12:25:07
Maybe United or Arsenal etc have other young plans? Maybe they have enough strikers in their youth ranks? maybe they are busy with other signings? maybe he turned them down because Arsenal or whoever could not offer him the realistic potential of first team football in the near future? Maybe they are wrong? Maybe we are wrong?

Who knows, but I’m entirely with Chris on this. The reasoning which uses the absence of assumed interest, or the willingness of a club to sell a player, to negate his ability is beyond stupid in my opinion. It constantly appears over and over again: Someone argued that Lukaku cannot be that good, because Mourinho did not want him. Here it is again: This youth cannot be that good, because top teams do not want him. With that logic every great youngster would only ever be brought by the biggest teams.

It’s even more funny when we consider that Everton have persistently demonstrated how flawed that type of logic is. Coleman must be shit, he cost under a £200,000 and no one else wanted him. Why didn’t someone outbid us for Stones? or Oviedo? Or Arteta, Cahill, Baines, Jagielka, Mirallas etc.

The world is a big place, and if Arsenal or Borussia or other big clubs were interested, then that is certainly a plus in my book, not a negative. The purchase of youths for low amounts from ’lesser’ European leagues is a great way to success. Chelski have been doing it extensively for the last seasons, among others, and they will reap the rewards. I’d be more than happy if Everton do the same, because for 1mil, you can buy 10 young potential stars and only one of them needs to come big. It’s far better buying from Belgium or the Netherlands, than Spain or England, where the big youths will cost far far more. Liverpool’s mistakes illustrate as much (I’m thinking primarily of their young Spanish buys who have got nowhere..Alberto and Llori for 14mil combined last season). The changing style of this league makes foreign buys a more attractive proposition than ever before. This is especially true given the massively inflated players of English players, even those from lower divisions, and the dropping standards of English youths.

Rob Stuthridge
27 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:07:17
Looks like it’s happening:

Link

Craig Bellew
28 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:14:17
This article seems to have this young lad already passing a medical. I’m sure I also read on a recet TW thread that a player had been spotted on Monday at FF. Make your own mind up I suppose and heres the link -

http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/07/22/belgian-wonder-kid-reportedly-completes-everton-medical-ahead-of/

Mark Tanton
29 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:17:17
Strange that SSN have absolutely nothing to say about it.
Geoffrey Caveney
30 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:18:32
Has our shop been spotted printing up jerseys with his name and number yet?
Craig Bellew
31 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:21:14
Royal Blue Mersey are running the same story claiming he has chosen the No 39 shirt to wear due to his liking of all things Anelka.
Trevor Thompson
32 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:23:52
I think if he was touted as being just a hot prospect then it wouldn’t raise eyebrows. The fact he’s touted as being the next Ronaldo or Neymar gives the impression that he’d be world-class, therefore teams like Man City and Chelsea, especially, tend to stockpile players like that. I didn’t even know who Coleman was until we bought him.
Mark Tanton
33 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:25:48
Are we re-doing the squad numbers this summer, does anyone know?
Geoffrey Caveney
34 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:26:27
I think fans should be able to pre-order jerseys with names of transfer target rumours. Orders only processed if we sign the player.
Geoffrey Caveney
35 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:28:30
Mark (920), the club is selling the new jersey with players’ same squad numbers as last season, one of which I have already ordered, so we better not be re-doing the numbers!
Nick Wall
36 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:29:31
The Liverpool Echo have a couple of interesting bits of information about him - "The player is believed to be available for a £1.5 million fee and his agent Christophe Henrotay also represents Kevin Mirallas, Romelu Lukaku and Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe who had a proposed move from Club Brugge to Everton fall through in September 2012 when the paperwork was not completed in time."
Sam Hoare
37 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:28:23
Anyone remember Odjidja-Ofoe? We all hoped he was the answer to our midfield softness but then the deal fell through. Happily McCarthy has solved that particular issue....

This lad is the equivalent of a vellios or Gueye. A longshot on a youngster with potential. He will battle with the likes of Chris long and George Green to make the fringes of the first team in the next year or two. Good luck to him if it happens but not much to be excited bout at present.

Harold Matthews
38 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:14:26
Jim. You’ve done it again mate. A 5 star post if ever there was one. Wish I could write like that. Agree with you all the way. We’re not looking for a hyped up Zaha type who is wanted by everyone and costs a bomb. No thanks.

Last year the New Recruitment Officer explained how he and his team would attend all youth tournaments worldwide and earmark youngsters to keep an eye on. Not looking for the polished diamond, but for the slightly rough stone with the gem inside. We wish them well.

Phil Walling
39 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:36:57
Hey, Sam, some of us get excited when we hear they’ve bought a new mower for Finch Farm !

At least it helps to understand where the annual £23M attributed to ’other operating costs’ is being spent.

As for Henan, I hear that the £1.5M is to be paid in stages as and when he moves up the pecking order.

How much excitement do you want?

Harold Matthews
40 Posted 22/07/2014 at 14:08:05
Don’t know what level the Dons fans were talking about but apparently this lad faced Andros Townsend and never gave him a kick of the ball.
Eugene Ruane
41 Posted 22/07/2014 at 13:53:48
Jim Knightly (901),

"The reasoning which uses the absence of assumed interest, or the willingness of a club to sell a player, to negate his ability, is beyond stupid in my opinion. It constantly appears over and over again: Someone argued that Lukaku cannot be that good, because Mourinho did not want him. Here it is again: This youth cannot be that good, because top teams do not want him. With that logic every great youngster would only ever be brought by the biggest teams,"

Spot fucking on!

Barry Silkman tried to do a deal to sell Zidane to Newcastle for £1.2M in 1996 but they reckoned he ’wasn’t good enough for the PL’ – was he shit? (Newcastle also gave Shearer a trial, they put him in goal then fucked him off after.)

Sheffield Utd could have had Maradona for £200 grand but their minge-baggery got the better of them and they paid £160 grand for Alex Sabella – was he better? West Ham and Liverpool passed on the 16-year-old Dalglish so he went to Celtic.

The famous line from veteran screenwriter William Goldman that ’nobody knows anything’ (about success or failure in the movie business) could equally apply to football, specially re some of the screechy panicky posts from ’experts’ on TW.

Oh and remember, Decca Records rejected the Beatles, saying ’guitar groups are on the way out’ and (even better) ’The Beatles have no future in show-business.’

We can all look at a mature, 40-goals-a-season Messi and say ’fucking great player!’ but with lads under 20, it’s always a bit of a lottery and can go either way.

All we can do is put our faith in Mr Martinez and hope for the best. Anything else is just chasing your tail.

Andrew Hawes
42 Posted 22/07/2014 at 14:26:04
There we have it ..the final piece of the jigsaw!!! £1 million paid part cash, part Tesco vouchers!! We didn’t even pay to go scout him, just put his YouTube clips on repeat... He’s apparently even going to be at Finch Farm a whole week before the season starts so we can expect an explosive start to his Everton career!!

Henen, Besic and Barry all signed for about £5 million?? Looks like that’s the budget gone or are we "keeping our powder dry" again....?

Christ, Everton, give us fans even a glimmer of signing someone we have heard of??

James Marshall
43 Posted 22/07/2014 at 14:49:18
All of what Eugene says is true, though is also an argument to say that these rumour mill posts are a way of supporters venting their (positive or negative) views on the summer transfer dealings, so all the teeth gnashing is probably a good thing, as it means they’re not kicking cats, or knocking their wives about.

Kris Boner
44 Posted 22/07/2014 at 14:53:12
According to reports in Belgium, teenage striker David Henen visited Everton’s training ground yesterday and is set to sign a contract. The highly-rated youngster spent last season on loan at Monaco from Anderlecht and it is reported that the Belgian club want around £1.5million.

News from the SSN, this morning. My sports desk think its more likely as Morata just injured himself at Juve so they are likely to come back into the market for Lukaku.

Paul Andrews
45 Posted 22/07/2014 at 14:57:51
"Minge baggery"

What a phrase!!

Immediately thought of the original version sitting in his ranch in Maida Vale stroking a white Persian cat

James Marshall
46 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:09:32
Will we use him in the first team? Seems doubtful but then Martinez has said he’ll use the youth players, so maybe he was talking about buying one and using him...... Link
James Marshall
47 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:12:28
In other news:

Sky Bet have seen a fresh run of bets on Ross Barkley to join Manchester City, seeing their odds cut from 2/1 to 13/8. Chelsea are 9/2 second favourites for the England international.

Kris Boner
48 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:17:44
Tony Barrett at The Times has come out and said he was definitely at Finch Farm yesterday... so that is putting your name to something isn’t it.

The Sky bet thing even says that they are changing the odds after a raft of bets. This makes me think that they are only doing it because money is going that way, not because they know anything. File under rumour, nothing more.

Patrick Murphy
49 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:17:49
I still worry that young Ross will be sacrificed in order to obtain Lukaku – that would in my opinion be one hell of a gamble by the manager and the board.

If it transpires and the Blues start the season off badly, the knives which some have itchy fingers to wield will well and truly be out and it won’t be at all pretty. Would we or could we sell Barkley to Chelsea in order to purchase Lukaku and then loan Barkley back???

James Stewart
50 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:23:29
Bizarre comment, Patrick. Barkley has nothing to do with the Lukaku deal. Martinez has already stated countless times he’s not for sale!
Harold Matthews
51 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:15:10
Eugene. Wow. Mind boggling stuff. Believe the young, little, skinny Dennis Law was also turned away by all and sundry. Just goes to show eh.
Linda Morrison
52 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:24:24
Patrick is right to be concerned. I thought that both Barkley and Stones were to sign long improved contracts after the World Cup.

What’s happened to that?

Harold Matthews
53 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:27:25
James. I didn’t know about the Barkley stuff. Holy mackerel.
Matt Traynor
54 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:23:49
Patrick, IMO one of the reasons the BU failed to get any real traction during the protests meetings and marches a couple of years ago is that things were going well on the pitch. A section of the fanbase would never protest unless we were languishing near the bottom, or worse, went through the door. (Equally, there were elements of the fanbase at the BU meetings who felt OFM was the problem...)

Sadly BK has never had the money to move Everton on. His friends who are with him are only in it for the money, so they are happy to sit on it until someone comes along willing to pay the asking price. As Lerner is discovering, it’s not a given to recover your investment – at least Bill’s never put any in!

The increased revenues clubs get will see transfer fee inflation, and wage inflation. Possibly even clubs that are for sale will see inflation – too much money already goes out of the game into people’s pockets as it is. This will only get worse.

Paul Andrews
55 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:33:20
James,

An old trick if you are familiar with a bookies bag of tricks.

Create a run on something you know won’t happen by reducing the odds....sit back,light cigar and watch all the mug punters jump on.

Have a look at Oddschecker,they have a section of "most backed horses"
Then have a look at how many win.

Christopher Dover
56 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:37:02
Must be improving on the comments – it took the ninth comment before Bill was mentioned!!
Tony McNulty
57 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:41:54
To add to the, ’experts not knowing anything’ idea, a music pundit saw Mick Jagger performing for the Rolling Stones in the early 1960s and pronounced:

"The group is OK, but they’ll never get anywhere with that singer."

James Marshall
58 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:56:36
"The group is OK, but they’ll never get anywhere with that singer."

Which turned out to be written by Keef ;-)

Kristian Boyce
59 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:58:54
I’d give it 48 hours before he signs...
James Marshall
60 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:02:20
By the way, I know it’s an old trick, I just thought I’d fuel a bit of debate. Which seems to have failed.
Patrick Murphy
61 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:06:58
I have just arrived back from the doctor’s after suffering from headaches, anxiety attacks and other stress related symptoms. The Doc prescribed a huge dose of reality once every 48 hours - must have been a Dark Side supporter! :)

I haven’t really been to the Doc’s – you can put those flower orders down already.

Brian Hill
62 Posted 22/07/2014 at 15:52:38
Geoffrey Caveney, as a recent convert you have very quickly adopted the witty cynicism that is compulsory for all Evertonians. Welcome to the joy of EVERTON!!
Derek Knox
63 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:15:23
Patrick # 62

I was going to suggest a consultation with the TW Agony Aunt. But at this juncture, it is not apparent who that is!

If I can prescribe (on a layman’s basis) a good dose of quality signings, followed by a plethora of goals for, (preseason, without conceding any) I think that may do the trick!

Get well soon mate! :)

Martin Farrington
64 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:20:47
Great - someone else we haven’t actually signed. Why not just post a picture of some tumbleweed?

We’ve more chance of Billy Liar stumping up some rented money for it.

Colin Glassar
65 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:09:46
Some great posts gents. I knew Roberto would get someone out of left field that no-one had heard of. I’ve never heard of this kid before but by all accounts he could be a future star.

Oh, and btw, forget all this garbage about Stones and Barkley; they ain’t going anywhere.

Tony Page
66 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:21:22
Lukaku NOT in Chelsea pre-season tour!

Chelsea just announced the squad for their pre-season tour and apparently Lukaku is not included. Don’t shoot me if it’s BS but hopefully fingers crossed.

Mark Tanton
67 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:28:51
Interesting....
Colin Glassar
68 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:28:08
Tony, I said it on the Lukaku thread. He didn’t even turn up for training yesterday.
Kev Johnson
69 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:28:02
James Marshall
70 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:30:07
Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, Oscar, Ramires and Andre Schurrle also not involved....
Kris Boner
71 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:30:54
Could be extended leave due to the World Cup, but I do remember reading that he was expected to be back for the tour...
James Marshall
72 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:34:44
Nope, he was never going to go anyway. At least not at the start. Same with the players above who all got to the latter stages of the world cup. It don’t mean shiiiiiiit..
Barry Roberts
73 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:30:54
Phil 40
Have we bought a new mower? or have we borrowed one with an option to buy when it is out of order/contract?

Colin Glassar
74 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:36:53
Barry, Bill has bought a combine harvester for this season. He loves his John Deere does our bill.
Regarding the Lukaku omission from the Chelsea squad, fair do’s the players mentioned by James Marshall have been given an extended holiday but they, apart from courtois, are all established Chelsea first team players, and courtois will probably be Chelsea’s goalie this season. Lukaku would’ve expected to go on he tour if only to show Jose his worth and to prove to him that he deserves to be in his plans, or not? Is Diego Costa and Torres going?
Tony Page
75 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:35:42
Well James lets wait and see, I think we are getting used to waiting at Everton.
Eugene Ruane
76 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:42:19
Pack it in Barry, we don’t need a week of..

"We’ve buying!!" - Link

"We’re selling!!" - Link

Barry Roberts
77 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:48:44
Colin
As long as the combine harvester has got a good engine and can go box to box.
Is their a link to youtube on it or is it another one for the future?
Tony Page
78 Posted 22/07/2014 at 16:54:26
Colin, Costa and Torres are included, and also didnt the chosen one say he wanted to have a look at Lukaku before deciding on him?
Derek Knox
79 Posted 22/07/2014 at 17:04:18
Combine Harvester ?

That’s got to be clutching at straws !( mechanically speaking )

James Marshall
80 Posted 22/07/2014 at 17:06:50
Breaking news!

Mansfield have snapped up former Stevenage midfielder Simon Heslop.

Mike Powell
81 Posted 22/07/2014 at 17:04:40
Is this going to be in the next 48 hours or will this drag on for weeks like the rest off Everton transfers? I will belive it when he is wearing the blue shirt.
Ray Roche
82 Posted 22/07/2014 at 17:25:14
And Alan Ball was turned away by Wolves and Bolton Wanderers for being too small.

Thankfully....

James Elworthy
83 Posted 22/07/2014 at 17:37:20
The lad Heden will fail the medical, blue bill will offer 200k payable at 20 quid a week to sign him and print 1000 shirts with Heden 39 on the back and store them with the Lukaku 10 shirts, I just heard from my mates brothers, next door neighbour who works in the megastore stock room, Blue Bill has just shipped 100 Banega 6 shirts that have been stored there for 5 years to Africa to make room for the Besic, Galloway, Heden and Lukaku shirts now there. I just read a Giant is coming to Merseyside but it’s not Traore it’s some fucking puppet.

Another eventless summer supporting the Blues, won’t be long before Gibson is injured in a friendly and out till Xmas either.

Barry Roberts
84 Posted 22/07/2014 at 17:55:43
On the subject of transfers in general, I remember loud protests when Wimbledon moved to Milton Keynes. So why is nobody in Southampton complaining about their club moving to Anfield.
Are the RS going to play in red and white stripes. Maybe the kop will sing ’when the saints go marching in’.
Phil Walling
87 Posted 22/07/2014 at 18:04:28
Barry @74. Latest news is that the mower is on lease purchase but nothing to pay until 1st November.

The kid Henen was deffo at Finch Farm yesterday putting it through its paces but it got sent back because the motor had a fault ! Apparently he went with it.

Colin Glassar
88 Posted 22/07/2014 at 18:50:09
You’ve got to love the web. Within minutes of each other two different sites reported that A) the kid has rejected a move to England and B) seconds later, he is expected to sign for Everton after a medical.

Anyone of a nervous disposition should refrain from using social media when it comes to transfer rumours.

Kristian Boyce
89 Posted 22/07/2014 at 18:54:54
He’s an interesting one, Stoke City sign striker Bojan Krkic from Barcalona. Was pretty decent when he broke into the their first team. Obviously had Messi & Neymar in-front of him.
Colin Glassar
90 Posted 22/07/2014 at 19:04:20
He was 17 when he broke into the Barca first team, Kristian. He was absolutely sensational but unfortunately injuries have seriously hampered his career and progress. It's doubtful he'll ever get back to that level but he's only 23 so who knows? Good luck to him.
Drew Shortis
91 Posted 22/07/2014 at 19:02:30
I normally get all wound up about the transfer window and lack of activity, but this year I'm feeling calm. I guess after Roberto pulled a rabbit out of his hat last time I have a bit more faith that he will get who he is after. Yes it's nice to get new signings in early so they have time to settle in, but if we have to wait for the players Roberto really wants then I'm happy to sit back and watch it play out!
Harold Matthews
92 Posted 22/07/2014 at 19:31:48
Kristian. Interesting. Sparky Hughes has serious Barca connections.
Peter Mills
93 Posted 22/07/2014 at 20:21:36
A watched signing never boils.
Kieran Riding
94 Posted 22/07/2014 at 20:38:49
Peter #94.

Made me chuckle that !

David Midgley
96 Posted 22/07/2014 at 19:25:51
Paul. 46# It could have been worse!! -- minge buggery'

Apparently the mower was from Freecycle but we couldn't find enough money for the gallon on petrol so it was bined.

Tom Bowers
97 Posted 22/07/2014 at 22:01:51
A good job we Evertonians have a sense of humour which I guess has been moulded from so many years of disappointment.

Last season was a breath of fresh air after all the doubt about the signing of RM and then the lack of activity in the transfer market at this time.

Why would we not expect the same this time around? I believe RM has the matter in hand and when the moves are finalized they will be made known to us all.

They may be only a handful and not even household names but I am sure they will do a good job to keep Everton up there were they belong.

We all know the problem is money so RM & Co. have to be very selective.

Albert Perkins
98 Posted 22/07/2014 at 23:05:12
Why shouldn't a young player sign for Everton before Man Utd and Arsenal? He has much more chance of getting first team time for the Blues. Plus, Roberto is being noted as a top tactician who can bring players on. And who wouldn't want to live in sunny Merseyside?
Ant Dwyer
99 Posted 23/07/2014 at 00:19:46
I've not read all the above comments but most I have read are very very negative. This kid has a really good record at youth level for one of the top countries of current times.

Almost everyone who is coming out of Belgium at the minute is looking full of ability so why not this lad? He may have chosen us over other as his fellow countrymen have done really really well over recent times at Everton (Lukaku, Fellaini, Mirallas) so why not him and why not us?

We are notoriously slow at sorting out deals no one can deny that but there is no concrete evidence that we have bid or spoken to most players we are linked with. On this occasion, this boy was at Finch Farm on Monday, spoken about by Bobby on Wednesday, and will hopefully be in place by the weekend. That seems pretty smooth sailing to me.

Come on, lads, where's ya optimism? Have a little faith. I'm not the world's biggest optimistic but I have a sneaky feeling we will be glad we signed this kid.

Colin Glassar
100 Posted 23/07/2014 at 00:38:40
Well said, Ant. After tonight's game, Roberto said he is after three players so following Barry that means he hopes to sign four players in all (as this boy is expected to go straight into the Under-21 team, I presume he's not part of the 3 new signings). He's also said he will return to the loan market so I presume that will be another four players.

So we lost Deulofeu, Gueye and Vellios — big deal!! We will get better players to replace them, well maybe not Deulofeu, and we will be stronger for it IMO.

Paul Johnson
101 Posted 23/07/2014 at 01:03:59
I take it Robert was scouting during the World Cup....
David Ellis
102 Posted 23/07/2014 at 05:27:57
It's funny despite the zero activity we do actually have a stronger squad than when the last season opened.

We have Barry and McCarthy in central midfield vs the outgoing Fellaini. No contest there (Fellaini did have some talents but was always a square peg in whatever round hole he was placed in). Defence is the same – Stones has come on a lot of course.

For attacking midfielders, we now have McGeady and have lost no-one. For attack, we have lost Jelavic, Vellios and Anichebe, but Naismith has been re-born and we have injured Kone vs a fit but soon to be seriously injured Kone.

So, although we obviously can't end the transfer window with our current squad, in particular the striking options look poor, if the season started tomorrow we would still have a stronger starting XI than we had at the beginning of last season.

(But of course we do need the oft-mentioned 3 or 4 additions to run a Europa League campaign and avoid the end-of-season legginess that did us for Champions League football last season.)

Mike Green
103 Posted 23/07/2014 at 07:09:46
Jim Knightly #27 - great post.

I wonder if there'd be a different reaction if we were paying £10m instead of £1m? "This lads going to be amazing! The new Messi etc etc......" Sounds like a great bit of business to me.

Nicholas Page
104 Posted 23/07/2014 at 09:54:20
How did "we need 6/7 players" 2 months ago become, "we need 3 players" now?

I assume Billy Boys-pen has informed Roberto to add the injury list to the "just like news signings" list to free up some cash for Operation Goodison, upgrading the fucking piss-trays in the Main Stand, and the Other Operating costs?

"When you get £80M a season from Sky, there’s a temptation to get your feet on the table and puff on a cigar but that’s just not the Everton way."

Fucking right it’s not.

Mike Allison
105 Posted 23/07/2014 at 10:25:26
Can anyone provide a quote from Martinez saying that we’re only after three more players? I think this is made up. Someone made a passing comment on the Tranmere thread and the worriers have now taken this as Gospel.

Try re-reading the article from the 18th July where he says he wants three more attackingplayers and a midfielder. That seems pretty clear to me.

To speculate a little based on what we do know, the midfielder is Besic, one of the attackers is intended to be Lukaku, but we have to wait until after July 30th at the very earliest to know about it. I suspect the other two will be loans, one of them Lacina Traore and the other a young winger from a richer club.

We’ve had links with Christian Atsu from Chelsea and Adama Traore from Barcelona. You should expect these signings, but not necessarily soon. Of course they may not happen, of course we may feel let down on September 2nd, but there’s no particular reason for feeling sure that this will happen (or in some cases, claiming to ’know’ this will happen based on nothing but pessimistic cynicism).

The young players we’re signing, including Sam Byrne, and probably David Henen and Brendan Galloway, will not start the season anywhere near the first team; they don’t count in terms of what Martinez is talking about. They’ll be behind new signings, and established Under-21 players like McAleny and Hope up front, and Lundstram in midfield.

Nicholas Page
106 Posted 23/07/2014 at 11:52:41
"Three more attacking players and a midfielder"

if you add this latest one, that’s one down. Excluding him, that’s still two or three less than April’s murmurings.

Mike – do you really honestly think Evertonians don’t have a right to be cynical/worried (or just enjoy taking the piss) after all the fucking lies we’ve been fed for years and years?

Barry Stevens
107 Posted 23/07/2014 at 12:13:44
Mike Allison – last night's interview with Roberto on Sky Sports News, he said 3 players.
Kris Boner
108 Posted 23/07/2014 at 16:31:06
https://twitter.com/RBarkley20/statuses/491936973364674560

Ross seems happy to be back at Finch Farm. Not worried about him leaving any time soon.

Sam Hoare
109 Posted 23/07/2014 at 16:38:27
With Kone still out and Naismith our only fit striker this lad may get a shot sooner rather than later!

Terrifying lack of options up front. Almost worth getting Frazier Campbell for 900k in case the Lukaku deal falls through!

Harold Matthews
111 Posted 23/07/2014 at 18:30:42
Thought Campbell had gone somewhere Sam. Very handy young lad.
Raymond Fox
112 Posted 25/07/2014 at 20:40:15
Ant 101 is spot on.

I read the first dozen posts and was close to slashing my wrists. It would be a good idea to have a moan-meter; fail and your deleted.

Far too much negativity on here, supporters of at least 10 teams in the Prem. would love to swop places with us!

Wayne Smyth
113 Posted 25/07/2014 at 21:21:06
Raymond, a lot of negative opinionated people were bleating last season about loaning players like Barry, Lukaku and Deulofeu and saying that it was short term thinking and beneath us. They complained about overpaying for McCarthy and didn't rate him because he was from Wigan.

Now it's clear that those loans and McCarthy had a considerable impact on our fortunes last season as well as putting us in pole position to get Barry this season, making us favourites to sign Lukaku if he moves from Chelsea and cementing our reputation with the likes of Barcelona as a top destination for their players who perhaps can't quite make their first team. Some people can't see the big picture, unfortunately.

Again this season, we've got the same moaning and negativity about our lack of transfer activity so far and incredible cross analysis of Roberto's comments, but not very accurate analysis as far as I can see.

For example, As far as I recall he's said we need 6 or 7 new faces this season and that he wanted to see which younger players from our academy could fill those voids before he decides exactly where he needs to buy. This has been jumped on by some to say Roberto promised 6 or 7 first team signings plus some younger players.

More recently he's said that he's looking at 3 new attacking players, one midfielder (Besic) and Barry having already signed. Add in a couple of academy players and there's your 7 players.

At every opportunity, the manager has come out and asked for patience and told us that he knows who he wants. We could yet end up with Lukaku at a very decent £18M 3 weeks before kick off and 7 weeks before the window shuts precisely because we held our nerve.

It's a risk that Lukaku won't end up here, but I'm sure Martinez has other targets... we know he's after 2 other attackers as well as Lukaku regardless.

Colin Glassar
114 Posted 25/07/2014 at 21:43:50
Raymond, Wayne et al, spot on. Way too much negativity by some. Roberto knows what he's doing and what he has to do. I for one trust him implicitly.

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