Everton reportedly follow up Koné interest with firm bid

Now they may all be brilliant BUT it don't feel like a new dawn or a new era.

Plus is this guy really worth 㾾M??

Dull and awful pre-season as usual...

Not exactly a mean feat considering our defence last season was piss weak!

Unless these bids are designed to draw out our competitors' bids, I am sorely disappointed so far.

Also with these bid apparently going in for players, I can't help but feel we could have bid for these targets earlier to help the squad knit together.

In May I was away in Mexico and was on news now almost everyday by the pool (sad I no !), but two of the names I seen were Joe Hart and Bolasie, it seems like there names are coming back up. Mata was another name mentioned soon after that, now his name is back about.

Maybe it's just me but I'm a little tired of all the talk and no action.

I understand many people may disagree with this statement but we're a mid-level premiership team with ambition and we're viewed as a small premiership team.

We needed to make a statement this summer and that's something we haven't done and it's gotten to the point where our two most valuable assets are being sold off by Sky Sports and their list of pundits, only today I read a quote from Jamie Redknapp regarding Stones to Man City – "Make no mistake, he will be there before the end of the transfer window but the sooner the deal is done the better."

The club should have made a statement by now issuing a "hands off, no sale at all" stance and asking Sky to stop actively shopping our players around. Or the alternate option: Stones will be sold within the next few weeks which suggests that the club lacks ambition by selling a player that is much coveted by many of the world's top clubs.

we can do much better than a disillusioned Stones.

Potential is all well and good (Jack Rodwell the "new Beckenbaur" being a case in point) but he has had 2 seasons to progress and is still in a state of unawareness of what is going on around him.

Williams plus another strong CB will do for me while Holgate matures and leaving cash to spend on other areas of the team.

He was signed in January, Vijay, and picked up a knock. He is a centre-half. A centre-half who scores 2 goals in 15 games is decent.

Sunderland fans do not want him to go. Look at their sites. They believe that he was an important signing and helped them to stay up by making them much stronger at the back.

Yes the fees are inflated but a lot of snobbery on here about anyone coming from unglamorous clubs which is strange given how often we moan about being perceived as unglamorous!

Kone is at a good age and would certainly make us less susceptible to long balls and crosses. Think he'd be a good addition.

As for this lad Kone. Well, £10m plus our Kone and McGreedy that should do it.

Looks like this one has some legs. Daily Mail has him posing for a photo with an Everton fan, in Liverpool.

Get Williams in as well and we'll be fine at centre half when Stones departs.

The Sunderland fans wanting him to stay put is a positive indication that he's talented and works hard - so bring it on.

Mata's agent must now be ringing Walshy admitting their error of a month ago. Hopefully the price may have fallen.

Bolassie - looked very good two seasons ago. Is he still as exciting? I hope so if we are indeed after him.

Would love to see the Croatian playmaker lad come in. Read a lot of good things about him.

But who are we getting up front and in goal? Need a striker even if ROM stays, two if he goes. Bony as part of the Stones deal would be acceptable.

I would pay an awful lot for Butland. Guaranteed first choice for over a decade to come.

This is all coming too late for Spurs though. Shame, as we had the chance to start the season really strongly. (Still could, but it will be more about grunt and luck than silky skills methinks).

COYB. (Come on you signings as well).

Don't know much about this fella, but he signed for Sunderland in January, and they only lost one of their last twelve games, to avoid beating the drop.

Fixing it from the back is what kept the makems up, so I have to agree with James@21.

After that there will be at least one CM with Witsel still likely if Juve get their top targets of Matuidi/Sissoko.

Personally i'm more worried about the attacking options. Think Mata is still possible though his wages are an issue as he's on something like 160k at the mo. Crossing my fingers for Ziyech but heard little about it. Think Bolasie is overpriced and could have a go at Perisic if we're gonna be spending over £25m on a LW.

The prices for players these days have gotten ridiculous. Sunderland apparently signed him for around £5m just 6 months ago and now want more than £18m? The 7m we paid for Geuye looks an absolute bargain.

Rumours also going round that Sunderland have offered him an improved contract of 70k/week to persuade him to stay. If that's true, what are we offering him?

Looks like we need to spend a ton to get in players short term to improve the team then focus 200% on the academy. The sky deal has completely distorted the whole market.

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2017/clubs/club=52919/squad/index.html

How come its only me who feels like its starting to feel like we have to sell to buy.

Better than what we have by some way.

Jags in part ex.is an interesting call and would continue the clear out of old players with a losers mentality- bit harsh I know but you know where I am coming from!

Stones is off then according to Sky Sports!

Either way it will be wrapped up quickly I suspect now and i'd bet my bottom dollar we have 1 if not 2 new central defenders in by the weekend. Williams and one other...

Hopefully, this deal will set a few things in motion.

I'm still more inclined to be patient and get the type of player we need rather than the 'swing yer dick, look at us, aren't we a big club' kind of transfer!

Hope the Kone, deal is sorted or this news will cost Everton, more money, just like the Williams signing will, if it ever goes through.

I wonder if we will try and sign Nasri?

Glad its done in a way as it seemed the die was cast a while ago and now hopefully we can move forwards.

Williams
Kone
Mata
Bolasie
Benteke (on loan)

If that happens then we're in a much better position than we were back in May . and then I woke up...

The one finger salute to Citeh would have at least two effects potentially:

1. It would send a message that the mega-rich can't stomp all over us as Chelski tried to do last season.
2. It might also give us the upper-hand in negotiations and squeeze another few £million for Stones if WE decide to sell.

All that assumes - based on lack of evidence - this is not a done deal and that Citeh have been both arrogant and presumptuous.

However, the fact that Citeh have gone down that administrative route would suggest this has been signed and sealed, hopefully not for an 'undisclosed' fee.

Personally, I hope Stones has gone for £60m or £50m + player exchange. For me, that would be a good deal based on what we paid and also on my own view that unfulfilled potential is not what we need right now.

Strange state of affairs though in the absence of further information.

Secondly, I don't know how good he was before coming to Sunderland. He could just of had 6 months good form.

And finally, this is clearly a Walsh signing if LC are after him too.

We should be building the team around these players and might of been able to keep Stones if we had shown more ambition and direction in our own targets. disappointed but he wanted to go last season.

That'd be funny.

In terms of a long term vision of course I would prefer Stones and other "footballing defenders", but to begin fixing our current defensive naivety and get us back on track I think Williams is ideal.

This reeks to me of a done deal that was being covered up. Their hand has been forced by sky sports!

Don't get me wrong, I'm in agreement with any "cover up" cause now clubs will take us to the cleaners for an extra few mill. We obv wanted a replacement sorted before the news was leaked.

Also, it appears this has been long expected. Why the fuck then have we been playing him pre season. Surely Holgate and co could have done with the extra experience. Why get city players prepared.

If we now also sell Lukaku that would be awful.

So much for the new era.

Selling club still, only got transfer money from sales.

Europe there we don't go appears to be our chant for the season.

I know I am going to go against the grain here, I am unsure about this City lack of class thing. Is it about giving his name to UEFA? Let's be honest, this deal was done last night. They wanted him in the squad, but did not assume it would be released before they announced it this morning. People get a little OTT on details like this.

Good luck to the lad. Now is the acid test. Williams will join today. I think a good short term fix. Need some long term movement in place now.

If he wanted to stay then that's different but has made it very clear that he wants out so why keep him when we get a good price for someone who does not want to play for Everton.

The same for Lukaku, hope he stays and performs but if he Is not wanting to and plays half hearted football get best price and bring in players who will give there best.

Now hoping for some good inward transfers so the team can start to settle.

Fair comment Sam, but once that was made public all hands just HAD to come out and confirm the deal, which has now happened. We can now be held over a barrel even more by clubs who have a player we want. Outrageous behaviour by classless City.

If we were this club with a new era in front of us, we would have kept Stones.

I fear that the appearance of Mr Moshiri was fortunate, convenient and timely for Bill as it took the pressure off him, but has it or will it make any significant difference to the club and how it conducts its business in the near to long term? I don't know, but the signs aren't looking too good are they?

We have already put bids in for several players irrelevant of the Stones money that we have been waiting to complete because the players are waiting to make their minds up about moving to an unglamorous club. That is the fault of the previous regime and will take time to change.

The window doesn't shut till the end of the month and other clubs particualry the bigger ones will have more sway than we do whether you like it or not.

Yes its frustrating that the season starts before the window shuts but that is not the clubs fault and I would rather they get the right players in at the last minute than the wrong ones at the start of the Summer.

and er, a goalie, a winger but I digress

Ashley Williams seems like a done deal now.

Stones has wanted out for a calender year. The world and it's mother knew this. I've just seen his interview on sky and he mentions city players he could only have spoken to about a move while at he Euros this summer. His head was miles away from the club. Why keep him at this stage as he very obviously doesn't want to be here. 47.5m, even with Barnsley's fee and tax taken out, allows us to replace Stones with the likes of Kone or Williams and still allows us the scope to add to the squad.

I don't understand how the above makes us a selling club. If we were a selling club, we would have sold Stones last summer for half the fee we got this summer.

If we were a selling club, we would have made it very obvious we wanted to sell Lukaku. Apart from media gossip, there is no concrete evidence that the club is open to offers for Lukaku.

James @98, why spend our own money when we knew we were going to get a big lump of money for Stones. We knew he wanted out for a year now and held firm with City all summer once the transfer window opened.

We can now spend the Stones fee, plus a smaller share than we needed to of our own money on players. Our own money, rather than spending it on players, we can now spend on a new stadium. That sounds more like a win-win and well managed situation rather than Everton allowing themselves to be shafted.

The window may be open for a few weeks yet but points dropped on Saturday are just as important, and just as lost, as points dropped after the window closes. We all knew what was required and , as a club, should have been more active in bringing in new players sooner. If Williams or Kone joined today, would you put them in a against Spurs? Bit risky that. I'm all for patience but we still need to get our finger out.

4 senior cbs (if kone and williams come),also suggests some 352 football next year. Something like Coleman, kone, Williams, mori, baines, gueye, Mccarthy/witsel barkley/playmaker, lukaku, deulofeu/new striker. That system would allow barkley to thrive and deulofeu to attack through the middle more often. I'm looking forward to it.

As it is I think Holgate had a better pre-season than Stones anyway and Williams may well come in today or tomorrow and go straight it. He's a total pro which is why we are buying him.

With my optimist's hat on hopefully we can have a decent start to the season and still hold out for our first pick incoming transfers who may well come and join later on (the likes of Witsel and Mata I believe are waiting to see how things fall but would be superb additions and worth waiting for).

http://www.skysports.com/transfer-centre

Wow, we're crap we are. Softest club ever us. Bet you that 47.5m has already disappeared into Kenwright's pocket.

Moyes and Martinez out!!!

"Why did we take so long to sell him?". Maybe because we held out for more than was being offered. Maybe because we negotiated well.

What's this talk of a "cover up"? If Stones signs for another team, how long can everybody concerned really keep that quiet?

"Why did we play him pre-season". Maybe because it aint over until the "lady in need of a diet" sings; and also because not playing him would tell a prospective buyer that we saw it as a done deal, weakening our hand.

And "we're still a selling club". But the window aint closed yet.

I'll wait until this window is closed and a revamped side has settled down before drawing conclusions on any of this.

Stones bought for £3m, sold for loads. Not bad money wise. If Stones had been playing for another club, at his recent level of performances, would you have paid close to £50m for him? Though we now need to replace him with at least as good, preferably for less money.

It may be that you are right but I tend to give the benefit of the doubt to those I love so will give Everton till the end of the window before I start throwing my toys out of the pram. I still believe this may be the most exciting transfer window we've had in a long time...

Well brilliant. I could have done that if they'd made me the owner as well. FFS.

I note that is only a question. We need to wait to see the net ins and outs this transfer window. And even then too early to say for me as Koeman, Koeman and Walsh have only just arrived - I don't want mega bucks pissed up the wall just to satisfy the demands of us fans; I want it spent wisely, based on thoughtful analysis of what we've got, how they'll fit in to a new system, who's available to buy who would realistically join us etc.

Sad John has gone, but ... the club remains. Let's wait for this transfer window to close before casting judgement on net spend against transfers out and whether the squad is stronger or not for the summer's wheeling and dealing.

I am sure he will be a great player but we need a solid defender at the moment, not a showman.

Despite agreeing that the tendencies of our club don't lend kindly to positivity, we have a new major shareholder and a quality, intelligent manager. I trust that we will all feel better come the end of the transfer window and the squad will look strong. Until then, it is not as if we're approaching the start of the season with a poor team – it is by and large the same team that managed a 5th placed finish with a 72-point haul not so long ago.

Incidentally, have you ever considered going on Countdown? Your posts are exemplary from a grammatical perspective...

Good business; as he was another Lescott waiting to happen if he started on Saturday.

We are not, however, likely to be challenging for the title on a consistent basis, this coming season, or the next or maybe not even the season after next.

We're in a postition of not yet being attractive enough as a club to attract anyone we want. We're also likely to lose some players who think they will get into the champions league soonest by moving. We've got to lose players who aren't good enough and replace them with better. It took Manchester City when Sheik Mansoor took over, quite a while to attract top class players.

I don't see that it's mR Moshiri not willing to "splash the cash" as someone put it, nor to I see it it as the club being slow in recruiting players.We are likely to have to gradually build up our better squad, just like we did when Sir John Moores took over.

I've no doubts we will become a top club but I certainly don't see it all happening within a few weeks.

We will be a great club and we have a good manager.

Regarding Kone, I read one of the experts had him in his Fantasy side... might be good! I think that Ronald could have gone back for Virgil, but that he went for this guy says something! I confident in RK's choices...

That said, he was the one who we would miss least on Saturday. His loss is much longer term.

People are forgetting we spent around 㿀m recruiting Koeman & his team, Walsh and paying off Martinez and his staff. Add in the 㿀m spent on Williams and Gueye, then the Stones money is well spent! (After Barnsley take their cut.)

I'm not worried in the least. I think we'll splash at least another 㿨m or so before the window closes – possibly on quality players such as Mata.

Take a pill – Moshiri, Koeman & Walsh have got this.

No hard feelings.. we go a good chunk of cash and we can move on..

Anyway, after the farce of the Euros, who would you rather have in the heart of your defence - the fella who captained Wales to the semi-finals, or a lad who couldn't even get a game in the worst England side in living memory.

ps: I wasn't comparing Stones with Lescott cause, unlike Joleon, Stones has conducted himself very professionally.

I know he is a moaning twat but most of these pros are. I'm from Ireland and there was a game of hurling here at the weekend between Kilkenny and Waterford. These guys are amateurs, they get expenses for travel, train 4-5 nights a week after their job. Did anyone watch it? They tore strips off each other for 75 minutes, never gave the opponent an inch, fought for their jersey.

If I was Koeman, I'd bring the whole fucking panel across, sit them on the sideline and tell them this is the intensity I want. Half them would literally shit themselves!!!

I'm more of a Gaelic Football man myself but I do have an appreciation of hurling. That match was one of the greatest advertisements of the game you'll ever see.

To bring it back to Everton, it certainly sounds like a fantastic idea for Koeman to show it to the lads but these modern football plonkers are so far gone from reality, I fear it would have little effect.

Also, I don't get all this 'sell to buy' stuff. Of course we're not going to buy defenders until the Stones deal was finished. Why would we? If it had fallen through for any reason we'd have players we don't need. By all means revisit this on Sep 1st when the window has slammed shut, but until then it's a bit premature!

Football is awash with money right now, but it doesn't mean that clubs should go out and just waste it. I actually think that Stones has made a mistake in signing for City, but only time will tell.

What's your explanation around no acquisitions for a forward, left midfielder, goalkeeper?

All positions that many of us agreed needed strengthening in the close season. In May I thought that we'd be in a different position than where we are now.

And why wasn't Stones sold weeks ago as it was so obvious he was leaving? And then selling 4 days before kick off? Are you freaking kidding me? Playing him in friendlies when we should have had his replacement(s) bedding in?

What the hell is going on???

Good luck for John Stones at his new club, except against us. Every player has his price though. Welcome Ashley Williams on a 4-year-deal!

A proper side developing hopefully, pressure on people for places and next up – centre forward...

Both our arguments are based on conjecture, yours is that the new regime will mirror the past one. You have no more concrete proof that we have not been making bids for players than I do that we have. I am prepared to admit that you may well be proven right. You are clearly not.

That's my point I suppose; let's see who is right before we start throwing stones (get it?! aw, nevermind).

Didn't turn out so well for Lescott did it, or Rodwell. Sterling would have been better off staying at the other side.

With the continent laughing at the silly money being paid in the Premier League, England's inept performances reflecting the over-rated nature of our own. If we get Williams, great business. We need a good defender right now unfortunately, not 'one for the future'.

We kept stones last year, but he's never seemed as happy since then in our blue shirt, and once he never signed a new contract, it was obvious he was going to leave.

Nothing to dislike about Stones, he never went crying to the press, even if he did start crying in the service station! But actions speak louder than words, and his demeanour just hasn't been right for a long time.

I wish him luck, and hope he fulfills his massive potential, but the first two goals we conceded at Anfield last season, showed me this kid has still got a hell of a lot to learn.

Especially the bit about defensive desire, because the way he never tried to get back into the middle to protect Baines, when Sacko scored that night, did start to make me question his bravery.

Won the Premier League twice, FA Cup and League Cup, paid £90,000 a week by City, worth around £14 million and has his own clothing line.

What an absolute failure.

If it's mid table, then I think I'd rather buy for the future.

Now, I've had enough and I agree entirely with James (#161). Koeman has been in post two months, Walsh the best part of a month. As countless others have said, an established No 1 keeper, cover at right back, a left-sided midfielder and another option up front were (and still are) the bare minimum requirements of this transfer window, independent of any sales.

Koeman must surely have been aware of these acute squad deficiencies from his interview process and just general knowledge of Premier League squads! I mean, other footy fans I talk to have a good idea where Everton are lacking in terms of players, as do I for plenty other Premier League clubs. The 'assessing what we have' delay made sense for a few weeks, no longer. The season is almost upon us for goodness's' sake!

I agree with Sam Hoare that of course the transfer window should close before the season begins. The fact it doesn't, however, is no excuse to wait until we've already played a handful of premier league games to complete the squad.

I understand that, in the past, we had no option. Near bankruptcy followed by years of more sensible financial management dictated a sell-to-buy policy, fine.

Now, we have a billionaire shareholder, more Sky TV money than we know what to do with, yet still we sit here on 9 August, with kick off in four days, with a net summer spend on transfers of approximately £-39m. This despite gaping, obvious holes in the squad and money to spend.

The delays in Everton doing anything infuriate me. Gueye was a certainty, yet it took a whole working week to tie up. The initial Williams offer was rejected last Tuesday 2 August. If we had 㾶m to bid for him then, we could have upped our offer to 㾸m on Wednesday 3rd couldn't we...?! Why have we waited until Tuesday 9th and confirmation of the sale of Stones?? Even now, having had that bid accepted, the signing of Williams is not sealed of course. Stones, on the other hand, has somehow negotiated terms, had a medical and signed on the dotted line as a Man City player totally under the radar, quickly and with ruthless efficiency.

It's driving me mad and, quite honestly, even if we sign 4 or 5 more players between now and 31 August will not fully make up for my frustration, whoever the new arrivals may be. New players were required before August, so they could be integrated into the club and Koeman's desired way of playing.

As it stands, with the squad largely unchanged and still, in its almost total majority, trying to unlearn the Martinez 'philosophy', I can only see a slow start and frustrating amounts of points dropped whilst we bed in whatever new players we do acquire.

Not good enough.

So where is the investment? Is it all going to a new stadium? We could have done the business that is proposed without a new owner.

Just wondering.

Time will tell of course but I think City have paid over the odds for Stones. I don't know what other clubs now think of Barkley, but I would try to off load him before his qudos falls further.

I think he's been lucky we turned last year's written request down and he is now going to work with a manager who you would think he is perfectly suited to. Chelsea didn't make anywhere near as much sense as this move.

So good luck to him. But now he's gone, and it's all about the current and incoming Everton players.

You cant build on sand and it was obvious Stones's heart was not at GP anymore so let him go and get someone in who can hold the defence together for a few years and show a bit of leadership and grit to the rest of the team.

We may have had talent with potential and did get 5th over 2 years ago and should really have got 4th but Jags, Barry and Baines are more than 2 years older now, Osman and Howard are gone and other clubs have strengthened in the meantime.

We need a major restructure and Koeman is the man.

It beggars belief that the overwhelming and insurmountable evidence that's been there for all to see over the years and being replicated in this close season is being simply discarded as negative and premature. Season starts August 13 not August 31.

I know we maybe expected so much more from the new ownership and the 'promise' of a war chest, but just who promised it? It's all been paper talk, nothing from the Club.

Grow the team and the business in parallel but sustainably.

㾸M for a much better defender and 㿏M better off, before we pay Barnsley that is. Happy days!

I'm not sure what's more depressing, the loss of stones or how pleased fans are that we can go back to hoofball.

Don't see much evidence of a project from our new stewards. Even if we do get signings in now, it's too little too late. And playing Stones defies belief.

Obviously in these days of spin and counter spin, many things can be leaked to the press to help create a particular climate and many of us, because we read and hear things so often are prone to believe them as facts. Similarly with the stadium, nobody from the club has made any sort of significant statement in 2016, but many of us are reliant on cryptic tweets from an elected politician to feed us 'positive' information which may or may not hold water.

Some of our overpaid prima donnas would soil themselves if they had watched that cats Waterford game..

I love my football, but there's no comparison.

We are getting to beef up a woeful defence and put funds towards other areas of the team.

Come on, Koeman.

47.5 m is crazy money for Stones and he wanted to go. Enough complaining from the faithful-- this transfer policy makes good sense for the first team for Saturday AND for the club still in formation.

Nothing's going to change unless we make some kind of statement, with the most visible option being a marquee type signing.

Selling a player for 㿞 million and bringing in a 32-year-old, (that's assuming he passes a medical), doesn't do that. The moment has passed, any player coming through the door now will have been from proceeds raised, not seen as an ambitious proactive move by the club.

As you were Everton, as you were

I don't get the "good business" argument. I don't get the "he wanted to leave" argument, why wasn't this lad signed up as the totem of our great club? Almost as bad a day as the Alan Ball transfer and the Rooney exit.

To add insult to injury, we find out from Manchester City's UEFA Squad announcement and the Official Club Website responds by spinning it as a "club record transfer".

Too many ToffeeWebbers have been brought up on FIFA on the Xbox or Playstation where you can change your team with the click of a mouse. I want success on the pitch with the best players in an Everton shirt. Everton are a feeder club for the top four. I will be singing, "Money can't buy me Stones" from the Main Stand on Saturday.

I don't think we have to sell to buy financially, rather to see who we have left will dictate who we need to buy, rather than strengthen one area for us to be hit by a sucker punch having blown our wad already.

Koeman seems to be more of a calm, methodical man that the flashy Spaniard who preceded him.

It's a team game, not a collection of individuals with "potential" and, far from being our "best" player, Stones was amongst our worst players last season which is why he was dropped for a while.

I think he showed a lot of promise 2 years ago but, even with all of the skill in the world, lost his sense of awareness at what was going on around him.

Anyone that doesn't want to play for the club and supporters is best let go.

His game has not improved one jot in three seasons. He has in fact actually regressed. Whilst he can bring the ball out of the defence, he is not actually a very good defender and is always liable to create a chance for the opposition or be out-jumped from set pieces.

His potential is taking a long time to bloom and getting rid for big money and signing defenders who can actually defend may win us a few more points over the course of a season.

The fact is, anything less that what we got would have been a steal considering current prices. Stones in 2/3 years will likely be one of the best defenders in the world. Yes, it is a ridiculous fee they all are. But as a fan I don't see money, but I do see players. And we've lost a heck of a player.

In 2/3 years Williams will be 35, Kone 30! and neither of them will be amongst the best.

All players are replaceable, however the names quoted to replace Stones only inspire 'yeah, decent players... good solid defenders' remarks. Leicester were an anomaly, so people need to stop banging on like we 'can do a Leicester', ie, Average team go on great form for 38 games and win the league.

But none of these players quoted are top class defender that will take us to the champions league or further.

Stones represented a player of the highest quality, albeit poorly managed in the last 2 seasons.

Those saying 'he wasn't even picked for England as testament to his lack of quality forget Everton players never get picked for England. England is a selected by popularity contests between the Sky clubs. But if you think either Smalling or Cahill are better. ...tuttut is all I can say.

This is one of the reasons I hate fucking modern football.

Fans talk more about fucking money, as if it was their own, than about players and therefore losing a hugely regarded defender and replacing with decent defenders is met with smiles.

For once I'd like to see good young players fucking develop at a club without being either written off after every poor performance or sold off after every good one.

Having money doesn't mean you throw it around. It's about knowing what you've got to spend and allocating it accordingly. Martinez blew a summer budget on Lukaku, leaving us with small change for Besic. We couldn't strengthen the team like we needed to.

I don't know how all the negotiations are going – and that includes potentially persuading players to stay – so I can't comment on our effectiveness. What's clear is that Koeman wanted to look at the players himself, then start with the spine of the team; a welcome change from buying 'nice' peripheral players.

Small steps in the right direction for me.

He's short-term... maybe 3 seasons of defending and leading on the pitch, perfect to build from and bring on the younger players. I'll bet, if he signs, he will be the captain start of next season at the latest

He's a fantastic defender and a fantastic footballer.

What are you going to do with the £10 mill profit Tim?

Selling Stones and replacing him with mid-table dross is proof that Everton will never contend at the top. We want to out play Man City surely, not give them our top talents.

Selling top quality players who can perform for a minimum of 10 years and buying good performers for maximum of 2 years... Great deal!! NOT!!!

Fecking shocking decision again by our club and what surprises me is the majority of supporters on this site seem to agree with it! Laughable...

No-one seems doubts his skill on here, his concentration and awareness are suspect. I doubt he wants to stay, he's seem the dollar signs and bright lights of fairyland and want to flutter away. Good luck to him, but just not against us.

We got a good price for him, yes we lost a potential world class player, but what happened the last time we lost our superstar? We qualified for the Champions League the season after Rooney departed.

In 2/3 seasons yes, Williams will retire, but he has three seasons to mentor Holgate, Pennington, Galloway, Browning etc and to influence Funes Mori.
Also the immediate impact on next season and for a fairly moderate layout.

Short term gain, long term influence. Good, shrewd and balanced business in my opinion.

If they're ever any good we'll ship them. That's what we are now, all we are. Sure it will look good to our accountants but not to me watching it.

We have lost one star player who doesn't want to be there, and (assuming the deals are done) gained 2 good ones. Simple matter of numbers there we gain. It also increases competition, which pushes player more to get into, and stay in the squad - IMHO part of Lukaku's problem is that he has no real competition to push him or threaten his place.

How much is your average lawnmower these days?

They've missed a trick clearly.

Oh, the most important thing is we support Everton FC — not John Stones FC. Stones has been sacrificed for the all-round benefits of Everton FC. Those who lament his move can always support Man City, there always seems to be empty seats there.

What's going to happen with Lukaku is a big head scratcher though.

Koeman will know who he wants, but getting them sign is the hard part.

Certainly, the Editors of ToffeeWeb were far more circumspect and no figures were attached to their announcement of the investor's arrival on 26th February 2016.

'PLAYING SIDE TO BE BOLSTERED BY MOSHIRI' was the welcoming headline and although there were references to the fact that the newcomer's money might well help to retain the services of the likes of Stones, Lukaku and Barkley, no figure was mentioned.

Ringing a couple of fellow lifelong Evertonians has brought forward several mentions of the 𧴜M being featured in the Daily Mirror although I can find no such piece on the internet editions of late February.

A quick call to 221b Baker Street seems to be in order!

Almost as bad as Alan Ball going? Really? The Alan Ball we bought was a already a World Cup winner and gave great service to us and was part of a midfield that won the league playing fantastic football. You are comparing potential in Stones with true class and a never say die attitude.

Sometimes you just have to make the best out of the situation. I'm aware that hope, positivity and optimism are rare traits to find in an Evertonian, but that is my outlook.

The decision is not mine, or yours to sell Stones. It's down to the Club to either keep a want-away player, or cash in. Yes, we lost a great player. Are Williams & Kone Mk2 as good? Technically, no. But many of the top defenders are not technically gifted defenders. They put it into Row Z, or away from danger, not fanny about doing fancy turns in his own six yard box, or get caught ball watching.

We can either cry and rant about it or go "OK, so what can we do?"

I'm more practical and prefer to see the latter. Fan anger or frustration won't bring him back to Goodison.

If Everton have left behind a period of relative austerity then they have entered one of audacity. One of ambition where bold and daring moves will be made in an aggressive pursuit of top four success. And because of that, this will also be a time of ruthless decision making.

Ronald Koeman's appointment as the Blues' new manager is a statement of that intent after they identified their No1 target, fixed their sights on him and doggedly refused to take no for an answer.

They have agreed to pay him ٤m-a-year and will hand the 53-year-old the keys to a 𧴜m transfer war chest but in an era where football is more of a business than ever, Farhad Moshiri will expect a return on his hefty investment ..

Koeman's Warchest

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ronald-koeman-comment-its-strictly-11472906

There was an earlier mention by the Mirror prior to Ronald's appointment which made mention of the mythical? 𧴜m war chest but whence it came nobody knows!

I don't think he will become a top class centre half. He reminds me of Luis (the Brazilian once of Chelsea) he looked great trotting out of the defence with the ball at his feet but he was often caught out to the detriment of his fellow defenders.

City under Guardiola may try to play possession football and he may bring more out of the young Stones. Time will tell, but I don't think it will work in the Premier League, just as it didn't work for Martinez.

We have done the right thing selling him, as he was willing to leave and probably distracted by events since Chelsea tried to get him. Incidentally, is it not sad that as a Man Utd fan, he ends up playing for their enemies. Football eh!

I don't wish him any harm in his career, but I do wish him a trophy-less one. But I am also relieved that we have got rid of a half-hearted Everton player.

I don't fancy being him when he comes back to Goodison!

One mercenary down... one to go!

Now were are looking to panic buy with the likes of Kone and Bolasie. Williams might be good business on a 2-year deal.

I'm really not sure how to react to such an idea.

Link

if for no other reason, Moyes needs to let Kone go to Everton for the good of the player's career.

Brilliant!

I've sought you out as an extremely bitter Sunderland fan who wishes to give you nothing but abuse, you absolute scum bastards!

I am kidding, of course... I have nothing but respect for EFC and your fantastic fans and I actually see many similarities between your great club and mine.

The reason I've popped up here is probably self-evident given who I support...

Lamine Koné. You can't possible know what you're signing, even in spite of his brace against you last season. If you get him at 㾾m you should dance through the streets of Merseyside. I promise you - not only is he a magnificent defender, he's a fantastic character and he will stay in touch with you guys every day via social media.

He's quick, he can pass, he's as strong as an ox and he'll score goals.

Cherish him. I'm heartbroken at my club for backing out of the deal he was promised. Koné is no mercenary — he wanted to stay but we let him down.

Good luck with him — you'll soon fall in love with him. Trust me.

Have a great season. You deserve it.

Link

Don't know why, but this is a signing, I really want Everton, to make, so I hope your link is wrong John, "and we can all go calling out around the world"!

I would welcome this acquisition with open arms.

I've only seen him play the once and whilst he looked powerful, pacy and carried an attacking threat, the fact it was against an Everton team who approached games with all the naïveté and fight of Buddy the fucking Elf means there's no way I would put much faith in it as a true measure of whether the fella's a worthy acquisition or not.

Ladies and gents I came across this..
An interesting little thing, if nothing but for the inside perspective on Gareth Barry.. 3mins 11secs in.

Are all our hopes of a Moshiri-inspired new dawn now going to come crashing down?

This all smacks of deja-vu of the most desperately disappointing kind.

Again...

Stones is a Man Utd fan and a Barnsley product. He's not a blue so why the vitriole? If he was unswervingly loyal he'd have stayed at Barnsley.

He came here, do a good job, never bad mouthed the club, now he's gone. It's a shame we as a club are too inept to keep good players but I have no ill will for him.

Why do you moan and groan and think you are more qualified to spend the club's money than Ronald Koeman? Sorry but I don't remember ever seeing your name on a Barcelona or Holland teamsheet, nor do I ever remember you managing a football club at any level - although you may have a Fantasy League side.

We have the best supporters in the world at Everton but also some of the biggest "bell ends" going. You people piss me right off.

Link

'Awaiting an offer of a new contract' is some way from actually signing one though.

In saying that, what Lee, says about Kone, I'm sure most of us felt the same way about Jelavic, after he had only been with Everton, for a few months?

It's fair to say we have struggled particularly at defending crosses and set plays in the last 18 months.