Reports: Lukaku close to Manchester United switch

Cheerio, Rom.

£75 mil seems about fair in today's market..

Wonder how long it is before he starts mouthing off about wanting to join Madrid?

Good riddance for me, but that's me. Maybe the odd game where he looked unbeatable was down to his lack of motivation of playing for "lil ol' Everton". Perhaps he will now perform every week for Man Utd, but I doubt it.

But at the same time like most others I am fed up with the continuing saga around him. £75 mil in today's market seems okay, although I hoped for a little more to be honest.

I feel this has the legs to run a bit more yet, a bidding war would not harm us.

Also I expect two more strikers to Everton, so its going to get very interesting

I'll get the ball rolling. I would be happy because we will have massively strengthened our squad; however, I would like to see us bring in an understudy to Baines and a top drawer winger.

Two or more in every position is needed with league and cup games combined. We don't have real competition for Baines, and with Bolasie still injured and Deulofeu gone, we only really have Mirallas and Lookman for the wide positions.

1) It looks like we have a serious bidder and he's going.

2) It'll be a minimum of £75m.

Great.

At least now Koeman will be able to select and layout his team the way he wants it to play instead of having to fit his plans around Lukaku. Should also help with the FFP.

Jose is getting tetchy with the Man Utd board so the pressure is on and there is no shortage of wealth there, I would love to see us stick to our guns for once. £100 million or don't bother to contact us. This is a proven goalscorer whatever about his personality failings and delusions of grandeur

Hold out. Chelsea will come in with a bid I am sure as keeping Costa is now unworkable for them. The transfer window has a long way to go make them sweat it a little, besides we are supposed to be competing with them next year so let's not roll over at the first offer?

We will seriously miss his goals though. As I've mentioned before, they will be almost impossible to replace.

Lukaku is also priceless. I wouldn't sell him for anything less than £120M to our direct competitor. What is this? Daylight robbery can hold my shades.

If he's going outside of the Premier League for that quoted price than its acceptable.

There's no-one with his pedigree and age left in the premier league. With our new Chinese consortium, we don't even need to sell.

5 years in England and he's not only been consistent, but been drastically improving.

£120mill or Lukaku's first touch will be at Finch Farm.

Of all the strikers from United, Martial is the one I'd like us to go for.

£75m would also seem a bit low in today's market. The only way we would agree that is if Rooney came for free the other way, and not just on loan.

Bring on the bidding war from Chelski.

Wouldn't mind it as an overdraft, what's the area code for China?

He could well be available but I doubt they will let Rashford go.

If you want the most powerful financial services group in China, it's (0)755

Still just smoke here, folks. No fire.

One of the teams we need to better to get to a Champions League position get a world class finisher on the cheap while we dispose of their deadwood and pay him twice as much in wages for the privilege.

One month's positivity and then this.

"Tell them it's a £100 million and not a penny less. Why won't people listen?"

James (#12) – I would rather have Barkley than Sigurdsson with Rooney & Giroud; Sig with those two would be minimal movement. Giroud and a left back and we've had a good window, get a winger too and it's a great one.

As a result Everton will save £13 Million over the next two years in wages, Man Utd will have him off of their books and the wage structure isn't violated.

If Wayne remained on £250,000 any player at the club
(i.e Barkley) or coming in (say Giroud) would almost certainly ask the same.

Moshiri is a clever man. Sell for £75 Million and save £13 Million on top comes to £88 Million. Not far off the £90 Million which was being quoted as a realistic sum for Lukaku.

This seems like a bloody good deal and clever strategy.

If it is add-ons and incentives it is not. We need to walk away with £75m to immediately replace him, otherwise we may as well keep the bloke.

Lukaku is also only the fourth player to score more than 80 goals in the Premier League before turning 24 (also Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Wayne Rooney).

He has also scored more goals than any other Everton player in Premier League history (68). Lukaku is one of only three players to have scored more than 10 goals in each of the last five Premier League seasons (alongside Giroud and Aguero)."

That's worth at least £75m to a club like Man Utd. On the other hand, take a look at that last statistic. I know Giroud has never been able to make the number nine spot his own at Arse, and I know he's 30, but his goalscoring record is excellent. Giroud and Sandro between them should be able to cover Lukaku's goals next season. I'd rather see us go to Arsenal than Man Utd for an 'old' striker.

This is all about inflating the price Chelsea must pay. United seem to be playing along with it, possibly as part of the deal for us taking Rooney off their hands.

Pickford, Klaassen, Sandro, Rooney, Keane, and hopefully Giroud and Sigurdsson in, Lukaku out, for £75 mill; that is what you call an unbelievably good transfer window, so far. Now sign Ross up!

My memories of his time at Everton will be leaving Goodison utterly downhearted after a ridiculous draw vs Leicester when he sprayed seven or eight sitters everywhere but the goal, each time standing with both hands to his jaw like the Home Alone kid.

I'll remember the annoyance I felt when he tried to pinch goals from Bolasie and Davies.

The taking penalties from Baines debacle.

Forgetting he was even on the pitch in derbies, cup semi final, games vs Chelsea, Utd...

The good memories are when he was wearing army green vs Southampton and gave that woman a hug and his shirt after his wayward shot in warmup hit her in her face...and a hat trick in the same game. And a couple of good solo goals where he jinked side to side and beat a few defenders, I seem to remember a good one vs Chelsea.

...but I've a happy memory of watching Stracqualursi do that too, so I guess on balance I'll remember Lukaku as...a slightly better Straq (but without the heart).

However, he has a friendship with another tall player with a penchant for American holidays. He plays for Man Utd, and they share the same agent, but the manager or Utd is the man who let Rom go, so there are a few questions still to be answered.

Could it transpire that in the light of Everton's transfer activity, that Lukaku is considering staying put? It would be a huge boost to the club, if he did.

Nonetheless, I am quite happy for us to pass him on to someone else, as long as we get in good money. For me, the reliance on playing one upfront limits the style of play, and in some matches Rom was marked out of the game, with two defenders nullifying his potency.

At Man Utd, Ibrahimovic showed how to hold the ball up, and bring others into the game. Romelu does not yet have that ability, and if he goes there, he can expect to be harshly treated if he performs, as he has done for us particularly in the season's run-in.

I think he will improve and in his late twenties, he will be a complete striker, but at the moment it looks like good business to cash-in now.

Presuming the money spent so far was not dependent on this transfer then £75-100m will buy us two good replacements who can be expected to contribute 15+ goals as well as fit into Koeman's system much better, and this would still leave us with the change to get in Sigurdsson. Giroud, Dembele & Sigurdsson plus Rooney in and nobody will be looking back. Perhaps another centre-back and cover for Baines and we'll have one hell of a squad.

Normally I wish players the best of luck when they leave, but as he's off to a rival I have to keep my fingers crossed that he'll do a Stones and flop.

"I'll remember Lukaku as... a slightly better Stracq (but without the heart)."

They're all out today.

As for Lukaku, boy oh boy, when them Mancs figure out besides the goals his overall game makes Fellaini, who they hate, look like Lionel Messi, he's going to be in for one rough ride. Its all going to end badly there, for him and Mourinho, imho.

I expect he will keep on improving but it will take time. With the likes of Mata providing the ammo he's bound to continue to score loads, I just feel he may not be quite what they think he is. To be fair a lot of them are questioning whether he's the real deal.

I guess only time will tell. I'm almost relieved it's over and we can get in a few who want to be here!

Lukaku with top players around him?? He won't be worse with them will he. He's 24 and improving. Koeman has it right though. It's nearly impossible to replace his goals with only one player.,, but spreading that out it can be better.

You're absolutely right! Plus his first touch is way, way better than Rom's. Wonder if the lad is even considered by Ronald & the board, though.

"Manchester United have agreed a fee of around £75m with Everton for striker Romelu Lukaku, senior club sources have told the BBC.

The 24-year-old Belgium international scored 25 Premier League goals last season.

United, who have been chasing Lukaku for most of the summer, will not now be pursuing their interest in Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata.

Everton sources say no deal or agreement has been reached."

The important paragraph is the last one, I'd say we all calm down and wait and see what happens, we would never accept the first bid, unless it met our asking price.

The article also states that this is in no way related to the Rooney business.

It's not boring this window is it? It's been busier than the last ten years put together.

I can't wat for this season to start.

Lukaku is worth £100 million easily, he made and scored most of his goals himself, upfront on his own with no Everton player (Barkley) ever within 50 yards of him!

Playing for a team like Man Utd or Chelsea with their creative players he will reach 30/40 Premier League goals this season easily.

Why did Everton not get more for him when players like Pogba cost over £80 million, unbelievably bad negotiating from Everton!

Its all encouraging signs we are serious, and hopefully Everton can play United off against Chelsea.

You would think with Everton preyed upon and players unsettled by Chelsea in the past perhaps the hierarchy are more amenable to selling to United?

Its feels United are in pole position with the Rooney deal still unfinished.

As for Rom, people say they'll miss his goals?! How? People, fans in this case make emotional connections with players not their goals. Its character people remember, not their stats I would say.

My immediate reaction is ambivalence and that tells me everything I feel about the player.

It will be interesting to see his development but I won't be surprised to see him back on loan at Everton in 18months

I'm really looking forward to seeing a new look team without Lukaku. Just glad I will never see him in a blue shirt again, hope you flop big time at your next club.

Fake or not, I am just happy that there is some media activity on this topic for a change. Hopefully, it has the desired effect.

1) great that it's being done early doors, rather than the last week before deadline day.

2) great he's going - can we replace him with some players who want to put their all on the line for the blue shirt and realise how lucky they are to be playing for Everton (e.g. Sandro's 1st interview)

3) is the knowledge of this sale covering the other purchases? Will the Lukaku money be the new Arteta money and never get spent?

Most entertaining transfer window ever!

Based on how we lined up towards the end of last season, this is how I think we will line up as we are now. Of course, Lukaku won't be here much longer. So we need to replace him. Giroud is mooted. I can't see Rooney playing as a number 9, and Sandro can't be expected to lead the line in his first season, and he appears better to me on the left of a front three. I would expect him to vie with Mirallas, Lookman and Calvert-Lewin for that spot.

On the right we will have Barkley and / or Sigurdsson, and this is where I would expect Rooney to line up. To the left of the striker, we would have pace, to the right would be the guy coming inside looking to slip the other two from the front line in. If we sign Sigurdsson and Rooney, I cannot foresee another right sided forward. Klaassen can also play here.

In midfield, I would expect Klaassen to take Davies' place, and to operate slightly ahead of Schneiderlin and Gueye (with Davies competing with those two for a place), but behind the front three. Sigurdsson cannot operate here. Barkley struggles here.

So, I would like to see two central strikers signed, to compete with each other. one of whom should be a top striker, with my preference for Dolberg. The other could Giroud, but I would like see Calvert-Lewin given some more game time centrally.

I was wrong. He was a lazy petulant player with a minimal range of skills, a terrible attitude and no capacity to change games. If the team was playing well, his physicality and scoring skill resulted in goals. If the game was seriously contested or Everton were on the back foot, he was absent.

His display in the semi final was the most incompetent display I have ever seen by a striker and persuaded me that he was only worth fobbing off on any club stupid enough to pay a large pile of money. Man Utd have bought a disruptive donkey.

Could of done without the interviews on international duty about moving on, but all in all good luck to him.

Would like more money for him, but that is down to the club to sort out

This is more than Rooney has, or ever will give Everton, but yet people are welcoming him back and criticising Rom??!!

Stay out of the sun.,"Lukaku .a slightly better Straq (but without the heart)."
Stay out of the sun.,,,1,17:12:21,,51.179.168.178,ok,11143,07/06/2017 17:12:21,Glavesy1,reader,, 827281,35140,toffeeweb,06/07/2017,Steavey Buckley,events_1998@yahoo.com,"If the reports are true, and Lukaku has been sold to Man Utd for £75 million, Everton have sold more players in value than they have bought.

Cleverley, £8 million; McGeady, £4.5 million; Deulofeu, £11 million and Lukaku £75 million adds up to £98.5 millions in sales. The other loans deals would add up to £100 million.

So, Everton need to splash more cash on a left and right backs, centre-forward and another winger to show Everton fans they are serious about breaking into the top 4.

Cleverley, £8 million; McGeady, £4.5 million; Deulofeu, £11 million and Lukaku £75 million adds up to £98.5 millions in sales. The other loans deals would add up to £100 million.

So, Everton need to splash more cash on a left and right backs, centre-forward and another winger to show Everton fans they are serious about breaking into the top 4.

Josie doesn't play the way RL needs.

He'd be better off at Chelsea.

Given the signings thus far and projected, he'd be better of staying than going to OT.

i don't know what wages Cleverly was on but if he was on £40k per week and had three years left, then we would owe him £6 million.

Lukaku has not been daft enough to ask to leave. just turned down a new contract.

Ridiculous posts would claim one week that he only celebrated his own goals and not his teammates, which were immediately disproved by readily available video and images of him jumping on teammates backs in celebration at their goals. Then the claim switched to him not celebrating his own goals, asserting he wasn't happy to be here. Again, readily disproven. Just endless BS.

What he is is a very talented striker who was the best we've had in over 20 years. He was a player who improved with us every season. He is a player years away from his prime who will now be going to another club that will compete for trophies every single season, with top quality at every position and in reserve.

His talents will be missed and he will improve. He did very well for us at a time where we struggled to attract any top quality players. He has only ever spoken of his ambition to compete at the top and continue to challenge himself and improve himself. That's not a bad attitude. It's the attitude that a person must have in order to be great at what they do. That's the type of person we need to be filling this club with. Because make no mistake, as you're celebrating Sandro joining us, that's exactly the type of player he is.

It's a shame that this type of investment wasn't made last season as we could have seen a real challenge from Everton with Lukaku leading the line. Instead, when he is sold we will be left with exactly one senior striker in the team who has never played a single minute in England. Might be a good idea to keep the saying "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush" in mind. In Lukaku we had a striker who eclipsed 20 goals and was improving every season. We have no idea what we have in the bush.

Smells like bad attitude to me. I'd argue and give examples of more but can't really be arsed.
,"Being at Everton next season is not an option." Said while under contract and said with two years left on that contract.
Smells like bad attitude to me.
I'd argue and give examples of more but can't really be arsed.
,,,1,17:32:07,,86.163.101.5,ok,856,07/06/2017 17:32:07,Brizey,reader,, 827293,35140,toffeeweb,06/07/2017,Mike Gaynes,mikegaynes@aol.com,"Brian, you're never gonna stop repeating that quote, are you?

Fwiw, £75m was the fee Barca paid for Ratboy 3 years ago. Even accounting for price inflation I cannot see how we haven't diddled United here even if we don't get more than this, Lukaku for all his goals is nowhere near the footballer that Suarez was then, or is now.

This window has been a complete 180 on our usual transfer dealings and I am loving every minute of it. Roll on July 27th.

That must have just ripped your heart out when he said that, right? And I'm sure that you would never have dared to display such a bad attitude by calling for a player under contract to be sold. I mean, that contract is sacred and we must demand and express total loyalty, right?

We could have any hypocrisy in saying a player who is good must honor their contract while we demand underperforming players to be shipped out. They're under contract after all, with Everton, a family.

He is simply one of the current brand of young european strikers who move around the games top clubs. If someone had said he would be around the club for four years and finish top scorer each season, most people would have accepted that.

I've never seen him throw a 'strop' during his time here, despite playing in a 'brain dead' team very often under the deluded idiot that was Martinez.

Anyone who thinks he played 'for himself' and didn't celebrate his goals, need to cast their minds back a few years to the brilliant individual goal against Chelsea when he turned their defence inside out before slotting in the winner.

Did that look like a player 'not interested'?

Not arguing over anything else just whether I believe that was an example, and I believe it was. You and I have different opinions that's all.

Rom goals for Everton: 87
Stracq goals for Everton: 1

And no, Stracq's goal wasn't a "solo effort"... it was a Donovan setup and was shot straight at Cech, who muffed it.

At least find another quote for godsakes... you've worn that one out.

Bottom line? doesn't want to be at Everton. And he hasn't been shy in telling us for the last couple of years.

Everton have since denied a deal since the above post, so it could be premature although Joyce seems pretty reliable. £75m doesn't seem enough for a proven premier goal scorer, when you think Torres went for £50m plus years ago - and Pogba went for more…

I would be wanting £90m minimum, and would be wanting a better goal threat than Rooney. I'd see Rooney as an alternative to Sigurdsson. Sigurdsson, Rooney, Giroud doesn't have much pace….

Yeh just read that myself. Makes you wonder why the club is still denying the deal doesn't it?

I'm getting Walter Smith flashbacks when we signed world beaters like Ginola and Gazza.

He may well be one of these modern footballers plying their trade at top European clubs, but that is no excuse for a lack of effort towards the end of both of the last 2 seasons.

He could become a superb striker, however, he still has much to learn, and I would have been happy to watch him improve in an Everton jersey.

It is very annoying though, that he has made regular comments which make our club look small in the eyes of all and sundry. As an employee on excellent wages he should have had more respect to the club and kept his ambitions private.

His attitude and ego could be his eventual undoing. He said he could learn nothing from Harry Kane. Who won the golden boot?

Personally I am glad to see the back of the big loudmouth and look forward to the money being spent on the likes of Modeste, Dembele, Dzecko, Giroud or even Vardy,

For me he only showed up when he could bully the center backs and went missing when he came up against quality and as the quality of CBs is improving in the Premier League suspect he will not be as effective as he has been.

For those comparing it to the loss of Rooney remember we qualified for the Champions League the year after Rooney left.

The game is more about team effort and cohesion than one egotistic superstar.

Do I really need to show the stats of goals against the top 6 from last season again? Lukaku did far better than most.

I've no problem with losing Lukaku, he doesn't really suit the team Koeman is building, but he's still an excellent player and Man Utd are going to be vastly improved by him.

.

We need to be looking forward not backwards and stop behaving like we are a 'little club' and tell Man Utd to fuck off.

Maybe Jose can send him on a course to learn the offside law? Might take him a while to get it, though. Like, forever.Probably too late for him to learn how to trap a ball, though, at least not without it bouncing off him like he's a garage door or a concrete wall.

I hate him for thinking that he's bigger than the club when he can't even trap a ball 95% of the time!.

Goodbye, Rom, and bad luck. And I mean that most sincerely. Ta ta. Go and show yourself up for the second-rater you actually are.

And, relax...

We are about to make a £47 million profit on a decent goalscorer who is a very average footballer and who has made it plainly obvious that he doesn't want to be at Everton yet some on here are complaining that it's not enough?

As for Utd, if anyone thinks a trio of Pogba, Fellaini and Lukaku is going to take them to the promised land of League and Champions League titles, now that's someone who is really deluded!

Just had a look at that News Now site (well, the Everton bit).

It's just this mad stream of..um..mad..er..mad stuff.

Like the site can’t keep up with the amount of loon speculation and rumour.

It’s as if rumours are meeting other rumours, getting married and having big fat kid rumours.

"Robles turns down Lukaku’s bed.

United could lose out on being spared blushes or something.

Wayne Rooney hitches up his bills

Spurs identify Barkley as being Barkley.

Lukaku keen on things he’s keen on."

Then in the middle of all this, there’ll be a story that throws you - something that's fuck-all to do with transfers.

"Andy Rankin said the nickname ‘Uptown Top’ got on his nerves."

Then it’s right back into the lunacy..

"Chelsea manager says he's reluctant to overpay for Lukaku..but adds ‘fuck it, pay 200m for him..no 300m!'"

I try to take a bit of a break from the madness in the summer and Jesus, this IS madness.

Chelsea played 2 scored 0
Spurs played 2 scored 1
Man City played 2 scored 1
Liverpool played 2 scored 0
Arsenal played 2 scored 1

So, 3 goals in 10 games and only one of them in a winning game.

Replace Lukaku with some absolute quality like a Morata or Aubameyang.

They do not 'hate' Fellaini Mr Rowlands. Far from it. He was high in their polls for player of the season.

After a lot of moaning, not least with the Moyes connection, many Man Utd fans – I won't use the blanket 'Mancs' you prefer to use – have swung behind Fella. For a good number of them, he is a little cult – that's 'cult', Mr Rowlands.

Why make up bollocks about one player to yet again – yawn – bash Lukaku?

So that's your salvation.

Now onto the Blues. Some good signings I think. Ramirez £5.2 million and only 1 goal behind Morata in La Ligue so quite and astute buy.

Klaassen looks like a class act and can also chip in with goals, and looking at some of them he is a lucky bugger which also helps.

Henry Onyekuru was 2nd top goalscorer in the Belgium league and although he is going out on loan for a year or two he is deffo an exciting prospect for the future.

If Rooney comes, I do believe we will get a good year possibly two out of him and he will bring in goals doubtless about that.

I really would like to see Gironde at Goodison as I think he will bring a lot more control up front holding the ball. A skill we saw Rom really lacking in. I'm sure there will be a big signing which is yet to be announced or picked up on. So bring on the season and COYB

Mourinho must be completely shameless.

Lukaku must be masochistic.

They separated for good reason.

Just give us the money and watch as their relationship deteriorates once again.

I don't think you are allowed to play a town from the south of France in the Premier League yet!

First of all – have you bothered checking how the other supposedly top players did in the division against the top 5?

Next – Lukaku did not play in the first home game against Spurs. So he only played 9 games.

Next – Lukaku also scored at home against City in the Premier League – the first goal in that match.

So, your 3 in 10 is actually 4 in 9 – a pretty superb rate of goals against the top 5. In fact, I'd like you to tell me how many strikers bettered it? You might be surprised.

Another stat for you – Lukaku scored in 3 away games against the top 5. United scored 1 goal away to the top 5 all season.

The rubbish that gets thrown about in Lukaku discussions (not aimed at you Chris but some general comments) is bewildering - sometimes I think our fans don't watch other strikers. They are not all running around like Tevez, trapping the ball like Messi, and representing the loyalty of Tony Hibbert. If they were, they certainly wouldn't be playing for a team that finished 11th, 11th, and 7th in the Premier League in the past three seasons.

We will miss him – yes, we can make up goals elsewhere, but we could also score more goals from midfield and retain our highest scorer of the Premier League era. It's not Lukaku's fault that Mirallas, Calvert-Lewin, Barkley, Bolasie etc are inconsistent, and to be honest, a little average in the main.

A ridiculously overrated player who nearly every manager in the league knows how to nullify... a player who if a centre half is prepared to get stuck into nice and early will go into his shell.

£75m Absolutely mind boggling.

Yes he scored goals for us. He had a team set up for him to do that. He was indulged like no one I've ever seen indulged before.

I actually think koeman played a blinder by relentlessly bugging him up and boosting his stats by playing him when he should have been dropped.

This lad will go on to have a career like adabuyor. Full of self entitlement and underachievement.

I'll be happy enough if the final fee rises to £90m with add-ons and United give Rooney a payoff so we're not footing all his wages. But... if it's a flat fee of £75m, I think we'd have sold ourselves short.

I'm sure everything will be revealed by the weekend.

I just don't like the 'I'm doing you a big favour being here' attitude!

I'd happily take 75m plus Rooney for him and spend the money on Dembele and Sigursdson.

However, if Everton announced that Lukaku is going nowhere, then I'd probably start feeling a bit excited. Even more if, in addition, Barkley signed a new contract. In contrast, if Lukaku is sold, then at this stage I can't help thinking of the recent developments (however encouraging they are) as close-season retail therapy.

Lukaku can go. He wants to go. We've acquired some exciting new players that will hopefully make the team stronger. Lukaku thinks he is destined to be leading the line in a team that is challenging for the Premier League title and Champions League trophy.

He lived a very charmed existence at Everton where there was literally no serious challenge for his starting berth. I think – wherever he ends up – he might well end up spending more time on the bench than he imagines, especially if his performances do not merit his transfer fee.

Someone who was able to see through the lads goal stats and understand how he impacts the team from a possession and team unit perspective gets my respect.

To the untrained, easy to impress eye he looks an impressive player. To anyone who understands the importance of being able to control a ball and pass it accurately... or to be able make runs that aren't just involving running in a straight line pointing 15 yards ahead, he appears what he is a very limited footballer!

As for those saying we can't replace him it's not about replacing him, it's about upgrading the team; we are clearly doing that so far in this window.

Yes, he doesn't seem to have the passion for the club that a Big Dunc had/has, and yes he says some silly things sometimes but he doesn't deserve the vitriol spouted against him. As many have said he has gone missing in many high profile games and seems to score mostly against 'inferior' opposition; I would love to see the stats of who he scored his goals against/how many points those goals were actually worse.

Give or take we will make £50-odd million profit for him, he has scored a good amount of goals for us (quite a few of them in that horrific Bobby browns shoes teams). He wants to play at the top level in the Champions League and good luck to him. Hope to god we will be there soon but who knows, so let him go with thanks but of course get every single penny you can for him.

Can't help but think that Walsh and Koeman have something lined up to surprise us based on the positive moves made so far...they have known for a few months he wants to Foxtrot Oscar, and the business so far has been very impressive (still in shock and pinching myself at it all so far!!)

So good luck Rom, thanks for the goals; looking forward to beating whoever you play for next season!

Before people go on about 'who will score the goals now?', his replacement is the answer. Whoever that may be.

Guy wanted to leave, has done for at least a season. He bagged loads of goals for us, so thanks for that, but time to part ways. He didn't owe us anything and vice versa.

Just really glad this hasn't turned into some long drawn out summer saga – hopefully it'll be over the line by the weekend and we can finally stop talking about whether Lukaku is leaving or not. £75m to go back in the pot to help cover the cost of the other 4-5 signings. Keerrrching!!!

Hopefully we can sign another striker (not Rooney), creative mid, fullback and sort out the Barkley issue and we're all set.

(Forgot, need to offload Niasse at some point! Guess that'll be another loan as I can't see anyone offering £10+ for him.)

I'm not too keen on the idea of BOTH Rooney and Giroud coming in to replace Lukaku as they're the wrong side of 30. One of them – fine (preferably Giroud).

I can't help feeling very envious of Leicester, who are on the brink of signing Iheanacho for £25 million. I think he would've been an excellent addition to our squad.

"To the untrained, easy to impress eye he looks an impressive player."

Mourinho paying £75m of your English pounds with his untrained eye.

Don't worry – it will all be over soon.

As long as no one replaces his first touch, hold up play, heading fresh air, moaning, offsides, laziness, then I'm pretty sure the team unit is going to look far more slicker, robust and cohesive.

Remember the seasons either side of Lineker???

Unfortunately we need some continuity and not change most of the starting 11 to show early success. Good job we got a few in early though so fingers crossed we hit the ground running for a change! I hope we refuse the offer but doubt it. We can't sell at the last minute and bring in a late arrival. So I think this deal will be done soon.

Beauts.

I don't know why you would agree to sell him for the reported £79 million with add-ons.

We're not in any massive hurry so we can afford to hold out and let Chelsea/others pitch in now the first bidder has shown their hand.

That said I'd prefer to get this done sooner than later if it's a cog holding up other transfer wheels. I'm totally up for getting Giroud in (alongside Sandro) and think Rooney on a fee or loan for 1 year could be worth a punt – but think we'll still need one more striker even if we get both of these and/or Siggy.

Someone who's got a record of scoring goals for fun like Dembele seems a sensible punt.

Still, get your point but I'd rather have a team of decent players who need time to gel than an average team who've played together for donkeys years.

All the signings also taken care of before pre-season so they'll have a whole pre-season and a couple of light Europa League qualifiers to get ready for the first league game.

(Trying to keep the glass half-full... until Rooney necks it.)

"lack of respect or courtesy."
Usually used by some half wit, smacked out, swaggering, knife wielding gobshite who insists on showing the world where he got his skiddies from ( Calvin Klein..or M+S in my case) before he screams off on a trail bike he "found" in Great Howard Street, the only helmet on view being him, with his snide North Face or Canada Goose jacket flapping in the wind behind him while the toothless Police look on from the comparative safety of their BMW 4x4 suv's.

Also used by overpaid footballers who have completely lost all touch with reality and think it's a good look to turn up for your first training session aged 21 in a £250,000 Bentley, and not on the 62c from Speke with the rest of us, but still feel ."disrespected" .

Dispespect...yet another word to join the over played "Human Rights", " Felt contact" and other feckin words/phrases that piss me off to the nth degree .

and...breath...
Nurse: "There Mr Roche, is that better now!?

£60 Million plus Martial would be perfect. Bring in Dembele and could you imagine the perfect storm of Santos, Martial and Dembele leading the line in a 4-3-3?

Yes, the very same Mourinho who sold De Bruyne and Matic for a song

He also bought Pogba for daft money...
Along with Coentrauo, Cuadrado

Yeah... him.

It might even be the same Mourinho who has been domestic manager of the year in 4 different countries, UEFA coach of the year and World coach of the year.

But hey what the fuck would he know?

He had the lowest average distance covered of any striker in the Prem.

He was in the bottom 6 for sprints.

He made 0 interventions - not a great stat in a pressing team.

Against the top 6:

11 games
4 goals (1 a pen)
0 assists.

For goalscoring alone, I would hold out for £85-90 million. But my gut feeling is to fleece the Mancs (or Chelsea) for this lazy sod, and then bring in Rooney plus a top mobile striker to replace him.

If we can get in a Vardy, an Aguero or a Dembele to replace Rom, supported by the likes of Rooney, Klaassen and Ramirez, we won't miss Rom. Dare I say he might even end up on the bench wherever he ends up? In which case, I'd love to see a flag saying re-signing Rom is 'not an option'. Please God!

Throughout his time Sir Alex build a team around his philosophy and not around any individuals. The moving bus principle.

Moyes copied that and got relative success especially after selling Rooney. This was destroyed by Martinez who built a team around the spoilt brat.

He build a team around the get the ball to Romelu mentality which provided Romelu with goals galore at the detriment of a very good team.

Now that Koeman has once again instilled an Alex Ferguson philosophy I think that we will do fine.

This however does not bode well for Romelu who could be off to United. A team that had one of the greatest craftsmen the game has ever seen leading the front line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM_5tJncHww

So impressive and sublime was Ibrahimovic that Martial and Rashford were relegated to the wing or the bench whilst Rooney was placed as an attacking midfielder.

How sublime is Lukaku? Does he really think the team is build around his style of play?

As Moyes found out Manchester United is a very different, relentless and unforgiving beast unlike Everton.

Under the same pressure Lukaku failed to score for Chelsea in 10 games.

Mourinho has little patience with failure. As we (three years ago) already know.

2014-15 played all 12 games against them managed 1 goal
2013-14 played all 12 games against them managed zero goals
Total for last 3 seasons 33 games 5 goals

Compare this to:
Olivier Giroud Against 'big 6' with us instead of Arsenal
2016-17 10 games 2 goals
2015-16 12 games 5 goals
2014-15 9 games 6 goals
Total 31 games 13 goals

Or Harry Kane
2016-17 11 games 5 goals
2015-16 12 games 6 goals
2014-15 10 games 6 goals
Total 33 games 17 goals

Not so impressive now is it?

We've got some new players too, so we just move on. We're the Evertonians not them.

The important thing is to spend the money wisely and replace him with 2 out and out goalscorers. My pick would be to buy 2 from 3 of the following players all young and hungry to prove a point: Dembele from Celtic for £30M; Kelechi Iheanacho from Man city for £17M and Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi for £40M.

If we get at least £75M for Lukaku and I expect Everton go get more once the bidding starts this would give us potentially a stronger squad.

I am 47 years old now so remember the 80s with great memories like all blues who had the satisfaction of seeing that team who had a lot of young kids with potential: Steven, Sharp and Heath to name a few.

Buying Rooney would be the biggest mistake we make this year and would be a wasted opportunity. Remember, we have to replace a proven goalscorer and Rooney is not that man. COYB

I stand to be corrected but please note the alcohol caveat.

I'm very optimistic about Rooney coming in. 8 goals and 10 assists last season is still better than what Barkley managed. People are talking like he's gonna be like Ginola or Gazza...As if!!

I like Giroud and think he'd be a fantastic signing, but I do have some misgivings about Rooney and Giroud together. I think we need a No 9 with a bit more pace if Rooney's coming in. If it does happen I'm sure Koeman and Walsh have a plan on how to play them both in the same side.

"Staying at Everton is not really an option." When Tevez refused to play against Bayern he was vilified and ostracized.

I hope Niasse and Cleverley have wonderful careers. As for Lukaku I care as much about him as he cares about us.

Hope I'm wrong but it just goes on and on; fake news, folks – we are stuck with him.

Let's test your faith in your Fake News theory. £50 charity bet he's gone by the start of the season for £75m or more.

No doubt, after 4 years of "Hoof it up towards Rom."

Not likely, but I still hope the Club keeps him one more season. Would like to see how he does in an Everton side bolstered with attacking mid-fielders.

We paid £28m several years ago for the "lard-arse". In today's prices worth, say, upwards of £60m?? So somebody already has paid big money. And that was before he was putting away 25 goals in a season.

Next?

Ultimately it looks like he'll end up with a record of 166 games played in league and cup, 87 goals and 29 assists over 4 seasons (1 loan and 3 contracted) plus a c.£50M net profit on his transfer fee.

I know that he could sometimes be a flat-track bully and didn't hit the heights against the big guns, but the fact remains, being involved in 116 goals (i.e. averaging 22 scored and 29 involved in each season) is surely enough to secure a place in our history. Not loved certainly, but at least appreciated.

It's a great season for us to sell him in terms of strikers out there who we could get to replace him. I don't want Giroud, he doesn't move enough for me. It would be like replacing one statue with another statue if we get him to replace Rom. But I acknowledge that he would probably score goals.

In addition, I suspect we could have a crack at Vardy and Dembele. Personally, I'd go after Aguero. I could never have imagined writing that a few years ago. But we've laid down a marker so far, Aguero isn't first choice at Man City any more, why not?

There is life after Rom, let's just get £85-90 million for him first...

I do hope we can replace his 20+ bumbling toe-pokes he seems to score on a regular basis...

Lukaku
Stones
Lescott
Rooney
Rodwell
Fellaini
Jeffers

Arguably one only on that list was a qualified success and Fellaini perhaps...

If you are run-of-the=mill, not so great, your send off is generous:

Naismith
Beattie
Yakubu
Jelavic
Pienaar
Oviedo
Stracqualursi

To name a few. All clubs are no different: if you sleight your beau for an upgrade, then expect some shade coming your way.

£75 mill with £15 mill add ons and Rooney valued at £10 mill. Lukaku having medical in LA.

This is from Daily Express reporter Paul Brown's twitter feed 34 minutest ago.

His ego is the size of the average gas giant super-planet, and his shelf-life with any club is two years of bliss, followed by complete meltdown as he pisses-off everyone who doesn't give him what he wants. He will implode at Manchester United, as his side fail to make a Title challenge and exit the Champions League at an early stage.

If Romelu and Jose manage to squeeze their egos into the Man Utd dressing room, there will be no room for all the feckin' washbags and headphones could lead to a revolution!

The second half of your post is pure prediction.

But those claiming its Jose's idea to bring him to Old Trafford are stretching things a little. I can supply them with a few quotes if they want to know what he really thinks of Lukaku. One thing is certain: he will be dropped by Jose and dropped often.

I wasn't always a fan of the big fella, but he was the only one who got me out of my seat last season and his performance against Bournemouth was the only 10/10 I have seen in over half a century.

Oaf / Superstar The big fella has been both. but for those moments last season I can't help wishing him well – 'cept when he plays against us, of course.

That's classic! By my rough calculations and assuming £75m for Rom your list of 'bad' departures

Money in £225 million

Your list of 'good' departures

Money in £24 million

Normally before he pisses off, he wins a title or a European trophy or something like that. Fucking charlatan.

The younger generation have had Lukaku and that's where I think the majority of gutted to see him goes is divided with our younger generation of supporters.

Be an interesting poll if the stay or go camp was bracketed by age of posters.

Well I am in the older generation camp and in the glad to see the back off with a decent offer.

When you have seen the likes of Bob Latchford celebrating every goal, some almost jumping into the crowd, when you see a screamer from Sharp at the Anfield road end, or Andy Gray nose diving at Notts County and battering the Bayern. Munich defender, you know just how much Everton football club meant to them.

A never give up attitude, busting a gut and pride in wearing that Royal Blue jersey.

Rom has given goals, but We never got his love for the football club who put faith in him, for 4 seasons he made it clear he will not be staying at Everton, never once heard him say Everton and its supporters are fantastic, has made it clear he does not want to stay at Everton.

Would you want to keep a player who does not want to play for your club, cannot knock his ambition and good luck to the guy, but I will not miss the guy, take the money and bring in someone who can get goals, wants to play for the club and have belief that they can win trophies at Everton.

This is what makes a forum, divided opinions, some agree, other disagree, but we are all Evertonians and whether we agree or disagree, every poster has a right to give their view.

For comparison, the last seasons stats could be argued to have the most merit as Giroud will be playing for Koeman if he does join us. It's not really accurate is it?

The only question that matters to us is whether Giroud is still in his prime or already declining? Throwing Ibrahimovic into the debate at this point is also pointless because we just don't know whether Giroud will match his longevity.

That's why I think Giroud is a gamble and I would prefer someone both younger and quicker than him.

The post wasn't about money was it? You introduced that. As all players on that list benefited the club financially, which one don't, right?

But all those players were perceived to have engineered their move away and were not sent on their way with a backslapping hurrah, thanks for them memories, see around la from the majority of Evertonians were they?

Just citing human nature...

A very considered post apart from the fact I'm the 'older generation'.

Personally I'll always have greater affection to Tim Cahill or Leighton Baines or even for that matter Leon Osman over Romelu Lukaku. The OP alludes to that point of view.

What I struggle with is posters who want to tell me he is an average footballer. He has strengths and weaknesses but he's still top drawer as a footballer. If he remains in the Premier League for his career I think he will break Shearer's goal record and once he's in a top 4 side he'll score 30 a season.

Look at it from their point of view they have got rid of an unwanted finished player an replaced him with the second highest scorer from last season and shaved 25% from our asking price.

I agree, in most cases the players stated were sold for big fees on the back of good performances for us. (Rodwell excepted!)

Most fans would have wanted those players to stay until they indicated they wanted to leave the club. Therefore there is a sense of rejection or disloyalty which is why they become villains.

In reality the club has been unable to meet the ambitions of those players, either financially or in football terms. The good news is that it looks like it will happen less as our finances have improved. But it happens to nearly every club. Spurs lost Bale, RS lost Suarez, Man Utd lost Ronaldo

And it's being reported now he's apparently having a medical in America and not turned up for pre season training? Well if that's true, fine him 2 weeks wages and report United. Show this egotistical arse who the boss is.

Personally, I can't wait to see this guy, his ego, his attitude and his lazy arse leave. We'll be stronger for it overall.

I remember a certain Bob Latchford, Fred Pickering and Duncan Ferguson who did nothing except score goals. When they weren't they were doing nothing. In fact Ferguson when he didn't score was busy kicking and elbowing opponents but many idolized him.

Lukaku should only be defined by his best assets, scoring goals.

Mourinho sold us Schneiderlin... a class act. Mourinho got rid of Matic and De Bruyne.

Mourinho hates players losing the ball but is going to sign a player who gives it away more than most.

Somewhere along the lines, I'm lost. But thanks for the £75m...

Lukaku's behaviour might not be missed but his goals will I trust the replacement/replacements are lined up or more clubs will take us to the cleaners.

Giroud has said he will give us an answer in early August, let's tell his two suitors the same, and then let PSG trounce the both of them.

Everyone makes mistakes, it's impossible not to. Of course, successful managers make fewer than most. And Mourinho is arguably the most successful of all time, given the number of different teams he has been successful with. Five major teams in four different countries.

The point is that I'm tempted to take the opinion of a multi trophy winning manager over the rantings of you.

Call me misguided.

Mr "You haven't won anything for ages" (the irony) seemed to think Lukaku is what keeps us from the relegation zone. I don't agree. He's the one we can sell for the most granted and he scores a lot of goals.

But he changes the way we play, others are not passed back to, others lay it on for him instead of having a go themselves. The spread of goals across the team since Lukaku joined has narrowed.

I'm afraid I just cannot say a striker who gets to play week after week regardless of form (remember his criminally bad goal drought towards the end of 15-16) needs the ball to feet every time to have a chance on goal, who doesn't use his aerial advantages, has a woeful first touch is our best player.

He's the best player in his position but if you can't trust him to nursemaid the ball or to chase down defenders when the team needs it because he doesn't seem to have the composure nor the appetite – he's not our best player because he lacks certain technical abilities other players who have to run a lot more than him possess.

He struggles to get the ball out from under his feet or mis-steps a lot. That's why he needs so many chances. He's a wonderfully powerful player and when he is in full flow, there's few better. But he needs space, he needs a ball on the plate, he rarely shoots early like Kane and balletic he is not.

I cannot bear the histrionics, the disrespect for his team mates, the patronising shirt off and kiss to the Gwladys Street End when he scored a late and not crucial brace against the mighty Hull City in March. I can't wait to only think of Belgium's international breaks with a smile knowing that Roberto has probably got their top centre backs picking up some curious defensive tips, not waiting to hear another Lukaku wants to play in the Champions League quote.

And for those saying we didn't have a great striker between Rooney 2004 and Lukaku 2013, errr... Yakubu banged in a lot before his horrible injury, and Tim Cahill, anyone? Scored in double figures for best part of a decade, played the team game and worked his socks off. Now if we'd sold him after 4 years, I would have been very upset.

Since when have we had such a consistent goalscorer? Lineker for one season in 1986 whereas Lukaku has done it for 4 seasons.

In the expectation he is going I just don't want to see us ripped off in terms of the fee we get. I hope the hierarchy get as much as we can for him; and our management in turn can build a new team with a bit more of a spread of goals around the squad than happened last season especially.

We need goalscoring danger from more areas in the team than one player. Having said that, I'm encouraged by the business done so far this summer. Definitely need another striker of proven quality though be it Giroud, Vardy or whoever...

What would you want, Peter? How about we make a few mistakes in the transfer market (bound to do so) and win a few trophies? Will you call out Koeman for that? Only a lard-arse would do so.

I feel sorry for those who have had over 20 years of close calls, a rare Anfield Derby win, being Man Utd's bogey team unheard of.

I've been lucky, but for the younger generation, the wait could be over and I really hope we bring in a striker who can get the goals and see more guts and fight against the big clubs and give the younger generation and the older brigade some silverware.

I understand you need a big name striker with 20 plus goals to succeed but I would rather have goals from all over the pitch first. Because ,if the striker gets injured, suddenly you're struggling because you played towards him.

You mention Lineker but, as many have observed, we won nothing with him yet won a lot the seasons either side because the goals were shared out.

I know people knocked Moyes and strikers but our highest finishes were usually because the goals were being spread out across the likes of Cahill, Osman, Lescott et al. I won't get into the disaster that was Beattie...

We will need a striker who can score 15-20 goals full stop but not one that ultimately stands in the way of the team game.

And on that, didn't the 69-70 team spread the goals? I'm far too young but my Everton history VHS in 1989 made me think the likes of Husband and Morrissey were knocking them in as well as Ball and Royle... correct me if I am wrong, I always love knowing from the fans who were there!

I also heard from a certain arsenal fan, that £40m is closer to what Arsenal are looking for Giroud. If that's the case, and that's a big if, then I would say on your bike, Arsenal, and look for someone younger and better.

The media were likewise but then it's gone all quiet.

Thing is, we have all assumed this could mean the end of Ross but I wonder about Mirallas myself.

The noise I'm hearing in North London is £20 million...

Arsenal fans moan like mad about Giroud and he gets benched a lot so to charge us £40 million for a player of his age who isn't the main striker in a team only just above us in the league is ludicrous.

Can't see Walsh going for that one!

He's going, he wants to go, we're getting a lot of money.

Not for one second would I criticise his ability. He's excellent at what he does. I do think, though, that we'll be a better, more unpredictable team without him.

Exactly when and where he goes is no longer any concern to me, and I honestly have no opinion on whether he'll be a good signing for whichever club he goes to because I just don't care.

Although part of me wants him to sign for PSG for big money and not having to see him come back!

I know some people say Lineker changed the balance of the team too much, but it wasn't inconceivable that we could have been successful the following season if we kept him.

Personally, I think Gary Lineker gets too much stick because Everton isn't his out and out favourite club. I believe he did say it was the best team he ever played in.

I saw every game of the 85-86 and 86-87 seasons bar a handful.

The Lineker team was a far better team than the one that won the League the following season. It was a better footballing team, more exciting to watch but small margins meant it won nothing.

The following season we managed to win the League because the competition (the RS) was poorer.

Of course in the end the record books are important but I challenge anyone who watched those two seasons to say the better team was the one that won the League.

From my experience of supporting Everton; it's been a luxury having a striker like Lukaku for the last 4 years. Didn't get us a trophy though.

I did go on to say that I hoped our management would go on to create a team with more of a spread of goals amongst the team to avoid over reliance on one player.

I hope that Davy Klaassen for example can deliver in a similar way to Tim Cahill. I hope that Sandro can find success in a new league for him; the same for Klaassen.

In Lineker's day, Sharp and others shared the load of goalscoring. I'm sure you're right about the 69-70 squad.

Goal danger from more areas of the team is my hope from the aftermath of Lukaku's departure. We may however need another experienced striker or two to help cover for the immediate loss of Lukaku's goals...

I was 7 but I was reading into the recognised narrative that Howard Kendall let him go for the greater good.

In truth, we threw away the double given weren't we well ahead at Easter and were 1-0 up in the final?

You saw the games... because of the football telly ban for much of Lineker's season, I cannot verify how good we were on YouTube.

My brother (converted the day we beat Spurs 4-1 so whether he knows much is still in question) reckons Klaassen will be banging them in.

I hope so obviously!

On the 1980s team, I've always been impressed by how many came from Heath, Reid and Mountfield.

How disrespectful can you be? Who does he think he is? Being cryptic is not being clever and being disloyal speaks volumes.

Ever since we signed him he has spoke about unfinished business at Chelsea and how we don't match his ambition. If he bothered his lazy arse to notice what our club have been doing over the past few weeks, he would have seen our transfer activity has been the busiest in the whole of the Premier League.

He would have also noticed the players we have signed, have bought into Ronald's project, not wobbly gob's project or Jose Manurio's project, ours. How is this lacking ambition?

He could have been the one to send us into the Champions League, but how many times has he single handedly won us a big game? How many times has he taken a game against one of the top teams by the scruff of the neck and scored or even shown up? God help him in the Champions League against the top teams.

It also appears that we don't have to sell him cos we've got "loadsa money" but imagine if we used his money to buy Funes Mori's best mate Aguero??!!

Regardless if we get Rooney or Giroud (who I think both are using us to get a better deal elsewhere), we need a marquee signing, just to show everyone we are back, with or without Rom.

At the time of writing, he is still AWOL, apparently waiting to meet up with Man Utd on Sunday in America, how bad is that?

I do feel that Gary Lineker gets more criticism than he deserves simply because he wasn't a true Everton man like Sharpie, or as obviously passionate as Andy Gray.

People forget that Gray was only with us – what – 18 months?

I think there might be about 5 different accents within the city. It seems to change a bit depending on the age group and area. After a number of years in Canada, some people here ask where I am from. People around the world though recognise where I'm from. Although I do wear the shirt a bit more when I'm away.

That Under-23 team is full of young attacking talent. Have to wait and see who if any come through. Calvert Lewin and Lookman might find themselves out on loan.

The team in mid 80s was an amazing time with goals all around. I think only Bracewell and Reid didn't break double figures from the front 6. Even Mountfield got to that mark, his celebration stands out... long arms. Gary Stevens scored a few too. I can only remember one Pat goal. If we can emulate that, we'd be winning the league!

Andy Gray has in recent years given me the impression that he's a shit but when he played for us he gave me the impression that he'd have bled for us (and he visibly did on occasion). That's what I want from any player.

Having watched Lukaku, the impression I have is that he's lacking any empathy at all in the manner of an Everton player such as Gray. Lukaku is visibly unwilling to "get stuck in" and Leon Osman is of the same view, in terms, having trained and played with him. If true, as I see it is, that's really good news for opposition defenders and really bad news for aspirant Everton fans, and players.

Maybe his next club, spending the thick end of £100 mill to get him, will be happy to accept the ego, disrespect, and lack of basic skills to enhance his team's play for those other than himself. He has admittedly shown himself to be a good, not great, scorer but he has a lot to do to get anywhere close to the term "great".

Around 1970, Leeds had a similarly prolific scorer, Allan Clarke (our Wayne's brother). So uninvolved was he beyond scoring though that he rarely left the pitch with a mark on his kit. Clarke developed himself however, and became a consummate footballer. Leeds and England hugely benefitted.

The tragedy for me with Lukaku (not that he'll give a shit admittedly) is that, if he starts to finally do a consistent full shift for some other team, I'll resent him all the more.

I'd be shocked if Calvert-Lewin and Lookman were loaned out. In fact, I think Lookman is currently our best wing and I'd like to see him on the bench for every game... he can be of great value injecting a spark late in a game.

I'm less convinced by Calvert-Lewin. He could probably use a loan spell in the Championship. But I expect him to stay with us.

I recall both Morrissey and Ball chipped in with a decent number but Royle was our 20-plus-a-season man and the forgotten guy was Alan Whittle who came in late in the season because of injuries and scored nearly a goal a game. Mind you he hardly scored after that season.

As for Lukaku, I'm surprised people think he will get better. This is not a rookie, he's already spent 6 or is it 7 seasons in the top flight. If you still can't control the ball properly by that point, you never will.

He is what he is – a significant talent for finding the net but otherwise of very mediocre ability, so you have to decide if that is what your team needs most and if you can put up with his obvious drawbacks.

Why? Because, lie to yourself all you want, we all want a great goal scorer in our teams. The idea that we are almost guaranteed goals makes football more fun.

But he is off, so be it. Excellent player, and will be one of the best strikers in Europe for the next few years.

The deal seems good; hopefully we can adequately replace him and improve as a team.

Spurs got better after Bale left, does that mean Bale is crap? No. Over-rated? No.

So we will get better without him, but not because we are without him. Onwards and upwards.

We'll get around that £100m mark with the deal and I'd be surprised if this is the end of the bidding tbh.

It's sad to see him leave as goal scorer, but as for his agent, his dad, his own 'motor mouth'... I'm glad the circus is leaving town!

When was the last kid to really come through at Man City or RS or Chelsea?? I'm hopeful because of the way we are buying for both squads. Not many other teams, if any, have any budget set aside for the Under-23s. That's quite unique. You're probably right about Lookman. With Bolasie out our options are few. Mirallas might be going. Calvert-Lewin does have something about him... but I can't put my finger on it. Not that I'd want to.

Fran, spurs did get better after Bale left but not with the signings they made from the money from his sale. It happened a couple years later when Kane came through and Alli on the cheap. And Trippier and Rose too. They've since spent a little more wisely.

This is going to be one of the most interesting seasons in a while, not least because we may play a bigger role.

Hopefully we'll have scenes of Del Boy fainting when the bidding hits £100m and keeps going!!!

I have a totally different opinion about the "Lineker" year.

I have watched all the successful teams from the 60s on and I have to disagree with you about the Lineker season.

I hated it because we became a long-ball team belting it up front for Lineker to chase because of his pace.

Give me Andy Gray and Graham Sharp anytime.

What a team. What a team! Off to YouTube!!!

That said, it is likely a bargaining attempt to get Chelsea to start bidding.

Also, the people saying we should hold out for a higher bid, where on earth do you think those bids are going to come from? Most top clubs don't even fancy him. Conte has no desire to sign him, but Abramovich does. Well that works well! Wake up. Any stupid bid over £70M should be accepted "toute de suite" before minds change.

I'll give you a little clue why. Last season our biggest problem is that we couldn't breakdown teams and score goals.

Everton are a better team without Lukaku. Man Utd are also. Mourinho had it right the first time. The game is keep possession and break real fast.

Lukaku is not a big time player. Never has been, never will be. We skinned them on this deal.

You may gain comfort in the knowledge that several other posters are also entrenched in the Jurassic period and are as deluded as you are.

But that glosses over the idea that the team we will have this season, if it had Lukaku in it, would be better than either option.

Now, it seems clear that we don't have that as a choice, and that his leaving is inevitable now. We may well be a better team this year, but that won't be because Lukaku isn't in it (except indirectly, if you accept that we need the Lukaku money to pay for the players we've already bought).

I mentioned this in another post. He'll score goals at Man Utd but it won't make them a better team overall. They don't play the type of football he would thrive on under Mourinho. I also don't believe their current players would create much more for him than we did.

Throw in that teams are typically defensive when they go to old Trafford, meaning Lukaku would have to work hard to create space for other players, which we know he is incapable of doing, and go up against 2 or 3 center backs who will mark him out of the game. Which we've seen on numerous occasions ourselves.

He's got Ronaldo's attitude without the skill to back it up.

I wouldn't be surprised if he falls out with Mourinho by October and found himself on the bench.

I would have preferred Lacazette but too late. How about cheeky bid for Morata?

I don't think it'll be in any way a disaster for us if he leaves. But that doesn't mean that we wouldn't still be a better proposition if he stayed and was part of a significantly improved overall squad.

All the "he's rubbish, mediocre, no great loss" about the first player we've had to score 20 in a season since I was 9 (I'm 41) is a bit excessive.

I tend to agree with you about his role at Man Utd, though. He doesn't seem to fit their style of play particularly well. And Mourinho has never struck me as the kind of manager who significantly improves individual players; and Rom still needs... and has scope... for continued improvement.

Not in my book.

Mourinho is taking a huge gamble and he knows it. If he can isolate Lukaku to being a part of the team who's only job is to wait for the ball in a Van Nistlerooy style then he may work out but even then I have my doubts.

I am truly 100% relieved that we have got rid of this lad. The team will improve so much.

Imagine Pickford aiming his 50-yard passes at Lukaku? What a joke... ball after ball bouncing off him.

On the other hand we now have the likes of Sandro and Klaassen with their sharp technique.

Our team will look so much better and incisive.

The reason I want to see the back of him is because of the utter contempt he's treated us with. Respect works both ways. He has given us very little so he's going to get very little back.

I think he's a good player with potential to fulfil too, but if he carries on inflating his own ego the way it is he'll end up at west ham on loan in a few years.

Be interesting to see what happens if Chelsea match or better Man Utd's bid.

Average at best and we will see that very soon fortunately not in the Everton shirt.

Now all his flaws will be criticised on higher level by the critics and talkative pundits. His ball control and static positioning especially in Champions League will not go unnoticed against the likes of Madrid, Juventus & Munich defenders.

I think he has jumped on the wrong ship here and at the wrong time.

Watch for plenty of interviews in the Belgium press blaming whichever manager buys him and the adoption of a "victim" persona when the crowd tells him to sod off. This road leads to China and sooner than we may think.

I've supported the lad through thick and thin on here but enough is enough. Tell him, Mourinho, Conte and the whole fucking lot (media included) to piss off. We will sell him at OUR price and at OUR leisure.

Let them all sweat on it till the last day if need be. We are always told we don't need the money, he's under contract, he has a new contract on the table etc, so why all the angst? We hold all the cards.

As long as you get that £15m, I think that's a great deal. Rooney commercially will put Everton back up there, and is worth the £10m investment.

A £10m striker is a pure gamble, eg, Andre Gray from Burnley or Rooney, it's a no-brainer as long as we get more quality in.

The question is: Will we miss him? The answer for most will be a No and it's just because he didn't bond with us, the supporters.

The power of money has got to him and he's got too big for his boots. Cash, please. Tat Tar!

Been in an amateur manager situation something similar to this and the dynamics are somewhat the same.

Player 1 – scores the most and assists the most. Big ego. Player(s) previous (2, 3, 4) scoring and assisting most become "envious" i.e. noses put out of joint. Team dynamics go out of kilter!

Answer: either (a) Get rid of the Player 1; or (b) Get rid of the players 2, 3 & 4. Don't see an alternative and so do either 1 or 2. Seems in this case to get rid of player 1 and hope we can find, either a direct replacement scorer or a group of players who each score and recognise they need the other team members to help.

No need for hateful comments about Rom. Just handle the human nature!

I have never had this disliking for any previous toffee though Lescott came close.I will miss his goals but not his "couldn't care less" attitude shown too often, a total prima donna.

The team as a whole will be better not having to channel everything through him. So it's good riddance.

I hope Everton refuse to do the deal until he returns to Finch Farm.

Good riddance and let's hope it is onward and upward for the blues.

Encourage Chelsea to beat the Man Utd offer and sell within the week would be my choice. I'd rather he'd have stayed but he has well and truly burnt his bridges.

Personally, I think Lukaku will never be the kind of player Rooney was at his peak but you can't blame him for having ambition and having a feeling that he might need to move (however unwarranted). Contracts seem to count for very little.

Very simplistically: What I do believe is different is that Rooney's transfer income potentially prevented a couple of years of relegation battles for Everton, whereas Lukaku's transfer money will likely push the club into competing with, or surpassing the very club's he's moving to.

If I'm correct, that just makes Everton the winners and Mr Lukaku rather foolish, the real irony would be Rooney coming back to the club and preventing the side Lukaku moved to from qualifying for the Champions League.

Surely that's the script for one of Bill's plays.

I remember going one down and 5 minutes later there was a little scramble by the Sunderland goal. Peter Reid was the closet player to the flying boots, and I remember seeing him hesitate in both speed and thought? Then he just threw his fuckin head right in, and took a boot to the side of the head.

Football's not always about pretty football, I thought when I winced, well not if you want to be a winner anyway!

Colin, if he's not coming back I can actually understand Lukaku's reasoning, but why not pick up the fucking phone? Old Trafford has been many a strikers graveyard, and I honestly think it could become one for Lukaku, who I'm not sure will have the heart of a Peter Reid if things don't go that well for him?

In the following season we played some sublime football, particularly in December when Sheedy seemed capable of anything. We dug in later in the season and had some unexpected heroes like Paul Power and Wayne Clarke.

Which was the better team? I don't know, but I know the one I preferred to watch, and it was the one that also happened to win the league.

This may be a mental weakness that will be exposed at Man Utd?

Sorry to see him go, but regardless – onto our brilliant future (minus one huge ego).

Much kickback on Twitter countering that headline. Apparantly Rom was given pernission to stay due to us selling him.

We couldn't insist. All we could do is accept the better offer and reject the other.

Lukaku couldn't be forced to go to Chelsea, though – he would have to be prepared to go there.

I don't think he works hard enough ever to be the player he thinks he is or can be and I don't think he has the engine to do it.

But I do know that I'm fucking sick of him and want him gone.

We have the final say so, before Rom starts preparing his "I've always been a Man Utd fan" speech, he'd better make sure which team he's signing for, or he could end up like Robinho.

Generation Y's Poster Boy.

I wish we DID have the final say but I'm afraid if he refused to go to Chelsea, despite their offer being better then Man Utd's, we'd have to let him go to Utd or keep him.

The number of great goals which the eighties team scored before Lineker joined, became almost commonplace... 3 or 4 passes and in the net, or, 25/30 passes and same thing Bang... in the net. Wonderful and effective football.

I think that if/when Lukaku goes then our team will be trying to emulate the great way the sides of the sixties and eighties played.

Whatever we get for him, £75-100 million, is a massive amount and I think Koeman and Walsh will already have a replacement or replacements lined up.

Up to now, all I've seen is paper talk about Koeman being pissed off with Lukaku. I would think that Koeman already knew full well the situation with the player and wouldn't be including him in his plans.

I think it will take a couple of seasons for us to get all the players in we want to challenge for the top four, or even the top six; and for our style to gel but I think it's going the way of us becoming a much more fluid and exciting team and I can't wait for the season to start!

A tsunami of bullshit, produced regularly by a bloke who doesn't appear to know what he wants, as long as it contains lots of money for his private jet and a couple of games in the Champions League. After all, only one team can win it and it won't be Man Utd... or Chelsea.

I'm tired of all this Lukaku crap; the sooner he does one, the better. Then, as Barry Jones says, us dinosaurs can argue the merits of footballers who wanted to wear the shirt and deserved to do so.

If this does not happen, then I would not be confident that we truly are a big club. We would still be the feeder club for the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea.

His alternative to refusing to move is to stay with us. Apparently, we don't need to sell him so we keep him and see how he links up with the likes of Rooney and Sigurdsson.

Although Lukaku appears to have an affinity to Chelsea his next move looks like Man Utd with a medical even taking place in LA being mooted. The coverage on social media is nauseating – young men admittedly but the vibe seems more in keeping with a hip-hop star, not a footballer. I will be glad when he's gone – complete bellend.

Much better to get a huge sum of money for him and spend it on players who want to be here. We need players with a bit of fire in their bellies.

If Lukaku is often lazy and sulky now, how do you think he'd be if we forced him to stay?

The squad would now be stronger, with goal scorers and stoppers around a new creative middle. It would also have the depth to play the 60+ games we expect and want next season.

I wish the one-eyed contributors would just accept that Lukaku did a good job for us, but was always using us as a stepping stone on his own master plan. Don't get bitter. Just be glad that if our main striker picks up a knock next year we have cover, as we have all over the team.

Not so sure if that will be true at Old Trafford. Particularly if Rashford pulls a strop.

The key thing now is what WE do. Don't spend this money and we haven't moved on from the Boys Pen Bill regime. Spend it wisely, don't ask me for names (that's Walsh's & Koeman's job), and we can have genuine cause for optimism. COYB.

You've said, that the only way we can prove that we are a big club is by making a statement to all that we are keeping Lukaku, and therefore, I assume, we are proving we are not a big club if we sell him.

I think we've always been a big club and now, for the first time since the days of Sir John, we are able to spend money without the need to sell a player.

My view is that no club can keep a player now, if he wants to go. Man Utd are a big club but they lost Ronaldo to Real Madrid and Liverpool lost Suarez to Barcelona. No-one can tell for sure but I'd guess that Lukaku would be as much use to us as a chocolate teapot if he stayed.

Liverpool nearly won the league, or should I say Suarez nearly won it for them, because he gave them that extra season. I think Lukaku has his heart set on going and will just be like a big kid with the sulks, if we kept him.

When all this is over I have a feeling the rumours about it will abound for years to come.

Sat watching Defoe talking about Bradley. What a gent and a credit to football. 💙

As Terry says, the teams without Lineker were much better to watch, and I think we will be a better team to watch and perform without Lukaku, next season should tell us that. I think there is plenty to look forward to at Goodison Park and Bramley-Moore.

He needs reminding that until a contract is signed he's still an employee of Everton Football Club. Fine him and take away his locker!

Sooner he's gone the better for our club and for dressing room harmony. Disgraceful conduct.

Clash of egos??

Pogba and Lukaku have similar traits, in that, they have a pitch-demeanour of strolling for 87 mins interspersed with 3 minutes of being a class act. The image (to me) is of someone with an attitude of 'it's never my fault' – when the team is shite.

Fancy haircuts and showy celebrations – they're made for eachother.

Bitter? Most definitely, but it's not my fault...

For starters no matter how big a club is, £70 - £90 million goes a long way. Lukaku always planned on using us as a stepping stone and we always knew that (we just hoped we could get success quicker so as to encourage him to stay). Ultimately both sides have done well out of this.

Playing too hard with him will mean other players – who currently probably look at us as a good club to get experience at a high level – will probably start to get scared off if they think they'll end up being hung out to dry if they ever decide to move on.

ust as the Chelsea fans were jizzing when they signed Torres from the Shite. Do I need to remind you how that turned out?

£90 million? You must be fucking joking!

On the striker I hope its someone younger than Giroud like a Balde or Williams. This is to get a bit more speed up top as I feel if we have both Rooney and Giroud we will lack pace. The winger I would possibly target is Demari Gray from Leicester who again has good pace.

I would also get rid of Mirallas, Barkley and one of Besic or McCarthy. This should balance the squad and in the main give it a more youthful look to it. Then, in the next two transfer windows, we will need a centre-half to play with Keane and a replacement left back for Baines.

Unlike the Fellaini and Arteta departures, we do have time to get a proper replacement and already have strengthened in this department with Sandro replacing Valencia and Kone and the mid season signing of Lookman (and possibly the development of Calvert-Lewin). More is required though. It's a shame Bolasie is still injured

The big lad against the teams below us and the invisible lad against those above us.

Great potential but all he has ever done is used us to get somewhere better. I can see him and Jose having a big row, interesting times!

I would be so happy when we play them away if Keane puts him in his pocket early and let's him out again to run back in the tunnel!!

Jordan Pickford;
Michael Keane, Ashley Williams, Leighton Baines;
Morgan Schneiderlin, Idrissa Geuye;
Tom Davies;
Ross Barkley, Davvy Klaassen;
Wayne Rooney;
Sandro Ramirez.

Subs: Robles, Funes Mori, Holgate, Besic, Calvert-Lewin, Lookman, McCarthy, Mirallas.

Now it does sound like a shit excuse. But take it in the context of "I know where I am playing next season" and "Everton is not an option", the fact he's in LA and Man Utd are due there soon. It is very suspicious to me. It appears as if this was always on the cards and Everton were complicit in it.

Also the "holiday" is not quite what it seems. He's in the same position as Pogba last summer. The two of them are part of a group staying with their mutual super agent. Last summer, they did the same as the same agent thrashed out pogba's deal. Then this summer he's obviously doing the same for Lukaku. It appears as if he was always going to join Man Ud and Chelsea was a smokescreen.

Riola, the aforementioned agent, is agent to Pogba, Ibrahamovic, Mikiterayan (however it's spelled) and a few others united have signed in the past few windows. More importantly for me he's also Mourinho's agent. It seems very fishy what's going on at united. They're always signing players off this guy and last summer he trousered ⅓ of the total money paid in the transfer fee to Pogba. Which begs the question: Just how much of the £75m will Everton get?

Can't stop laughing.

He was due back yesterday (4 days later than the first group), but he has stayed in LA and is training 'alone' (with Pogba). I am assuming Everton have given him permission to do this, so a deal must be very close.

Good point about Raoila. I hope we get all of that £75m. Especially considering it is 25% lower than original asking price.

Some agents are no more than parasites living off the earnings of others for doing next to fuck all.

Where do I sign up?

I think this shows just how bad modern football is. 'Loyalty' is not the quality I would use to describe Lukaku.

I have been thinking exactly the same thing about Jermaine and Bradley.

I really wish that we'd signed him, not only for football reasons, though them alone would have been enough.

”Everton is the only club I spoke to in regards to a transfer." – Davy Klaassen.

"Staying at Everton is not really an option for next season." – Romelu Lukaku.

Hello Davy. Goodbye Rom.

A man looking very similar to Niasse broke into Finch Farm in the early hours and has emptied Lukaku's locker.

I am more interested on who is coming into the club.

I understand they're not all Everton fans but the respect, even if it's just as an employee, is important for me. We are fans, this is our club and you're representing us!

Niasse spotted outside Finch Farm and, when Koeman arrived he rushed over, asking if there was a spare locker going.

I think (hope) the buyers pay those costs, but these days who knows. He will always be an after thought when Goal scorers are mentioned... Oh yeah, forgot about Lukak-who?

Even at £75M we're mugging who ever ends up with him. He will divide their support just like he has ours – because he ain't as good as he thinks he is.

There is still a chance one of the monied clubs on the continent may get involved. Besides, it might put some manners on the lad before we send him on his way. What other job could you pull a sicky while posting pics of yourself and your mates clowning around the pool? Shameful

I have a sneaking feeling he will not fulfill his potential so let's cash in while his stock is high.

He's basically Rylan Clark with a shot on him.

Barca? Spurs??Chelsea??? Costa's workrate is exceptional.

The goals ratio from the Everton team was poor until now. Like the above mentioned, Everton will have that interchangeability up front with Lookman, Rooney, Calvert-Lewin, Sandro etc. Looking forward to the new season. COYBB.
.

Thing is, John, I'll probably be extinct in about 15 years.

In regards to Lukaku, he has been a consistent goalscorer but will never be a legend or even an icon at Everton due to his constant blabbing about he's better than us and whoring himself to other clubs. His goals will be missed but hopefully Sandro and Klaassen can provide some goals alongside a top replacement for the "big man"?.

Rooney I hope becomes an asset and hopefully can help Davies, Dowell and Ross if he stays but as long as he is on a lot less what he's on now.

In regards to Lukaku's replacement I would look at these targets which I think are realistic.

Mauro Icardi, Inter, £40-60m
Arkadius Milik, Napoli, £20-40m
Carlos Bacca, Milan, £10-25m
Timo Werner, RB Leipzig, £15-35m
Moussa Dembele, Celtic, £25-40m
Olivier Giroud, Arsenal, £15-20m
Domenico Berardi, Sassuolo, £20-35m
Paco Alcacer, Barcelona, £15-25m
Vincent Aboubakar, Porto, £10-30m
Kaspar Dolberg, Ajax, £10-30m
Breel Embolo, Schalke, £20-50m

We could even put in cheeky bids for Aguero who is no longer guaranteed a starting spot at Man City and in my view is the most clinical striker in the league, and Benzema.

🤣🤣🤣🤣,"He's basically Rylan Clark with a shot on him."

🤣🤣🤣🤣,,,1,11:29:21,,213.205.253.98,ok,18468,07/07/2017 11:29:21,DrDJWilde,reader,, 827697,35140,toffeeweb,07/07/2017,Zahir Jaffer,zahir619@gmail.com,I'm hearing we've launched a £60m bid for Van Dijk.

Lukak-who?

Lukakwho? ,,BlueKfrog,1,11:35:36,,101.50.82.200,ok,11457,07/07/2017 11:35:36,zj9,reader,, 827698,35140,toffeeweb,07/07/2017,Zahir Jaffer,zahir619@gmail.com,""Sometimes I will speak to Vincent Kompany who was at Manchester City when it all happened. He said, ‘Rom, one summer I just came in and boom, boom, boom, boom… Robinho from there, that guy came in, this guy came in, this guy came in (clicking fingers) and then everyone was criticising them but at the end they won league titles, FA Cup here, League Cups there.

"That is what we want as players.

"I don't know, I don't know what the board's plan is. I don't really know."

– Romelu Lukaku

Lukak-who?

"That is what we want as players.

"I don't know, I don't know what the board's plan is. I don't really know."

– Romelu Lukaku

Both are 24 and both have brothers who play football as well. Both have African born parents but share the experience of being young football superstars now.

Rom loves Pogba

The fuckwitkaku comment was back around March wasn't it if I remember correctly?!

Then he gives us a shed load of goals and hope... then, when we want to re-build around a more mobile integrated forward line, he delivers a cool £50M profit plus plus on the original outlay.

If we had done this years business last year he might have stayed; I think we are better off now with him going.

Rooney in return is a worldwide profile lift for us – Boyhood Blue etc. I for one will wear a Rooney shirt in our colours.

"This morning, Oddschecker witnessed a hefty bet on the Merseysiders signing Southampton defender Virgil Van Dijk at odds of 40/1. Van Dijk was expected to move to the red-half of the City earlier this summer but, this morning the bookmakers have slashed the odds on the Dutch defender completing a move to Everton to as short as 6/1.

In the last 48-hours, we’ve seen almost three times as many bets for the Dutchman to join the Toffees compared to their rivals."

Now wouldn't that be a bit, well, hilarious? :D

Link

Not sure it will happen but I hope so. :)

I'm certainly looking forward to seeing Sandro and Klaassen link up; then we'll all be saying Lukak-who? Wish Everton would hurry up and get it over and done with then concentrate on Sigurdsson, Andre Gray, Van Dijk and Kasper Dolberg!

Looking forward to seeing this Josh Bowler lad. Not seen much of him but hope he's a decent lad.

But what that mean for the forward line? We need to replace Lukaku. Koeman will go with three proper forwards this season, Klaassen will vie with Davies, Schneiderlin and Gueye for a deeper midfield role. Whilst, Barkley if he stays would operate on the right of the front three, as would Sigurdsson if he came to replace Barkley.

Who else can play there? I don't believe we have anyone else, and so expect Rooney to operate here too. So this position needs addressing. Centrally, we need a couple here, maybe Rooney could be the back-up option, but we need a big name player to lead the line as a number 9. Dolberg is the one I want. Bacca is a good alternative. Dembele is interesting if a little bit too much of a gamble at £40m+.

I would expect two / three more forwards to come in. That's going to take a big dent out of the Lukaku money, and makes me question spending £60m on Van Dijk.

This is a win-win situation for us. So stop stressing, TWers. Lukaku is no Bale who can win big games. Bale after his transfer scored decisive goals in the Copa del Rey and Champions League final and won games on his own in the absence of Ronaldo and still we are getting close to Bale's fee.

Only noteworthy goal was that against Chelsea but the real Lukaku showed up in that FA Cup semi-final against Man Utd. Balotelli, Part 2.

Yes, I'll miss his goals but certainly not him as a Person.

Contracts are not worth the paper they're written on. Rom has 2 years left on an agreement he willingly signed, not 5 minutes, but he can go anyway, just by spouting to the media. He even commented on Everton's transfer policy!

I've supported Everton for 60 years and it has been up and down and it looks like we're going to have an up. Well, in all those years, we were never relegated – and that's been an up too.

I just never took to him. He never took to us. As someone said above, he could have at least pretended to like us... we were far too reliant on his goals.

Move on, Rom, we'll spend the money and we'll be a lot stronger without you.

Thinking who the biggest winners will be out of this, Everton, or Man Utd, but after reading the diversity on this quality thread, I'm going for Lyndon and Michael!

If that is true, then it would be the biggest statement yet. By far.

Not a bad little quintet to choose from.

As per usual I am Rom and will do as I like. He is still an Everton player until Everton say otherwise.

Luis Suarez goes down in history as a master biter.

Lukaku will go down in history as a master.... er, let me think...

Yeah, because it'd be Dick Van Dyke.

1) I don't want Rom joining any Premier League Club at all at any fee. PSG? BM? Fine and Okay.

2) Wayne today is not Wayne of yesteryear, nowhere near. Proper Blue absolutely. Kissed the wrong badge? Yep, he did. He did, we didn't.

3) Some "cobbled up deal" that offloads Wayne and his bloated weekly income, that vile agent's fees, Rom's bloody "disloyalty" remark payments and some spin doctor sells that to us as some £100M deal?

4) If I thought that I could post "Fuck off and kiss this huge spot on my arse" and not offend TW then I would; I can't, so I won't.

I believe we should spend the mouthpiece's transfer fee on Dembele from Celtic and another young centre-back.

Value is relative.

I'm not having any problems with that line of thinking at all.

A goal in 3 games at Man City with most coming from the bench. Plus having fellow Nigerian Henry with us (albeit only next year) as well as being in the North-West should make us a better option for him than Leicester.

Lukaku gave us a few good seasons, a lot of goals, but he also talked up his departure a lot. £75m (and I hope more) for him is a good deal for the direction we're going – and that direction, at least in my mind, does not work well with Lukaku on the field.

I would be worried if this doesn't go through as we'll have a "big asset" from last season that will be phased out by our future team. As for it going through, I would wish Lukaku well, not Mourhino obviously, and welcome the next great player we're going to buy with open arms, even if that player is journeyman Giroud.

Not in for Van Dijk or Gray

For me, Martial would be the best option (I feel that, if given the chance to play down the middle, he'd really shine) but know that is unlikely.

So Iheanacho, Rooney and Giroud would be 3 excellent attacking signings, to join Sandro and Henry – potential mixed with experience – this would give us high quality options for the Premier League and to make a real go at the Europa League this season.

I just read somewhere that Rooney will be played in his natural position of striker, I can't imagine he will be first choice, but I think he will be great off the bench and will score in cups and Europa League. He will have the added benefit of sharing his experience with the younger players, and giving us an experienced head in the big games that we will play (and need to win) if we are to break into top 6 or 4. There's no doubting he is a match winner with a winning mentality.

I must say, this is probably one of the most exciting times to be a Blue that I have experienced. I am old enough to have been a regular during the 80s, so that was the best (so far) of course, but what is happening now has taken me by surprise. I thought we would buy a few players this summer, but not this many, and not the players that have the potential to become the best in their respective positions.

If Koeman and Walsh have done their homework, then they have bought talented players with the right personality to gel as a team. So, hopefully we won't repeat the Spurs experience when they (mis-)spent the Bale cash.

I don't care that Lukaku wants to leave, it will be his loss. There is a very good chance he has moved to a team that will finish below us. Take the money, reinvest and let the new season start. I, for one, think this will be one of the most interesting and exciting seasons that I have experienced in a long time. Can't wait.

Peter (#410), I don't know how true this rumour is, although Watched Toffee, is supposed to be a very reliable source, but if it is true, then surely logic would tell us that the only way we would bid, is if we have already been sounded out?

No probs, Rom; now to phase 2 Operation Goodison rebuild.

Character is a much bigger thing, and I have seen no sign that Rom ever lacked that. No drink-driving, no punch-outs in pubs, no confrontations with his managers, no ugly rumours of off-field misconduct, no issues with his teammates (judging by published comments, he was quite popular with them), and not one incidence of embarrassing the club.

And on the pitch, no idiotic red cards, no diving, no confrontations with referees or opponents, no lack of fitness or feigning injury. Again, he never once embarrassed the club.

I wouldn't mind a cheeky Diego Costa bid if only to stir up the pot, at around the £35M-£40M reported bid from Atletico. Surprised there hasn't been more interest in him.

Imagine (allegedly) stealing two strikers from the Madrid clubs in the same transfer window!

If not though, we need another striker to replace Lukaku (in addition to Sandro since we lacked numbers) and we don't necessarily need to spend all of the Lukaku money, whatever that is.

A young up and coming forward in the £20M-£35M range with bags of pace would fit the bill. That's what we bought when we got Lukaku same again please.

At worst we will stagnate without Lukaku.

So maybe what we need is a Rooney, Giroud or a cheeky Aguero bid, just to give us the goals until the young guns are ready to shoulder the responsibility of providing the bulk of our goals tally each season. From what I have seen of Lookman, in particular, he looks pretty special.

I would take a few more confrontations with opponents over the snide comments he's made to the Belgian press over the past 3 years any day of the week. Maybe our definitions of character differ?

Firstly, if we're a big club, because we can, and it would make a massive statement to the rest of the football world.

Secondly (and arguably more importantly), Moshiri might, from a business perspective, consider the value to the club of Lukaku staying until at least July 2019 as bigger than the £75M (or indeed £100M for that matter) potential loss of transfer fee.

His goals, combined with the intended improvements to the team from recent signings and others, could propel us forward significantly over the next 2-year period of the Everton 'project', compared with the relatively greater uncertainty that would accompany his leaving.

If Everton did decide he's staying until the end of the current contract, that time scale would also fit with the 2 years remaining on Koeman's part of the Everton 'project'.

I agree with Martial but I also like Rashford, very underrated because of his off-the-ball presence. I would take either one if that's part of the Lukaku deal.

I don't believe we need a like for like replacement for Lukaku. We probably can play two small strikers going forward, though a big body would be a good alternative.

You can bet your life it won't occur under Mourinho if he goes to Man Utd; he certainly will find it a lot harder there if he does.

In my eyes we're a massive club, none bigger, but in the football world, once I separate emotion from facts, we're not and haven't been for quite some time now. It's hard to turn £75m to £100m down when you probably need the funds to re-build (I don't believe Moshiri's pockets are as deep as some believe).

Your argument for holding Lukaku to his contract nevertheless has merit provided he maintains his form, doesn't down tools and ultimately propels us to greater things. Based on evidence so far though, I would predict that Lukaku would just have one massive strop.

Besides, anyone who states that seeing out the last two years of his contract is "not an option" is maybe the rotten apple in the barrel that needs getting rid of, no matter how big the club.

Arguably, dispensing with his services is a bolder statement that we intend to become a big club (again).

"If" it turns out Lukaku refused to return to preseason training and instead stayed in the US against the club's wishes, as is being reported by some here in the UK, would that count as embarrassing the club in your eyes?

Regarding Lukaku, I believe it's important to put emotions about Everton to one side, as far as possible. I know he's said stuff that is disrespectful, but I'm more interested in his ability to score goals, and the likelihood (admittedly not a certainty, because nothing in life is, apart from paying taxes etc) that he continues to do so, particularly as we (hopefully) improve as a team with the current influx of new signings.

By that I don't mean just the raw player numbers because I expect more pruning of the current squad before end of August. I mean that, to make a sustained challenge upwards, we not only increase first team quality and reduce average age of the first 11, but we need to include the quality of the squad also to around 20-22 "first team" players.

The test for that is clearly the match day bench. Beyond the 11 that started games last year, the bench was typically threadbare with players who could legitimately challenge for a first team place. Typically there were usually only 1-2 genuine first team challengers.

Look at someone like Mirallas who floated between starter and sub. Was he a first team selection choice? Definitely. Is he experienced? Absolutely. Would he be a contender for the Top 6 starting teams? I'm pretty sure not.

We needed a bigger squad with real competition for every spot as well as increasing the overall quality, and a plan to gradually bring in 2-3 youngsters each season. I think that has been recognised and is being addressed. I also, by the way, think it is no coincidence that that is quite similar to how Arsenal have done things in the past given Moshiri's connections there.

Previously, we sold first to raise funds and picked over the bones of other clubs late in the window whilst being on pins at the end of August over who we would lose. This early – and frequent! – business seems a much better plan to me and I think August 31 or whenever the window closes will be an exercise in sitting back and pruning the wages by shedding players we have upgraded, with maybe an opportunist eye on who becomes available late on rather than the despairing scramble of past seasons. No more Sissoko desperation shenanigans this year.

Far more enjoyable.

His goals, combined with the intended improvements to the team from recent signings and others, could propel us forward significantly over the next 2 year period of the Everton 'project', .

hypothesis - i.e. as uncertain as my prediction that he would throw a strop. It might be that a change in style, without Lukaku, is just as likely to propel us forward. We'll know in due course!

I think we should recognise that we both see things slightly differently!

It certainly doesn't show the best attitude, but the fact is that he has already agreed to leave. I doubt I would show up for training under these circumstances. Plus in LA he isn't besieged by the press everywhere he goes.

Mike (#440), we definitely do. Joey Barton gives great quotes and always turns up for training, but I wouldn't say he has character.

Dave (#443), that's for sure, but laziness in strikers is a pretty common phenomenon. Ibra isn't exactly industrious, and he and Mourhino seemed to get along okay.

Don't know whether it's a cultural thing and/or Americans have thicker skins than us but if you have a trawl through today's posts on here you'll see there are more than me referring to "that" quote and seeming to have a similar take on it.

I guess if you don't get it, you don't get it.

No, I don't believe it is a prediction on my part, just a scenario with a likelihood. Although I try not to make predictions (every time I do, I get them wrong, like I said Hillary Clinton would be the next President of the US, and we wouldn't vote yes to Brexit), I'm prepared to make judgements of likelihood.

On balance, I can't see Lukaku throwing a big strop, not one that would undermine his reputation as a goal-scorer. He might sulk a bit, but then he might not, but sulking is fine so long as he keeps scoring goals, and I would bet good money that he would.

Maybe that's all you're doing as well, saying it's likely he'd throw a big strop, in which case I agree with you that we just see things slightly differently.

I would not take anything he says or predicts seriously as he has no idea about teams other than the Sky 6 and Real and Barça.

Also, ask any Bradford fan about his predictions; he had to shave his head after guaranteeing they would get relegated that season they stayed up.

I'll chip in then if Mike doesn't. I'm a season ticket holder, Scouse born and bred and I go back to the late sixties as a very small child Evertonian.

I think "thicker skins" or whatever else that really is is what we all have to develop in recognising where football is now and where we aspire to be as a Football Club. Nostalgia about how football was is great for us (relative) old timers but it just isn't how it is now. That's sad, I will agree with you, and that type of comment from multi-million pound footballers also triggers a response in my loyalty bone, wherever that is.

But it is how it is today and the type of footballer we need to take us forward is not an Osman or a Hibbert or whoever else with loyalty to the club as the prime requirement for a first team place. To push on, we need superstar footballers.

Superstar footballers cost money, are ambitious and self-centred in horribly vulgar ways and come with baggage and personal ego like Lukaku. They also perform and are a tradeable commodity. I don't like it any more than you but as Mr Moshiri said (I was there in person when he said it and joined in with the applause) "We can't be a museum".

Filter the comments and the posturing and the shite that goes with it and strap in and enjoy the ride because Lukaku going for silly money is not the disastrous loss of a star player (or Joleon Lescott) that it was in the past. We are trading players and upgrading the team. Bollocks to anyone who wants to go; the Club is back to being bigger than the players leaving, in my opinion.

However, you're no doubt correct that we Americans have thicker skins about press comments. Perhaps it's because we have five major sports (and five times as many rich athletes popping off in the press), and certainly it's because "respect" for the team or the badge or the logo isn't nearly as significant to the sporting culture here.

I've never seen a baseball or basketball player kissing the team logo on the jersey or waving a team scarf. And when an athlete disrespects a team he's leaving, he might get a pitch under his chin or an elbow in the ribs at the next game, but he won't get scorn and rage heaped upon him from the press and the fans.

So no, I truly cannot understand your fury at one very quiet seven-word comment: "That's not really an option, I think."

We'll just agree to disagree.

But, back to the discussion (just above) with Ray about 'likelihood', I can't see he'd actually do that. And surely you have to read any reports with a pinch of salt, they're such crap generally.

Rom has put his needs ahead of the club and the team from Day One, and unless he's been told to stay away, appears to be lapping the situation up in the sunshine, taking a huge wage while his teammates sweat their nuts off in preparation for the new season.

I don't think he's got particularly good character or bad character, I just think he's got very suspect character. You know what they say – there is no 'Rom' in 'Team'... ain't that the truth.

He said "staying with us was not an option"but it looks to me like it fucking is.

Man Utd begins preseason workouts day after tomorrow... in Los Angeles.

I'm not sure, were I him, I would jump on a plane from LA to Liverpool only to have to turn around and go right back.

But, as Stan points out, we don't even know if the report is true or false.

Perhaps, if he had a bit more "dog" in him, he might pick up a few yellows, and give centre-halves a bit of a wallopping, utilising that fantastic physique.

A bit of a snarl, and a bit of menace like Costa, for example. Perhaps he is too cool to get that riled?

No one knows what goes on behind closed doors but if Lukaku was meant to turn up for work yesterday then he should be fined. He is still on the payroll until a contract with another club is signed. Get as much as we can with a transfer request put in to fulfill any loyalty bonus.

I admire anyone who wants to better themselves during their career but show respect to those who have helped you get there. Everything that is bad about modern football. Get the deal done and move on.

Maybe he could play for a few teams at once...? This takes football to completely new level – it's like a re-run of 'Quantum Leap'.... or even Mr Benn...

All Chelsea have to do is offer more than Man Utd have because as yet there's "no deal" between Everton and Man Utd.

Most of the best games he's ever had have happened because he's got angry about something. If only Duncan could have done more to get the aggression into him.

If they're playing hardball, good on them.

The other updates are saying that Koeman has met with Rooney now and is looking to play him as a striker.

Let life unfold I guess.

safe image upload

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWQMDLeD5fs/?

Never knew he had a sense of humour!

I sent an email to their fans chris.waters@safc.com

Good to show in the end we are just footy fans and it puts all the money and gossip in perspective eh?

And Dermot.

Never has an Everton striker who has scored so many goals in so few games been so unloved by the usually adoring fans.

Draw your own conclusions.

Man Utd announce they have an agreement when they don't. Everton deny a deals been done. Surely there's no room for misunderstanding?

I don't know what it is but seems a very unusual state of affairs!

If we're going to be sentimental let share the love and see Rooney take a modest wage and fund some good causes in the community. I can't get excited about Giroud but Iheanacho and/or Dolberg should be possible.

Bread and circuses, anyone?

We're now post Lukaku and maybe it'll be an opportunity for us to learn to share the scoring burden across the squad but I believe that Rom would have scored 40 a season in our current squad as I'm sure he will at Man Utd or Chelsea. For me an amazing pleasure to see a player of his pure class at Everton after decades of pure dross. I wish him well.

There is no bidding war, we accepted Man Utd's bid.

Strange post.

This is what Farhad Moshiri and Co do!

More bread now perhaps? You can see now why Everton have been playing hardball. No deal has been announced with Man Utd. So who blinks first?

71 goals in 133 games. £50m profit.

I can't fucking stand the fella but that Stracq now there was a player who knew what being an Evertonian was all about.

The offer is on the table and Chelsea have come with their head in their ass walking around the street buck naked; attempting to lure Lukaku away without a higher bid or any agent fees.

http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/40540231

Lukaku's not fucking leaving!

We have a team. We have a striker; The missing piece to both Moyes's or Martinez's era.

He's our golden generation. Reprimanding anything to the contrary.

"Lukaku's not nudging!"

I've always expected him to go this summer. As with any player, no one is bigger than the club. I think the criticism he receives is way over the top.

I genuinely believe he is good enough to be part of a top European team, and I guess we will find out.

As far as Everton are concerned,his departure is a big opportunity; the profit on his transfer gives us greater buying options. Hopefully we make the right decisions.

I've enjoyed him being an Everton player, full stop. I can't do all the faux outrage at being 'disrespected'.

I wonder what it suggests?

So I have no hard feelings about Lukaku and think we have done well out of him and he might prove a lot of us wrong by becoming a great player n the future. We will see.

By the way, did you deliberately leave Suarez out of your list on another thread or didn't you rate him?

Part of me would love a big marquee signing like Belotti, but he isn't proven in the Premier League so it would be quite the gamble.

Dembele from Celtic would be a gamble also but would be far cheaper and knows British football.

Funny how it's gone very quiet with Barkley. With Rooney coming in and Sigurdsson likely not to mention Klaassen who can play as a Number 10, he must know his days are up.

There is no way to tell it will work out for them. Look how it did pan out for Pogba (£89 mil), or Torres after he went to Chelsea.

I knew it, Brian - scriptwriter.

You know, Brian, I actually am wondering if these things are getting sort of hammed-up for the drama – layered onto a genuine business process behind.

Sports Transfer Media Choreographer's Assistant, immediate start. Experience in forum posting or similar beneficial.

"Everton recall Rooney from 13-year loan spell."

I can't believe I'm explaining this, but for the record "I don't think Stracqualursi is better than Lukaku." (In fairness I did say originally that I think I'll remember Lukaku as "a bit better..." 😉)

The actual point I was making was that in years to come, I'll remember Lukaku for a hat trick at Southampton, a good jinking goal vs Chelsea – and a lot of hands to mouth misses and pointing at his boot. The fact that even a limited footballer such as Stracq gave me almost as many happy memories was the point

I couldn't bring myself to include him in a public forum. In private he'd be in there!

Couldn't make this shit up. The Bling Kings ending up in jail. 😄

As Colin says, couldn't make it up.