Richarlison encouraging Neres to join him at Everton

Perhaps there are more suitable viable options?

Well, that turned out to be okay in goal-scoring terms and profit too when he was sold on.

I keep hearing conflicting reports about this lad, from being the next Neymar (no thanks) or being a superstar of the future, to will he be able to cope in the Premier League?

I've also heard the argument that, for what he will cost, we could get better, the likes of Everton Soares. Ah, but there's a difference in my opinion, this lad has a mate at Everton, has expressed (loosely) interest in coming, and has seemingly limitless potential.

I trust in Brands to do the very best for us and, in my opinion again, has not let us down on any transfer business yet. I know many will say Mina, but apart from his injuries, and hence limited game time, he has only had one bad game for us. Like I mentioned on another thread a player who played for 90 minutes (Argentina v Columbia) and kept both Messi and Aguerro quiet all night can't be that bad!

Justin Kluivert cost 㾾m from Ajax last season after having a similar season to the one Neres has just had (except Champions League performances). I hope Brands would not want to pay much more than 㿊-35m for him and I'm not sure that would appease Ajax.

I'm all for tapping into the Brazilian market, the more the merrier for me.

Neres is young, fast, tricky and a Brazilian international, what's not to like.

He's excelled in the Champions League and is playing in the Copa America for Brazil.

I don't see this guy as a gamble at all. The Dutch league is a traditional jumping-off point for Brazilians. The great Ronaldo started at PSV Eindhoven.

㿼m is not a fee that is baulked at any longer, it's becoming the norm, unfortunately.

The other point being is there enough in the war-chest (assuming we offload a few more) to spend that much on one player, with other areas to address?

But he knows where the goal is, still young, international, he'd be playing with other Brazilian's around him & the RS would never dream of signing him.

A total no-brainer for me, folks.

As I've already said on another thread, I'd rather go for the lad who subbed in for Neres against Bolivia on Friday and did more in 10 minutes (including scoring the best goal of the game) than Neres did in 80 minutes. Everton (Sousa Soares) for Everton!

Possibly the best player in the Brazilian league right now.

Allegedly available for a contract release fee of 50 million EUROS (45 million squids).

See what he can do here. Compare his pace and finishing to that of Bernard's and ask yourself if wee Bernard will ever give us the same. Then imagine an Everton team with him on one flank and Richarlison on the other. I'd rather see him as a big summer signing, rather than Neres.

Link

The other two sales mean they are comfortable financially, and there will be the added pressure of not having the team demoralisingly broken up after such an exciting season. So that means the likes of Neres will cost more than they 'should'.

For this reason alone, we should look elsewhere, as Jay is advocating, Everton Soares ('Cebolinha' as he is known or 'Jimmy 5' in English – a character from the popular 'Monica's Gang' comic strip here in Brazil) is an exciting talent.

Malcom is another Brazilian talent who, despite moving to Barcelona too soon, could well flourish in a new environment.

Unfortunately, Everton seems to have set his heart on Man Utd.

Let's hope Marcel can weave his magic somewhere.

I didn't know the famous Brazilian cartoon character 'Cebolinha' went under the name 'Jimmy 5' in English editions – 'Jimmy 5' for his five strands of hair that look like a sprouting onion, thus his name 'Cebolinha' – 'little onion'.

As you also wrote the other day, the consensus in my social group in Brazil is similar to yours: Brazil is better off without Neymar for the Copa America and with 'Jimmy 5' instead.

This link shows a hybrid cartoon of the footballer and the cartoon character, right down to the footballer being depicted in a Gremio jersey, carrying the blue stuffed rabbit the cartoon character always carries with him.

Link

I wish Richarlison was in his ear, rather than Neres'. Everton's, that is. Not the rabbit.

I guess Barca would only want to loan him though. Or at best sell him with one of their low buy-back clauses.

I'd happily have him as he looks a talent. But the price is an issue. Definitely a risk over-paying for someone on the basis of one decent Champions League campaign (he scored 2 goals and got 2 assists in the Champions League which is less than Vlasic, by the way).

Even now, he hasn't yet played 100 first class games. He's good, but he is nowhere near 㿼 million good, even in this inflated market.

I know people crave for and hope that Brands and Silva can unearth some unknown gems. But such is the thoroughness and scope of nearly all top-level professional clubs these days, no one we sign – whatever age – will be 'unknown' to other clubs.

They all maintain huge global databases of literally thousands of players across all age groups and constantly monitor their progress.

It's almost 'quaint' to hear people humph on here when an alleged Everton target gets 'snatched from under noses' because, whilst we dallied, we alerted the likes of Spurs and West Ham to the player, who were quicker to get the deal done. ALL clubs will 'know' ALL our targets, as we will be equally aware of theirs.

Sam, I'm with you on Malcom. Extravagant talent, lightning quick and can shoot from anywhere. But Valverde ignored him for a reason, and not just because the club stole him from Roma without asking him -- Malcom is a defensive disaster. Makes no effort at all going back. He'd have a great deal to learn before he could be effective in the Premier League.

He certainly has talent and, at a price of 㿏-㿔M, I would be pleased with the signing. I don't think he has proven worth above this yet.

If we are talking 㿨m and above, I'd rather we looked at different players who I think would be ready to join and make a big difference to our team. Lozano would fit the bill here. Or a double swoop for Berardi and Belotti.

NOT that other clubs will 'know' EXACTLY who we are trying to purchase 'cos they got a glimpse of our shopping list scribbled on the back of an envelope.

But even that does become known once we start negotiating with agents and the selling club. It's not in the player's agent or his selling club's interests to sell in secret to the first club that makes an offer.

All parties on t'other side benefit from having a bidding war for the player. So if any club bids for any player, word will quickly get out to flush out other potential interested parties.

To believe otherwise would be naive.

Or, they've recently had a 'falling out' and to spite his old fella, he has expressed a desire to join Man Utd? Well, it could have been a lot worse – wanting to be a RS!

There's been a lengthy discussion on this subject before. I dint think we got a definitive answer. Seems to be a popular name in Brazil and the West Indies.

I found this on Google: Significa “o que vem da cidade dos javalis”; “corajoso”, “bravo” ou “resistente”. Everton tem origem no inglês arcaico Eofor tun e era um sobrenome.

Translation: "Meaning "what came from the city of the boar", "couragous", "brave", or "resistance". Everton comes from 'Eofor tun' in Archaic English and was a surname.

Probably a result of colonialism.

Until Richarilson arrived at Everton, no-one here knew who we were. It's quite amazing how now, the same people who just a year back said 'Everton quem? Nunca ouvi falar' when I said who I supported, now say "Ah Everton, time bom, gosto deles". (From "Everton who, never heard of them" to "Oh Everton, Good team, I like them.")

You never know, Fran, he might be more of an asset than we ever imagined.

I'm just trying not to get too hopeful as these players have a habit of looking like we can sign them and ending up elsewhere. I'm spending all day everyday hitting refresh on news about this lad. I can't remember the last time I was so excited about a potential signing.

Fingers and toes crossed here.

Edit: since Kanchelskis. He's a Kanchelskis-level signing and that's the last time I was this excited about an incoming player.

We can tell Moshiri it's a good investment for the Club and it's future.

Moshiri, scratching his head, saying something like, "I'm sure some Dutch prick said the same thing to me some time ago. Now let me see, can we afford it?"

[Picking up the telephone:] "Alisher, I have an offer you can't refuse." :-)

The question many pose is if he is worth the rumoured 㿼 million.

Now 㿼 million may well be a tabloid-inflated price, but if it isn't, my opinion is that he most definitely is not worth that figure at this stage of his fledgeling career.

There is better value on proven quality out there, rather than the still – as yet – promising potential of Neres.

Think back to pre-Premier League Chelsea FC. They were a despicable club. No real history, no real success, famous only for their hooligans. But over the years they have become a glamour club, fitting in with the glamorous place they are named after. So what impact has the name gaining popularity had in that respect?

In terms of Everton, there's only one place called Everton. The name is a reference to the place, whether people know it or not. There's a sizeable contingent in the Caribbean, descendants of freed slaves who took the name.

Everton also toured South America and left their mark in Chile, Argentina and of course Brazil. Without Everton FC, Everton Soares would have a different name. whether he knows it or not, he's named after the place in Liverpool that the club is named after.

So, with the rise of popularity of Everton as a name, a bit of wealth in the club, some glamorous players and a more glamorous style of football? Could we be set for a change in perception of the club in the same way as Chelsea experienced? (Albeit we'd be returning to our glamorous past rather than a complete reinvention like Chelsea?).

This is just one of many things I was thinking about during my recent cycling holiday where I spent 6 hours a day on the bike!

Neres, a Champions League Semi-Finalist, would be one hell of a statement. There are so many rumours that he's about to sign right now, it's difficult not to get carried away. Everton Soares has been mostly linked with Man Utd and that's not a fight we could win. Beating Arsenal to Neres is one I think we could win.

In saying that, I hear a lot of things! And I'd sooner you tell us how your bike ride went, because that's one hell of an achievement you have just completed, mate, if indeed you went the whole distance, which must have been torture at times?

As I said earlier in this thread, the transfer fee attributed to Neres – be it in Euros or pounds (not a great disparity, these days...) – appears to be a case of think of a number, double it, and start a football rumour.

I don't follow your (IMO) flawed logic in seemingly viewing Neres as a 'world-class player' that could 'change everything' about, presumably, how Everton is perceived in the football world.

For one, Neres would not be a marquee signing of an established world-class player. He still represents raw, largely unproven, potential.

It's also flawed that you describe it as our possible 'Robinho moment', effectively bracketing us with Man City.

As you yourself acknowledge, Robinho was a flop. If anything, it made Man City the laughing stock of the football world at the time: noveau riche wannabes, an easy touch to be had when they came in for your players.

We are not in Man City's league to do what they did: able to throw as much money as they liked, on as many players as they desired, which would inevitably, eventually, pay dividends for them. We still have to be very careful with our money, all the more so given the Koeman - Walsh signings we are still encumbered with.

Neres, you say, is a Champions League semi-finalist and so would be 'one hell of a statement'. Sorry, but that's a pretty hollow statement. It could be said David Klaassen went one step further and contested a European final. That didn't end well for Everton.

If you think playing as a losing semi-finalist in the Champions League (in which Neres really didn't make much of an impression) is worthy of mention, how about Everton Soares at a younger age than Neres playing in the final of the South American equivalent of the Champions League – the Libertadores – and winning the trophy with Gremio in 2017?

Or going on to contest the subsequent World Club Championship in which Everton Soares scored the winning goal in the semi-final to guarantee Gremio's place in the final against Real Madrid, in which Soares also featured in losing narrowly 1-0?

Finally, I don't get your final contradictory statement, all the more so that we are talking about mere rumours. How does it work that beating Man Utd to the signing of Everton Soares is 'a fight we could not win', but beating Arsenal to Neres is?

Did Neres really star in the Champions League though? Ajax did very well admittedly but he was not one of the top 5 or 6 players in that team by my reckoning. He ended that tournament with 2 goals and 2 assists in 10 games. Less than Nikola Vlasic.

Taking a player from a team who has had a good European run does not always end well, as Jay points out with the Klaassen comparison.

I like Neres as a player. He looks a talent. But he's not yet at the level Robinho was and my worry is that we overpay for a youngster because he is Brazilian and part of a team that won some hearts last year.

If we can get him for 㿅-30m then great but I'm not sure that's likely given Ajax have little need to sell. Much more than that and I reckon we are paying for hype primarily.

No matter who it is, I'm glad we're being linked with players of this ilk – pace, skill, goalscoring ability and unlimited potential. Far better than those who think our manager is Roy Hodgson, the year is 1999, and that Alexandre Mitrovic is the answer to our prayers.

Whether Robinho made Man City a laughing stock is a matter of debate. I would argue it opened the doors to all the transfers that followed. He was known around the world and other players noted he went to Man City and then heard about the wages, and so others then followed him thinking they would have a bit of that.

If you disagree, Jay, well that's your opinion and I ain't getting into a debate on it.

Sam, there's a hell of a difference between the Europa League and the Champions League. If you look beyond the statistics, then Neres was the most exciting player in that Ajax team, for me at least. He's the player I would have selected for us to sign. I would also welcome Donny van de Beek as a Gueye replacement, as he was the unsung hero of that team.

Tony, it went alright mate. I did 1,500 miles training this year (as opposed to 500 in years gone past), including the 175 miles on the coast to coast when I raised some cash for charity. We went to Girona and rode over all the big hills / mountains.

There's a nifty little smart phone app called Relive which shows a speeded up replay of the rides with you as a yellow dot (in the style of the Tour De France stage previews) that's fun to watch and you can see where I went and where my friends cycling where in relation to me.

I suffered a crash on Friday, where I was extremely lucky to walk away relatively unscathed. I had been trying to cycle safely (new expensive bike) and was braking heavily into corners (reducing speeds from 40-50 mph down to 15-20 mph). The brakes heated the wheels and the wheels heated the tyres and inner-tube and on one such corner my inner-tube exploded. I was taking the corner like a motorcyclist and leaning into it, The explosion sent the bike up in the air and I fell onto my head and shoulder. The helmet took the brunt of it, cracking in four places. My shoulder took the blow well and didn't snap my collar bone. I also landed heavily on my hip, and whilst my clothing stood up to the subsequent slide across the tarmac, I did suffer a load of "road rash" to the same hip. I've been limping along since Friday and couldn't cycle on the Saturday, missing my last chance to do the Rococorba (having abandoned on the Tuesday after my rear derailleur snapped). There's not a mark on my head or face, despite landing on it, and not even so much as a headache, but I have a stiff neck from whiplash.

Moral of the story is always wear a helmet. It might save your life, or prevent serious injury. If you want to see the Relive videos, I'll stick them on my Twitter.

Gotta say that every bicyclist I know has a "wipeout" story to tell -- some of them two or three -- and most of them come with surgical scars and slings, not happy endings like yours. That's why I opt for walking/hiking instead. You can't go over the handlebars when you're walking.

I do own a bike, but it has flat tires and cobwebs. I got scared off once too often.

As for Neres, I do think he's exciting but I'd certainly take De Ligt or De Jong over him! Possibly Ziyech and De Beek too.

My worry is that he may not have the work rate to suit Silva's system and physically he's obviously quite diminutive. Is he really that much better than someone like Lookman?

Personally I quite like the look of Malcom as his long-range shooting is great and he looks to me like more of a playmaker, with genuine vision.

I think we'd be very lucky to have either!

Never a truer word said. Keen cyclist myself and I have been run off the road by a motorist in Frankby on the Wirral and had my helmet save my life in a crash while overtaking another cyclist who didn't know his left from his right when I shouted "Coming through on your right."

He veered right, instead of keeping his line or moving left, and I went A over T into a thick wooden fence hitting the back of my head (helmeted) and split the helmet at the site of the impact. Had I not been wearing a helmet, that fence would have been very badly damaged, I can tell you.

In regards to Everton, wouldn't call him a shiny new toy, but another product of what I consider one of the best footballing teams in Latin America over the last few years.

Winners of the Libertadores 2 years ago, and were robbed in the semi-final against River last season. They are possibly the only team in the Brasilian Serie A that is actually enjoyable to watch. Their last export was Artur, who is doing well at Barcelona.

They have 3 players I would consider – Everton, Luan (who has long been touted for a move to Europe, heavily linked with our neighbours during a period) and Matheus Henrique. The former 2 being attackers, and the latter being a creative midfielder. Their 28-year-old Argentinian defender Kannermann would also be a decent punt if we lose Zouma.

As for your comments addressed to me - yup! My opinion is not fully aligned with the one you expressed in the earlier post I replied to. And..?

As Andrew Keatley replied to you on another thread, presuming people know less than you because they are not in agreement with you is - as Andrew wrote - a bit insulting, really. To that I can add pompous.

Again, in addressing me, you make some very strange claims. I've consistently acknowledged Neres is talented in this thread. I wrote with reasoned counters to temper your evident enthusiasm for him and suggested he still constitutes potential and cannot yet be regarded as 'world class' as you labelled him, especially at the rumoured prices.

How my humble opinion expressed to you here on TW extends to "clearly, he is not as well regarded in Brazil" is a contrivance on your part. I'm not THAT influential in my adopted land! Your claim is not the case. Neres IS highly regarded in Brazil - including by me! Brazilians CONSTANTLY big up their own players, particularly those plying their trade in Europe, ever hopeful of uncovering the latest Ronaldo, Ronaldinho or Kaka.

As for your (deliberately provocative, I fancy) throwaway comment that you consider Everton Soares is "the shiny new toy rather than the real deal", well...where to start?

Can you not see the absurdity and hypocrisy of that statement, all the more so that you add you would "need to see more of him", given that on the other thread you sniffily presume people have not seen enough of Carvalho to make any judgement call on him?

The same derisory comment you make against Soares can be thrown right back at you with regard to Neres: he is your 'shiny new toy'.

Following Friday's opener of the Copa America, the consensus of the commentators was universal: Everton Soares did more and carried a greater threat in the 10 minutes he was on the pitch - including scoring the best goal of the match - than the man he substituted, David Neres, did in 80 minutes.

There is a genuine debate (something you don't appear keen on) as to which is the best option for today's game against Venezuela, but the whisper is that Tite will persist with the same frontline - Neres, Firmino and Richarlison - in his starting XI.

Whoever plays, I will be watching with interest hoping either or both play to the level I believe they are capable of. Heaven knows, the Brazilian national team is in desperate need of new and real heroes, because Neymar ain't it and never will be.

Those making comments on his lack of pace and immobility were making MotD type observations. Clearly they were very wrong as any sporting fan would say. It's not an opinion, it's a fact. It's like when people said Jags was slow and then he was clocked on the speed gun as the fastest in the league. Unfortunately, there's no speed gun for Carvalho, and whilst he's no Bolt, he's not slow. Lazy comments based on snap judgements. Yours should be a more considered opinion being a sporting fan and you should be able to corroborate what he's capable of.

As for Neres and Soares – I stand by what I said and will discuss it no further as I can't be bothered getting into another long-running debate with you.

Thanks for the well wishes guys. Healing up quickly, all things considered.

I probably look a dick in my cycle helmet, Steve, but I always wear it. Had a mate years ago who had a tyre burst coming down the Horseshoe Pass into Llangollen caused by brake shoes on tyre – he almost took the rest of us with him.

Good luck, mate.

I'm on strong pain meds right now, but I'm getting more movement back everyday and hope to be back to normal soon. Bike's okay too, but needs some repairs (front wheel has rim damage, bar tape, rear mech and tyre). I got a 40% reduction on a new one as it was crash damage (Specialized policy).

However, regarding Carvalho, I don't know what a "MotD type observation" is, but I've watched him play many times, and I still think he's about two steps quicker than your average glacier.

Actually, I have only recently purchased a bike, after many years of car and motorcycles, more for fitness reasons and leisure.

Brent, so that was you I saw the other day! :-)

Although Ray Roche keeps telling me I need to see a trick cyclist. :-)

It sounds like you've had a great time, and although you never felt lucky, you definitely was mate, because, if your helmet was cracked in four places. I'm not sure you would have been posting on T/W anymore, Steve, even if this accident has made you a little bit pompous!

'Moral of the story is always wear a helmet'

Moral of the story is 'concentrate on the job in hand'

6 Hours in the saddle is impressive, thinking about the state of the transfer market is daft – while riding a bike at 40/50 mph ?? There are three recent instances of 'professional' riders coming to grief and from what I see it was their own fault.

Stick to the day job – would be my advice – there is no defence for showing off, especially at ridiculous speeds!!

As far as Neres is concerned, it would be good to sign him.

As for showing off, not sure what you mean? This is my first tumble on the bike since 2009 and that was a minor one due to sand on a corner. Not sure what you expect me to do, walk back down the mountain? I've descended hundreds of times and never came close to an incident, the incident was caused by excessive braking and had I descended like a nutcase I would not have had an exploded innertube.

As for the Professionals, well it is a very dangerous sport and has one of the higher fatality rates. They take risks at high speeds for the glory, and risks can result in serious injury, like what happened to Chris Froome. Note that despite his crash, and all the injuries he suffered, there was not a mark on his head or face, as once again, the helmet did it's job.

I don't know - I have bikes in various places. If it was in Southport where I live then I would have been on the local bike?

I remember you writing once that you promised your Dad you would improve your fitness – it sounds like you have been more than true to your word. Nice one.

I think one of the best signings we have made recently was Marcel Brands, the guy has only been with us a year and in that relatively short time has shipped quite a few out, albeit temporarily in most cases and not made one bad incoming signing.

He knows the Football World, and how these Transfers work with their agents, with a few he has a working rapport. Personally look forward to seeing who else he manages to get shut of, and who else he manages to get through the door.

Not sounding ungrateful in the case of Andre Gomes, but there was little chance he was going to go anywhere else but Everton, and I'm glad he is on board at the right price.

Richarlison looks lively, one good shot saved. But not influencing much and little space in a tight venezuela defence.

On a side note, Firmino is annonymous, and ex red Coutinho looks a shadow of the player he was. Awful.

Richarlison looks lively, one good shot saved. But not influencing much and little space in a tight venezuela defence.

On a side note, Firmino is annonymous, and ex red Coutinho looks a shadow of the player he was. Awful.

Mind you wasn't the opener against Bolivia a bit quiet first half too, then they seemed to go up a gear?

I am slightly biased of course.

Brazil once again very ordinary as they have been since the WC in Russia last summer.

It wasn't blue tinted glasses Derek which made you question replacing Richarlison with Jesus at halftime. Our boy was again the most lively forward or midfield player, showing good movement and high energy. He was the only one to draw a save from the keeper.

Maybe Tite's idea was that Firmino and Jesus would unlock the Venezuelan defence by them linking up down the middle. It only made it easier for Venezuela to defend.

But unless Richarlison picked up a knock - and there is no mention or suggestion of one - why he was sacrificed and not Neres was strange.

Because in that 1st half Neres was three times clear on goal coming in from the left and either shot wide or crossed wildly on each opening.

The loudest chant on the night came after an hour with the stadium chanting Cebolinha's name and he was finally introduced for Neres with 25 minutes to go.

He brilliantly created the 'goal' for Coutinho, but it was rightly ruled off for offside with Firmino being directly in front of Coutinho as he scored.

Brazil roundly booed during and after the game. The first home game in 5 years they have failed to score.

Their problem is in midfield. There is little or no creativity with Coutinho, Casimiro and Artur all looking very pedestrian.

Very poor showing.

Do you thinks this is a case of gross negligence me lud?

The defendant was descending at high speed, indeed the law of physics states that what goes up high, will come down at speed. If me lud recalls, it was Newton that was hit on the nut with a pomme - should he have been wearing his helmet there is a fair chance that the law of gravity would still be something of a mystery.

Braking heavily is not a recommended way of coming to a halt, and I put it to you me lud, this again shows the defendant guilty of braking, nay breaking the fundamental rule of safety in charge of a bicycle. Indeed if the defendant was travelling at the speeds he claims his first consideration should have been 'how the fuck am I going to stop this without blowing my own trumpet or my inner-tube.

I put it to you - if the defendant had shown a modicum of nous he would not have been travelling in such a reckless manner, so high up in the mountain, knowing full well that the only way was down and without controlling his speed to that which his tyres could cope with the extreme heat generated.

I put it to you me lud, that not only was the defendant not in control of his bicycle, neither was he in control of his bowels. In shorts me lud he probably shit himself.