O Guerreiro

My spurs supporting mate doesn't see Richy's appeal, probably because the high level stats don't reflect his unbelievable dedication and work rate. And my worry is that because of this perception we won't get his true value.

And (sadly) I agree, couldn't blame him if he goes, but I will be very sad to see it.

But Richarlison and Pickford, kept EFC, in this League last season.

I hope he goes abroad, if he's agreed to be sold, but I still hold on for a car boot sale of deadwood, and supplement incoming transfer funds, for the Everton rebuild.

Michael Keane, and Tark, at CBSs no way ?

But I'll be pissed off, if Richarlison, goes, as he plays for the shirt, yes not always on his feet, but he gives his all, for Evertonians.

In truth every player should have the same virtues, playing for EFC.

As it is, it looks a very unclear preseason in terms of the club, stability, as it stands, until, EFC, makes a statement, and I really hope the rumours are rumours, as going to a set up, similar to the Stallone era, of involvement, Planet Hollywood Restaurants etc, and that time, is going no where, for EFC, in 2022.

But let's see, what the club and media, publish.

Surely lessons learnt?

UTFT!

Whoever he goes to, will get a great player. I just hope he doesn't go to Spurs, as I can't see were he fits in there with Kane, Son and Kulashevski. I'd hate to see him as, a bench warmer and bit part player. That would be a total waste of his talent.

Good Luck Richy. Just remember we would love you to stay.

Very well put. He's a divisive player in a sense with fans (Derek Knox) and detractors. But you homed in on his key attribute: heart, which is why he's more loved by so many relative to past players of similar ability and output. He was a key figure in the n our survival maybe along with Pickford just one of two who made a difference.

If money was no object then I'd keep him long term a la Hibbert. But if we stay as we are another relegation battle is on the horizon bearing in mind we're weaker than we were with out of contract departures. I hope then that he or DCL go for an inflated price and Lampard and Kev do something no one has done since Moyes the summer Rooney left — improve us while making a profit.

A strange player, I can't readily think of anyone similar down the years. I hope he does very well in a better team.

I love the guy. His frowning and frustration? It's because he cares. And I'd be pissed if I was being targeted and blatantly getting lumps kicked out of me with little protection from the officials. If that was Mo Salad; just don't start me.

He just wants to play football, literally all of the time. And he has a bond with Everton that will never be broken regardless of what happens this summer.

If he goes, I hope it's to the continent as I wouldn't like to see him play for another Premier League team. Not that he wouldn't be welcome back - he always will be.

I've posted before, but there's a great YouTube clip of him and Mina at a local school dancing with the kids. He's passionate, he cares. I don't know him, but he strikes me as a humble person who is grateful for the fate he was afforded. Not your stereotypical modern footballer. If he does go, it's a shame, because I think Lampard is a good match for him to be mentored under.

I often look on in surprise when people criticise foreign players and South Americans in particular. Not tough enough. Won't like it when it's cold. Rainy nights in Stoke etc.

These lads come from tougher backgrounds than we can imagine and real, extreme poverty than we can't imagine.

For me, he'll always have a place in our hearts. And I know we will always have one in his.

I still view him a modern forward rather than a striker or left winger.

Playing high up the pitch in a fluid front three he could score lots of goals. His attitude, determination, work rate and skill will be an asset to any team in world football.

For us, he's done one for the team tracking back down the left flank but it's not done him any favours.

And I don't see much of a partnership with DCL either. They don't really suit each other's game.

I'd love him to stay but this is almost certainly the summer when he moves on.

We've been blessed to have him, he's been a much needed conduit to restoring pride as an Evertonian. He's defiant and has a never say die attitude, and really I think that those attributes are what perfectly coincide with what it means to be an Evertonian.

There's not many players who go with best wishes and continued love of supporters. Richie is in that esteemed group. Wherever he goes I will be supporting him too, and hoping he does well. Unless he is playing us that is, in the 2023-24 Champions League.

Sorry, I'll get my coat.

With the exception of Rooney he is destined to join the list from this parish who become bit part players at "proper" football clubs he has too many flaws to be a genuinely top player.

I know some have a go about sometimes going down to easy, but I was listening to Tim Vickery a journalist who lives and works in Brazil, and he said the generation that grew up playing futsal is the reason why so many Brazilians go down easy.

I genuinely believe without Richarlison we would have been relegated, and for that we will always be indebted him for that. Lyndon also talks about Richarlison the man, I have read so many stories of his kindness to young Blues fans. either giving away his boots to a boy who waved walking past his house, or the many gestures he has made to all the fans. He may not have been the most talented player I have seen in a Blue shirt, but for sheer commitment to the cause then he was right up there. I would love him to stay but I can also understand his desire to want to play Champions league football. He is Brazils current Centre Forward and I can think of another who played in that position for Brazil who didnt play in the Champions league.

So if he goes I wish him all the luck in the world.

Richarlison certainly won me over. I will admit that he frustrated me at times with his droopy shoulders and unhappy face, but it turns out they were signs of frustration rather than disinterest. He stepped up to the plate when we really needed it, and we will always be grateful to him for the memories he provided for us.

I suspect he will leave because of that fierce ambition within him. If so, I hope it is to Real Madrid, where we would probably never have to see him play against us, the manager would be good for him, and he might just continue to torment this season's Champions League losing finalists.

There was only one game last season where I suspecyed Richarlison wasn't as bothered as he normally is. Normally a 90-minute guy, playing wherever he's asked, to do whatever job he's asked.

The falling-over antics detract from the actual physical punishment the guy takes. A bit of rolling over and he's up and at 'em again. Never wants to come off.

Do we have anybody else who covers so much ground? From penalty box to penalty box before you can sing "Oh, we hate Bill Shankly and we hate St John...".

I wish we could keep him.

But he never gives up, whatever, you say about him, he doesn't disappear from games. He's constantly running and chasing, even his theatrical diving, which so annoys opposition teams and fans, is part of that desire.

I think he epitomises the new breed of South American players, think Luis Suarez, they give their all, including cheating, diving, theatricals, but they are beloved by their own supporters.

If he goes, he will be missed undoubtedly; he isn't a great player or a particularly gifted one, but he is a warrior and Calvert-Lewin could learn a lot from him.

Not many would agree with you; I'm one of them that do. I suppose that makes us fans that are not very knowledgable about football players like Richarlison.

He's been my favourite player for a long, long time. You don't become a Brazil regular for nothing. For me (with Grealish worth £100M) he's worth £90M. An awesome player that we as fans and the team will miss.

That might stop him from breaking into the Brazil national side as well.

I guess it depends what you mean by a "genuinely" top player.

I think Richarlison would stay, and until the proposed takeover is either done or dead in the water, I would not even consider selling him. Why would anyone want to sell their excellent Brazilian goal scorer? Quirks aside!

Irrespective of our current financial status, there is always a ways and means. Top six clubs must be massaging the figures for FFP rules, and therefore, we should not be alone in having the books forensically examined.

If the takeover goes ahead and we keep our best players and add other quality players to them, then it can only mean a better league position at least. This can be partially funded by getting the dross off our books.

I love watching our training sessions. He is always laughing, joking especially with Yerry and Allan and in the past with Bernard. This is a side the media do not see. They only see his game-face.

I hope he stays. (I'd rather see Calvert-Lewin go.) I hope he has a good World Cup v Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon but, if he goes, I hope he joins Carlo at Real Madrid.

Viva Richie!

To those who seek to diminish his worth to the club, I ask, would we find anyone better given our situation? Of course not.

Is he a fabulous footballer who makes you drool with his skill? Rarely, it's true… but if we had 5 such players, we would be playing in Europe next season.

He is Brazilian. He is ours. He is as proud of us as we are of him. He rarely goes missing, and always pops up in the right places when we attack.

He has a love for Everton, for its fans. He deserves his chance at the top clubs in Europe. If he goes, he goes with the applause of every Blue, thanks to, for without him we would have been lost.

Any replacement will find his boots very big. I wish he would stay, because after the World Cup, he will have the pick of the best clubs to parade a World Cup Winners medal at. Hang in there, Richy, just another season..

Excellent – any opportunity to eulogise our great Brazilian.

The BBC piece from a month or so ago should be essential reading for all Blues, and indeed football fans generally. He is without doubt a top bloke.

And the fact other teams' fans don't like him is reason enough for us to adore him (although cutting down on the theatrics just a little bit wouldn't hurt).

He's surely in the Everton tradition of great players in poor teams dragging the club along by sheer force of will and personality. Names like Cahill, Lyons and Hickson spring to mind.

What's he worth? Over £100M to us because otherwise our fixture list for next season would be looking very different indeed.

Please let O Guerreiro stay a little longer.

Tchau!

These days, it seems that once a player enters the last 2 years of his contract, then the talk is of recovering any value his transfer would have which seems a must for a club in Everton's financial position, if not just a matter of course given the money in the game these days.

Have Everton offered him a new, improved contract or would that be seen as forcing the issue and if not should anything be read into that? We live in interesting times.

It's a shame we could not build a better team and squad around him.

He is one of our few players who would get consistent minutes at most of the clubs above us.

I'll be sad to see him go but this summer, with a big rebuild needed, feels the right time for me and in some ways I think he would be easier to replace than (a fit) Calvert-Lewin.

£60M minimum and he goes with our thanks.

I don't buy it to be honest. If you're a quick and tricky player moving at pace in the modern game, the slightest brush will send you tumbling. It's hardly as if either go down as dramatically as though they've been shot by the sniper that seems to shoot Salah on a weekly basis. But then us and officials have never been a good match, whereas that lot seem to have some sort of agreement in place.

Like Richarlison, Gordon gets targeted and kicked on a regular basis. And like Richarlison, he is being ignored by officials because he is perhaps developing a reputation?

As others have alluded to, it's a complement. It's respect. If they fear you, it means they respect you and target you.

Maybe Anthony gets off lightly from us because he is one of us? But so is Richarlison now. For life wherever he may go.

He gets booted up and down the park every game but gets up, dusts himself down, and carries on. Doesn't help when you've got pundits like Spit the Dog calling him out.

If we had 6 or 7 more with his heart, we wouldn't have had to go through the nightmare of the last couple of months of the season.

Him and Pickford single-handedly kept us up. And for that, if he does go, he'll go with everyone's blessing. Just hope it's not Spurs.

In many respects, he has carried the team over the last four seasons, always giving 100% and scoring some vital goals. He has also been one of the best tacklers in the team.

I wish him well.

That's one reason why we are stuck with the never clubs, if they're Top 6 class, they're off and who can blame them?

The way the Premier League is now structured, we are in a straight jacket, the usual Top 6 clubs have too much of an advantage over the rest of us.

It might have been best if they had buggered off and formed their Super League.

Which comes first, Everton qualifying for group stages, winning the League Cup, or Liverpool being relegated?

For many of us have great expectations of the world class players we should buy, of the rising stars who command a fortune and are destined for the top clubs. We are no longer at the top table, if we have or develop a star, we cannot keep them. We are resigned to it.

That is the biggest condemnation of the club I love. It is the legacy of one man, one whose love for the club fueled his ego as he fiddled while Rome burnt.

Now, as sharks circle, trying to take a bite out of our club, a player of international standing contemplates leaving the club to better his career.

It's come to this once more. No longer can Kenwright wring his hands and blame a lack of funding, opportunity wasted, a price to be paid. But it won't be the board, it will be the fans, it will be the sale of our better players to make up for the sheer bloody-minded incompetence of those running the club.

Replaced with free transfers, or loans once more. Our hopes squandered as we blithely accept the probable transfer of one of the very, very few, who gave all he had for the club.

One cannot blame him; no, that responsibility lies somewhere else...

The biggest surprise about this? After Watford's bite, we'll make about £10-15M profit. Moyes wouldn't have got out of bed for that, and this is on our best signing arguably.

His personality is why we will all regret his leaving, his attitude. But he's not kicked on the way we thought; he doesn't do assists, he's not prolific.

The real fear in his leaving is we blow the money on dross, like we usually do.

To never be given a transfer budget, and to build a team worth well over a £100million, and to have that club as ordered as it was, is a huge testimony to his managerial talent (without discussing at all the style of footy).

Given we've subsequently spent half a billion to be put in an immeasurably worse position shows very clearly the value he brought, to the Teary One above all. No wonder he was always greasing up to him.

I wasn't aware that Richarlison was into 'pigeon-holding'. I always thought that was the big fellow's domain... Still, I could be wrong!!

We will break free from that straight-jacket, Raymond.

Moyes did have a decent tenure, Kevin. I get what you're saying in the context of what just happened, but just good. Good enough in his early years at the time, but not good enough for my club over time. For me, looking back, a period where we accepted mediocrity as success.

We are better than that. We are Everton and Everton expects better. I do and always will.

Call me a fool, but then you could have said that about Manchester City fans 20 years ago when they were in the 3rd tier of English football expecting more.

For me, though, the best football to watch was either on the beach, the gravel pitches scattered all over the cities, and also the indoor futsal. These places are where the kids learn their silky skills and it is truly remarkable how many of them are comfortable with the ball even at a young age.

Control of the ball seems effortless and yet, even there in that football mad world, the game is changing slowly to a more workmanlike defense-orientated type of football we have been watching in the UK for many years.

I think it started in the Dunga era where players of his ilk where preferred to the more flamboyant players for the national team as they realized winning was more important than entertaining. I think Richarlison is a product of this kind of player emerging in Brazil and other South American countries.

I read a great story in a sports journal called Lance. My girlfriend worked there so I got a free copy every day. Anyway, this story went on to say that there was so much corruption in Brazilian football that a lot of average players were getting called up to national level.

At that time, for a Brazilian player to go overseas and play football, they had to have been involved at some national level for a certain period of time. Inevitably this allowed the players to become noticed by foreign teams as well as obviously giving them hope to get out of poverty and earn some money for their families.

It was stated that there were 1,460 Brazilian players playing professional football worldwide although most of them were certainly not at a great level and playing in places like Iceland, Russia etc and also in very small places like Cyprus and even the Faro Islands.

Most of these players came from tough upbringings in the favelas (shanty towns) but even so, this would have been uncomfortable for any Brazilian who was used to constant sunshine if nothing else.

However, they loved playing football, hoped to be picked up by bigger clubs and most of all their wages were sent home to keep their families going.

The corruption side of it was that these players went overseas for inflated fees and this money was shared amongst managers, coaches and football executives throughout the Brazilian game. Nothing new about corruption in Brazil as I've witnessed that first hand.

Back to our Richarlison. He has infuriated me sometimes with his theatrics. I know I would despise him if he were doing this against us and it has been mentioned about our own Kirkdale boy, Anthony Gordon, throwing himself around. I really hate this behavior and hope Frank Lampard gets onto him about it or anyone else for that matter.

So Richarlison has gone beyond his duty in rescuing us from certain relegation. He's not perfect with his dribbling and passing but he makes up for that with his sheer effort, goals and assists.

I personally would not allow him to leave because given our restrictions right now he is in fact irreplaceable. We need two top players close to him to allow him to flourish. If we have not improved next season, then give him his wish. Without his goals and teamwork, though, we will go down.

He's a bit of a loner I think but he certainly has mental toughness to have got this far in life, so we have to love him for that.

Well I'm nearly 58 and I've got that iconic photo of him with the flare on my phone so – whether he leaves or not – that's staying because I love it.

His valuation by the club will be far higher, and if no club matches it, then he will be wearing an Everton shirt next season.

I suppose I am calling for greater understanding for the circumstances under which he operated. Not having any money except what you generate by selling players is a hell of a thing if you're competing in the Premier League. You can see where he dug out that "knife to a gunfight" reference from.

We can see now how easy it is to burn through serious money, Let's not also forget when we are trying to excuse Moshiri that he burnt right through that golden legacy. Not only did he waste some of his mate's dosh, he also went through the Lukaku, Barkley, Stones golden axis like a dose of salts. And he did it so carelessly.

It took Moyes 13 years to build up a valuable squad, he went through it in 18 months.

But to outperform our financial position it will take:

- a proper recruitment strategy (such as buying players like Richarlison at source in Brazil rather than paying a hefty Premier League premium).

- an outstanding academy that delivers a decent conveyor belt of talent to the first team.

If we get this right then our moment will come.

"Comfortable with the ball."

That says it all. They are taught to like and want the football. Care for it, not be afraid of it.

In this country, we have too much emphasis on "get rid" and too many young players who are taught to fear the football. The hot potato that needs to be passed on quickly to be someone else's problem. "Rabbits in headlights" springs to mind.

Kevin, you'll have to excuse me. I always play Devil's Advocate with Moyes and have many debates with my Moyes generation brother. For the record, I genuinely appreciated the job he did in the earlier part of his reign, but I also look at how he played down expectation and convinced a generation that average was good enough. The lost generation.

I'm no Moyes basher, but it's a Moyes tactic. He's done it at West Ham. Once the chance of Champion's League qualification was on, he bottled it and talked it down. That attitude must surely resonate through the squad? It's like he's afraid of success unless it happens by chance.

Post 50 years old, I may be approaching the 'old fool' category, but I expect Everton to challenge and win things. That belief will never go away, regardless of who tells me it's unrealistic. We can and we will.

Him and Kenwright were made for each other and played off each other. Keep the natives happy with their lot. In hindsight, obviously.

But what I don't want to happen is that fantastic young fanbase I stood amongst lose the passion and faith they demonstrated last season.

When I was their age, it was easy as we took 2 and nearly a 3rd league title as well as an FA Cup and European trophy.

Those kids showed more passion and belief in the most difficult of circumstances. I'm not going play down their expectation, I'll talk it up. They should expect Everton to challenge. I have the same expectation now as I did then.

But as Mrs Danny says, I'm still Danny aged 7 when it comes to Everton!!

He tried to dismantle his own "legacy". Also when at Man Utd, he tried to steal Baines and Fellaini for next to nothing.

I'll never forgive and forget his answer to the journalist who asked him: "What does it mean to be Man Utd manager?"

His reply: "It means I can go out and finally try to win a match" or words to that effect.

If Richarlison was playing for him then, he would have turned him into a headless-chicken channel-runner, that I'm convinced of.

Me personally, I couldn't stand him but, once again, my idea of Everton FC is different to a lot of happy clappers who, I suppose – after the last five managers – crave for a Moyes-type of 'success'. Not me.

Your comment about Richarlison being a "loner" (I assume you mean on the pitch, since he's obviously immensely popular with his teammates in training and the locker room) brings out an interesting mystery.

Up front we have two players who both give relentless effort to overcome certain skill limitations, yet they don't play together particularly well. Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin rarely set each other up for goals or work off each other to create openings. Why not? It's certainly not a lack of desire or commitment -- perhaps it's just that their differing styles don't mesh well. Or perhaps it's been the lack of a quality #10 to help them link. Either way, they tend to be unconnected up top -- "loner" is a good word for each.

If those two ever develop a working relationship like Kane and Son, for example, who each know where the other is at all times without looking, they could be a potent strike force. I hope we have the chance to find out this season with a healthy Dom and a still-Blue Richie working together for 30-35 games. Could be fun.

If you are suggesting Calvert-Lewin gives relentless effort, then I'm sorry my mate, you must be watching a different player to the one I'm watching.

If we can't get the right money for him, I think we should keep him. After all, he still has 2 years to run on his contract. If we could surround him with a few more quality players over the summer, we would be nobody's pushovers next season.

I know we are in the last chance saloon regarding money but who knows, another good season from him and his value could go up even further. My big worry is we sell him cheaply and can't replace him… Shades of Lukaku.

I know he's not prolific but who's out there who could replace him for what we can afford to pay? Especially with his work ethic, enthusiasm, and love for the club?

I don't think he will go to Spurs. He is likely only going to be a squad player there and will need to be playing regularly to guarantee being selected for the World Cup. Chelsea… maybe, as they are now sniffing around.

But please, Everton, if he has to go, sell him for what he is worth or not at all.

I think it's because Richarlison is just not a winger. He's really a striker who starts from a left-wing position.

I think Calvert-Lewin needs wingers or playmakers to supply crosses (or supply the full-backs to supply crosses).

I think Richarlison needs more technical, fluid forwards alongside him who will drop deep and wide (rather than stay put as Calvert-Lewin does) to create space and play passes to find his runs from wide into the centre.

I dare say they could work as a partnership with a quality Number 10 and a quality right-wing forward or playmaker.

But that is probably one for the past now as I strongly expect Richarlison will leave.

If Calvert-Lewin stays, the team needs to be organised to deliver crosses – with Alli getting into the box to support him.

Dom won 15 aerial duels against Palace. 15. Lost zero. That's insane.

And he's not a radio tower like Ibra or Crouch or Bas Dost -- he's only 6'2". So he wins on pure effort, not height.

I also see that when he's healthy, which we never saw after the first four games of the season, he also covers a tremendous amount of ground.

He always deserved a better pairing up front that could create the kind of space he needs to work an angle for a shot. Richarlison could be forgiven for never really developing his passing play since the play in the final third was always disjointed and relied on individual breakthroughs.

One player I truly will cheer, no matter which club he ends up serving. That does not require a lot of sacrifice on my part because I believe he would try to avoid the Ushiteds and 'Stool FCs of the world.

I will pigeon dance for him when I see him score!

Well done, Lyndon.

It's interesting talking to friends who support other clubs, they generally think £51M is a mad price, as in its far too high!

As mentioned above, many likely only see the headline stats and don't fully appreciate (if at all) the sheer commitment he gives on the pitch and the nuisance factor for the opposition side.

You know you'll get 120% every game and he'll pop up with a goal here and there, keep the defence occupied, and provide an out ball when needed, just a few examples.

Will be gutted when (not 'if', in my view) he leaves but will wish him all the best. I just hope it's not to Spurs, he deserves better.

With the club for sale, I wonder if that will have an effect on any major sales?

If they both stay -- which as you point out is highly doubtful at this point -- I would expect that Iwobi might be the full-time playmaker next season. But you're right, Dom desperately needs a supporting forward in the box; of our current roster, Dele is the obvious choice.

However, I'm still standing on my outlier position that Richarlison stays with us until January. I think he will be very cautious about moving now to a top club where he might not be a regular starter -- and would therefore risk his starting job with Brazil at the World Cup, which is his #1 priority. He knows Tite will not start someone who isn't playing every game in his league.

I still predict he'll bang in a few goals in Qatar, maybe hoist the trophy, and then come back and hand in his transfer request. I'm probably wrong, but I can't talk myself out of it.

Richarlison had really grown on me. Initially his moaning, diving and low pain threshold annoyed me but I don't think we see as much of that as we used to.

All the positives outlined above resonate with me and I fully understand why fans of other clubs wouldn't necessarily see them.

I think the gap he leaves will be huge and I'd worry greatly for our attempts to replace him.

If you need to ask why it's a nonsense – I don't want Spurs palming us off with two Grade B players in Moura and Winks whilst they sign an A-Star player on the cheap.

The thing with Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison might just be that they've often played in a poor side together – and miles apart while Richarlison acts as auxiliary left-back.

They might well hit it off in a good team.

Why not try to sell Calvert-Lewin instead!? He is replaceable but not Richarlison. Certainly not with Emmanuel Dennis!!

Also hearing that right-back Fabien Centonze of relegated Metz is now available for just £2.5 million! Now that is the sort of signings we should go for.

I've mentioned it on these pages previously. Richarlison has played in a poor and underperforming team and stood out. Surround him with better players and he will excel, in my opinion. And at 25, he will get even better. His best days are ahead.

Calvert-Lewin is an interesting one. He needs supply and clearly missed Digne. Give him the supply and you get goals like that winner against Palace.

But he's an in-the-box striker. Not a Harry Kane, who can do all of that but then weigh in with 20- or 30-yard strikes. You won't get that from Dominic.

No two players are the same, but Kane is the closest thing I've seen to Graeme Sharp in terms of being an all-round striker.

Lose Calvert-Lewin and we have no-one to replace him other than Rondon (God forbid) and possibly Simms.

If we keep Calvert-Lewin, surplus funds raised from the sale of Richarlison can be invested in that stellar midfielder we all crave.

I would love to keep them both but that is not going to happen.

Brilliant article, Lyndon, thanks.

I love following his social media, he seems so much more down-to-earth and friendly than most professional footballers come across. I lived in Brasil a fair while, and he comes across as your average Brazilian lad.

There was a video recently of him playing with his mates at a big standard astro-turf pitch, drinking 'litrões' of Skol (1-L bottles of the most bog-standard popular lager) in plastic cups, commonly drank in poor, lower-middle-class neighborhoods as it is cheap. Just singing and having a laugh with his mates, just days after scoring for Brazil.

He could have been on a yacht, in the most expensive holiday resorts around… but no, he was drinking Skol, playing footy with his mates, and visiting his family.

The way he is perceived outside is totally unfair and false.

He will be sorely missed, I think he was our Kevin Campbell this season; his form towards the end of the season saved us.

However, he deserves better, and also, he is more easily replaceable than Calvert-Lewin, who is an old-school goalscorer, not as talented, but scoring goals is a premium and Calvert-Lewin, when fit and firing, will score.

Wide forwards however, there are plenty around as, while Richy will be missed, we could possibly invest in a Gibbs-White, Brennan Johnson, Lewis-Potter or someone from abroad for half or less of the fee we receive.

Calvert-Lewin however, we replace with whom?

The thing with posting on here is generally it's an echo chamber with contrary opinions likely to ruffle feathers and invoke indignant posturing. Not a concern to me but understandably not for everyone.

I would venture our minority view maybe in part due to that as I know several blues who don't quite get the "Richarlison thing". Also, criticism of a eulogy is akin to shooting puppies.

On other club forums, the opinion regarding his ability isn't that complimentary and remarks about him being a Brazilian international mere hapless pap as their national side died years ago.

We'll find out when he ships out.

I hope he stays, because I love his relentless style; sometimes, I think this attribute is very underestimated, especially in the very physical Premier League. If he does go, it will be with my blessing, because he's never shirked his responsibility whilst playing for Everton.

That picture with the flare is the most iconic Everton picture I've seen since Dave Watson lifted up the FA Cup, imo, and was definitely the icing on the cake of a very special day that belonged to Evertonians.

Football is about opinions and yours differ from mine – forget 'shooting puppies'.

He's 25; you've seen him for the last 4 years, and you are happy to see him go. I will wager that he will go on to be a star for Brazil and his next club and he will be sorely missed at Everton.

I tell my 8-year-old son that playing football with his mates will be one of the best things he ever does. Richarlison has the right idea.

Maybe Dele Alli and a few others who have lost their love should have a kick around in a park. And then a litre of Skol and a bit of a laugh.

Being realistic, that is not going to happen. Whatever his feelings for Everton – and in my opinion nobody was more committed or gave more than Richarlison to keep us in the Premier League last season, and he does "get" Everton – he has to move on to progress his career.

Personally, he will go with my best wishes for what he gave to the club last season.

However, I agree – the goals he did score were so vitally important to the end result – Premier League survival.

We had nobody else and still don't. He is not perfect – much like Lukaku – but can be an asset with the right support.

It remains to be seen what happens next but hopefully the powers to be and Lampard will get it right with the set-up and squad for next season.

He may well be missed here because our recruitment is so unremittingly dreadful. As for being a star for Brazil, that doesn't come with the same cache it used to (if it happens).

We shall see…

I expect he will be sold to Spurs or Newcastle.

He'll get a fantastic reception when he plays at Goodison – even if he scores against Everton.

The crowd knows he has done a very good job in difficult circumstances.

True words, well said.

Dennis apparently favours us over West Ham due to his mate Iwobi… so, outside of the unachievable “Neymar”, who does Richarlison fancy us getting to make him stay???

Got to be a better strategy than allowing Kenwright and Joorabchian to pick them at least.

Can someone please explain why he would want to go to Spurs or Newcastle?

More money? – I don't think so. Better opportunities – don't think so. Better teams? Perhaps… but let's see what Lampard manages to pull from the hat.

Better Clubs – no way he is at the best club he will ever play for. Unless the big Spanish clubs come in for him last minute, he will still be here next season.

Richarlison is easily our most recognisable player and guarantees 10+ goals a season. However, he deserves a Champions League opportunity and we need the dosh.

It'd be ideal if he left now for £75M rather than transfer deadline day for £50M. I feel like we need to sell to buy and we have few saleable assets.

If we don't replace Richarlison, well, we could be looking at relegation again as there's not many goals in our squad and we are leaky at the back. Something needs to change and Richarlison leaving for a good fee could be the 2nd time he saves us.

I think it's the job of scouts, not players, to identify who we should sign. And if the scouts aren't doing well enough in that, then that's something that should be resolved.

He will nonetheless be missed and the problem is not so much selling him but the shiver it sends up my spine thinking about how the jokers who run the club will reinvest the cash.

If they shell out £30M(-ish) on mediocrity like Dwight McNeil, then get another Townsend or Gray type, it's going to be a long season ahead.

They're ranked #1 in the world. In World Cup qualifying, they went 14-3-0 with a goal differential of 40-5.

Over their last 35 competition matches since the last World Cup, they've lost exactly once -- 1-0 to Argentina in the Copa America Final.

Every national team on earth wishes they could be that dead.

Now, obviously they are not the star-studded collection of years past -- guys like Fred, Lucas Paqueta and Richarlison himself wouldn't have gotten close to the celebrated 11s of yore -- but they're the winningest team on the planet right now.

I'm intrigued by the what type of Everton team you would like to see moving forward.

You don't seem bothered about Richarlison leaving but you wanted Kenny to stay.

If Richarlison was born a stone's throw away from the ground, would that have changed your mind?

Then again, what do I know? Let's get rid because the players who are better than Richarlison will be queuing up to join us this summer.

Next season, as a direct consequence of such gross, years-long ineptitude, we will struggle to avoid relegation, again.

Richarlison is mid-20s, a consistent goalscorer in the Premier League whilst having only ever played for crap teams, and yet he is regularly selected by Brazil where he consistently scores and plays well.

Every realistically aspiring team on the planet will know just how financially fucked-up our current hierarchy have let us become. They'll view him as a bargain acquisition, like no other player of such proven status.

Maybe Dobbin can step up because no £50 million striker is ever going to view present-day Everton as a go-to club.

Off thread slightly but there is a huge class system in Brazil between the haves and have-nots, as you will know. There are two things that bring them all together, though, and that's the beach and football.

I lived in a town called Cabo Frio where Leandro had a small hotel. Romario had a pub / nightclub, and greatest of all was that Socrates was the coach for a local team.
I was out one night with a few Brazilian lads I knew and one who was a player under Socrates. We just happened to pass a bar when my mate spotted Socrates at a table with some friends and there was a game being shown on a small TV on the wall.

Well, he was at a table but it was a little circular thing made of tin. He was actually sat on the floor with a ciggy in one hand and sipping Skol lager from a plastic white cup from his other hand whilst dressed in raggedy shorts and tee-shirt. There's an iconic photo I've got stuck in my head which typifies Brazil.

I did manage to say hello and shook the hand of a legend (RIP).

Sadly, most modern-day footballers are millionaires who could not really give a toss about the supporters as they drive around in their big flash cars. Richarlison, on the other hand, seems a very down-to-earth kid and deserves his rewards.

People don't appreciate that football has moved on from the halcyon days of the '60s and '80s. It's a different game now.

The pace, athleticism, technique in the Premier League is the best ever. Coupled with adhering himself to the fans. Richarlison is the best player we have had since Cahill. Only Rooney comes close and we didn't have him too long.

He will undoubtedly move on but it's been a pleasure to watch a Brazilian No 9 in his prime.

Nobody is bigger than the club. Players come and go… but we the fans are the X-factor. The 12th man last season made me so proud to be a Blue. Brought tingles through my spine and tears to my eyes.

Coyb.

Going by his various comments about the club, he doesn't appear to want away.

Extend his contract, give him the pay raise he's certainly earned.

Any transfer money, which we'll have to share with Watford, is hardly going to move us clear in FFP. And then, we will have to replace him.

So, give him his raise and keep him. There must be other ways to cut costs.

Add some pace and tenacity to the midfield. In the entirety of the professional football world, we can't find one player to fill that role?

“When I feed the poor, they call me a saint, but when I ask why the poor are hungry, they call me a communist." — Dom Helder Camara.

“Next season, as a direct consequence of such gross, years-long ineptitude, we will struggle to avoid relegation, again.” – Oh no we won't.

I'd like to see an Everton team that played with an attacking plan which would stem from a good solid centre midfield. Remember when we had one of those, not too long ago, with Barry and McCarthy.

Regarding Richarlison: yes, I'm not too bothered if he goes as long as the fee we receive is spent on improving the team. I just don't see him the same way the majority on here see him. A vastly overrated player is what I see and I think a good proportion of neutral fans see him that way as well.

He hasn't improved at all since he came here from Watford and all the praise he has received for his end-of-the-season goals is fine with me as long as he is criticised for the plenty of good chances he missed since Lampard came – chances that should have been converted and should have stopped the worry and anxiety that we all had carry until the Palace game when we all shared the relief that came with that win.

It doesn't matter where Richarlison came from, I see the same player. Yes, he tackles and stops the opposition coming forward as many times as he loses the ball too easily when he is attacking and puts the opposition on the attack.

Yes, I wanted Jonjoe Kenny to stay and try and prove there is a good defender there but I think he has made the right decision to move away for his own good and that of his family who had to listen to Everton fans give him dogs abuse too often.

One fan didn't know how lucky he was when a member of Jonjoe's family had to be persuaded to leave that fan alone and walk away, that was in the game at Burnley where the whole team was culpable along with the manager for that defeat.

Neutral fans don't see his quality because he plays for Everton. It's the same mentality that means it requires an inquest on the rare occasions Pickford doesn't keep a clean sheet for England. I'm sure Lee Dixon and countless others will agree with you.

Richarlison and Pickford kept us up this season.

I think genuine neutral fans see all top class players as footballers no matter who they play for. I know I do and applaud them for their skills, Richarliosn is not a top class player – no matter who he plays for – Everton or Brazil. I could say Everton fans see him through blue-tinted glasses.

Richarlison and Pickford helped to keep us up but, along with the other players, they made more mistakes than Benitez and Lampard did – some players more than others. We were a very poor squad and, over 38 games, we proved how poor we were.

Richarlison is an A-star player. From now on, we must only buy or loan young players who have the potential to become Grade A players – not established Grade B players who will not take our club forward and are on top wages!!

For example, get players like Connor Gallagher – not Moura or Winks!

Richarlison is the type of player we need to be keeping and Kenny is certainly not the type of player we need moving forward.

Richarlison is not a top top player but he's certainly our best player by a country mile so I can't see the benefit of letting him go unless we would be able to attract better but unfortunately we haven't got the finances or pulling power to do so.

Maybe some people want to see a team full of players like Kenny and Davies but I certainly don't.

He was looking like a very good player under Pochettino, and he seems to have fallen out of favour under the more defensively disciplined managers Spurs have employed since then.

Here's one to put in your perennially foul-smelling Moyes pipe, for your future smoking enjoyment:

Where Everton finished in the Premier League 2021-22 table - based on Frank Lampard's time only

In newly minted "Lampard Time", Everton finished a barely respectable 13th – while highly praised West Ham under the miserable Presbyterian maestro's guidance only came 15th!!

Think we'd all agree that we have to get value out of the players we sign in future. They must have re-sale value.

I also think we need some players for the “here and now”, like Tarkowski, especially when you analyze the overall quality of our current squad.

You see Richarlison as an A-star player – I presume you mean a top class player. I see him differently; it's just a matter of opinion.

But you are correct in saying we should be trying to sign players with the potential to became top class players and not the many mediocre type players who have received top-class wages.

Connor Gallagher looks like one of those but when he moves I doubt he will have to move out of London.

Dave (101),

I don't think Richarlison is our best player by a country mile, a fit Calvert-Lewin would give him a run for that title. Again just my opinion. I think if he moves, there will not be much difference in the fee we receive for them.

I doubt if any fan wants to see a team full of players like Jonjoe Kenny and Tom Davies but they could well as part of a squad.

I think every Everton fan knows that we are lagging behind not only the Top 4 or Top 6 clubs but even the top half and it will be hard to get back to where we once were. Hopefully we will get the whole club sorted out soon and begin that climb back to success and silverware.

Talk of Winks or Moura or Dennis as possible buys, so 2 Spurs players who can't get into their side and a player who wasn't very good for Watford. How is that going to make us more competitive?

I accept because of our financial position and where we finished last season means it's hard to attract decent players. But have we not learned anything over the past 10 years, buying players who can't get a place in their current side should be a big No.

We end up putting them on 4-year contracts offer them more than any club outside the Top 6 can afford, and when we find out why they couldn't command a 1st team spot in their old side, it's too late.

Just like so many others, they will stay till the last day of their contracts and we will be left asking why did we sign them and pay them so much???

Juventus now wanting rid before his loan has been completed Seems to have had a fair crack of the whip there.

Stay here Richy, where you are loved.

He is neat and tidy but that is about it. There are countless players of that mediocre standard across world football who would be a fraction of the price.

There are also plenty who'd be cheaper and have the potential to be a cut above Winks – genuine Champions League quality.

I'd rather go for them.

None of our midfield can make a killer or even a forward pass. Not consistently anyway. None of them can shoot, never mind get into double figures. None of them can break up play and travel quickly up the field.

If Winks can do any of that then fair enough. Please elaborate why he is very good?

What would he add to a team that has little creativity from midfield?

Winks, Allan, and Gomes. That should frighten the Premier League...

I for one am a massive fan of Richarlison, and for some of the posters who don't rate him, you are entitled to your opinion, but you will definitely see what we're missing if and when he's gone, unfortunately.

What really pisses me off is the fans on here complaining from Day One of his supposed theatrics and diving. He is targeted in every game he plays, and opposition fans boo him because they'd love to have him in their team.

Against Liverpool, they constantly kicked him off the field, as most teams did. Remember the horrendous Tarkowski assault and no card, nothing new there.

Without him, we'd be playing Championship football this season. He is a class act on and off the field and gave his all for us.

For those who believe he can't play with Calvert-Lewin, remember back on our few good days, when Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin and Rodriguez were our front three, how dangerous they were together?

I hope he stays; if not, £65M is the least we should accept.

Individually, one was past his best, one knew where the goal was, and one where the ball was going to be. It rarely happens when the mix blends like a melody.

Break the three up, and I will never forgive Benitez for that, and the magic left the building... two players left looking for the inspiration that was replaced with graft.

I've two mates who are Spurs fans, they don't know each other. Both are underwhelmed at the prospect of Richarlison going to The Lane, both citing diving, cheating etc. And both say they'd prefer Calvert-Lewin.

Football supporters, eh!

But I find it completely bizarre that you can't see both sides of it. He jumped on the ground, rolled around and moaned. He doesn't do it as much as he once did.

This is not an exercise in comparing him to Salah or anyone else. It's a simple unbiased assessment of a player.

It doesn't mean he doesn't have all the other good parts to his game or character.

It seems very simple to me but these things always seem to boil back to the media and Liverpool FC.

Maybe a lot of referees take notice of the media or just talk among themselves because they take little notice of Richarlison when he is lying on the floor and let the game progress.

Sometimes he has been fouled, sometimes he hasn't... and Everton are the losers when he has been fouled and nothing awarded because of the boy who cried "Wolf" too often.

Moise Kean advocates will always find an excuse for him. Personally I was suspicious from his YouTube show reel – his touch wasn't great and his striking of the ball clumsy. Yes, he had pace and strength but he was never going to be as effective as Rom with similar issues.

Couldn't believe how crap he was when he actually played for us. No wonder PSG binned him off... how he got there in the first place was a mystery.

File under "over-hyped failure".

If Juve are obligated, then about time we acted like Levy and gave them a deadline etc. Failing that, he has to come back here.

Reminds me of slim Jim Pearson. Don't ask if you don't remember. I won't add to your mental scars.

I also wouldn't say he hasn't improved since Watford -- he still turns the ball over, but today he is much less likely to do it in bad positions that trigger counterattacks. He has also improved in the falling-down-rolling-around department. But most of all, his drive has value. He doesn't miss many games, but when he does, we don't win. That drive is what we'll miss the most when he goes.

And with regards to blue-tinted glasses, I would gently suggest that you might have donned a pair when you gazed back at the memory of a Macca/Barry midfield. It was a brilliant partnership -- for one season. The next two, not so much.

If they can buy, and immediately sell they will avoid it.

Stay firm, this is down to trying to get a deal done at the best terms. They know we need the money, so they'll be offering a discount to our original deal agreed.

I wouldn't have him because he will be 30 soon and has no resale value. I suspect that Richy replaced him in the Brazil team, but he is not what we should be looking for.

No club with any real ambition to improve themselves and one day compete again would consider those two to be the level needed.

Tom Davies is 24 in a couple of weeks and has been involved in approx 140 premier league games and scored 6 goals and made 5 assists. What from those stats would suggest he would be useful for any half decent squad.

JonJoe Kenny is 26 next birthday and never been considered to be good enough to be a regular starter in any managers team at Everton.

These are exactly the type of players that quality wise we need to move on from or we will continue to be perennial losers.

There is a lot of players we could get rid of at Everton as there are many not good enough but the bloke who in my opinion played the biggest part in this club still being a top division team would be the last one I would consider letting go.

I think people have to realise there is a reason why a manager like Conte who is a born winner would be looking at Richarlison.

The manager's needs and what he can get are restricted at the moment and certainly Everton have players they need to move out, if only to free up some wages to entice some better players.

The quality of some players we need may be beyond what we can afford compared to the moneybags at Anfield and The Etihad. These clubs have the pick of the cream because they can pay the big fees and wages to entice them.

Richarlison has been a good buy for Everton but too many others have been a big let-down in recent seasons when a lot more was expected.

I think Lampard will do well just to improve the results next season, if only to be more competitive with those teams outside the Top 5 or 6.

Liverpool totally loved by media, and for Carragher to single out Richarlison on Sky was completely wrong, but we know where his loyalty lies, if you think back to the derby and Everton getting slated by Souness on Sky for not letting Liverpool play, unreal.

I took a few weeks off from the site after getting bogged down arguing the conspiracy stuff but it's never ending.

How can any player in his mid-twenties who still can't get into a Top 6 team take us forward? I accept we have to take the odd player with no sell-on but we need to change our approach and bring in pace, youth and potential.

The more everything drags on, the more I'm thinking, "Sod it, keep Richarlison, keep Calvert-Lewin, and crack on." Get another one or two in on free transfers and a couple of loans, and try our best to keep everyone fit next season. Don't play the likes of Mina or Calvert-Lewin in cup games.

We have to remember the best starting 11 hardly played with each other last season. When they did towards the end of the season, we looked so much better. Sod it, keep the best players. Patterson should come through next season. And what about all of the good youngsters…. Surely it's time we have a good go.

The problem is that we have no serious money and, whilst Tom Davies may not be of the required standard, he is what we have and we are not going to improve on him anytime soon. In fact we are not in Europe, the club is in turmoil, no-one is 100% certain that we will not suffer FFP penalties, we may be on the verge of a takeover.

I mean seriously, we will struggle to improve the first team let alone worry about the squad. Who of any quality will want to join us?

At least with Tom you get 100%. Kenny has gone, departed with dignity and is no longer our problem.

How can we keep them if they want to go and/or we need the money for FFP or to reinforce elsewhere on the pitch???

Richarlison could double his wages and compete for honours by moving… Why on god's earth would he want to stay? Because he has a bond with the fans????

If you think that's worth the marginal £100k extra he'd get a week plus silverware… .sorry mate… you're incredibly naive.

Will our squad be even as strong as last season? Hard to say, but I'd say it's far from certain at this time.

As usual, everything is up in the air. Good old Everton.

If you think a player having a two year contract remaining can somehow just leave the club, you are naive.

The club hold all the cards with Richarlison. If he stays and has a fantastic World Cup then he potentially goes for even more money in the January transfer window. But, if he stays and we someone keep everyone fit and just somehow begin to play and win football games then he just might end up staying and signing a new contract.

The reality is we don't have to sell in regards to FFP, we are about to get the wage bill down by about 300k a week with Tosun, Delph, Sigurdsson and Kenny leaving. I know we are close to FFP but if reports are correct the FA are happy with us and nothing more should happen with it.

We prob have to sell to reinforce. But do we? What about the free's and loans available to strengthen the squad? I will begin, Lingaard free, Erickson free, Gallagher loan, Colwill loan, Barkley loan or small fee, even Zinchecho… there's no reason we can't offer City a loan for him. Everyone of those players will give us a bit of what we need, depth and ability. Lingaard will require high wages but I won't have for a second that he's no better then our current crop. He simply is. He's someone who can get the ball in midfield and run forward, same with Gallagher and same with Barkley. Although Ross would be my very very last choice. Even Belotti on a free would be a great transfer. There's plenty out there. It's just attracting them and on the right wages.

Then, around December something happened and it all went to pieces.

The following season with Benitez, who, for all we like to abuse him, is a pretty successful manager, had a disastrous run with terrible performances all round. Frank Lampard didn't get a "new manager bounce" but managed, with the crowd, to get sufficient out of the players to survive.

Apart from Rodriguez (which is, I admit a pretty big "apart from") it was the same team as had been in the top three of four for half the previous season (and, as the newspaper cutting on my wall still says caused the headline "Anfield in Ruins Liverpool 0 Everton 2").

What happened behind the scenes we do not and probably never will know. What we do know is that the players, their Champions League winning manager collapsed. What we saw was a dispirited, inept, unengaged rabble who barely moved, couldn't pass, dribble shoot or run and who were ignominiously defeated in match after match.

The only two players whose heads never dropped were Pickford and Richarlison. They played better and better as the problems got bigger and bigger, something which finally infected Iwobi (which is marvellous) and, sometimes, the rest of the team.

Richarlison actually is a very good footballer, whose goalscoring skills aren't the best, but, as Lyndon noted, are exercised often enough to keep his season's scores respectable, But his attitude - which is the exact opposite of Pogba or Rashford or, to a large degree Lukaku, is superb, and his ability to inspire by committed example the Iwobis and Gordons, and, I hope, Simms and Dobbins and Davies may be just what we need to turn arount the mess of the post-Moyes era.

Richarlison, despite his perma-scowl, I think loves playing here loves the crowd, and is now inspiring - for the same reason - the same affection which surrounded Duncan Ferguson at his most loved and inspirational.

As a footballer, he's probably worth £60 or £70 million given the prices that are going round today. To Everton, however, I suspect he is worth a great deal more.

The Redshite press and shitty BBC have created the myths of Richarlison's diving (which is no worse than any other front player in the Premiership, and he certainly does get kicked from whistle to whistle) and Pickford's injury to van der Turd, which I suspect was the result of the disgusting player assaulting Pickford incompetently.

Unfortunately, as in so many things nowadays, there is a deeply stupid public willing to accept complete lies and imbecilic narratives.

Personally, I hope Richarlison stays, and then want to renew his contract because we've finished third or fourth in the Premiership and won the FA Cup next year (which of course will be nothing compared with the RS's failure to win anything as usual except maybe Cruft's Agility Prize for Innovative Use of Athsma Medicines).

One thing that is often forgotten while condemning Benitez, and I'm not a fan of him myself - we actually made a pretty good start to the season. Whilst not exactly as with Ancelotti, it was encouraging.

What was most similar, was the fall-off in about the same time frame as the previous season, for no obvious reason. There have been some very mysterious forces pervading this club.

Unless the latter offers him a Mbappe-style contract of course, and then we can forever whinge about how one of Europe's finest goal-scorers ended up looking like The Stracq – whilst his contract bled us hollow for seasons to come.

It's the Everton way under the gross ineptitude we're saddled with from Monaco, and the pillocks he still entrusts in the boardroom.

No. Obviously, or maybe I didn't make myself clear. I was referring to Inter taking Lukaku and so making Chelsea move their arse into gear with a decent Richarlison bid so we can ask about Broja and/or Gallagher if that's the strategy and thinking we going for.

As for behind the scenes, you're preaching to the converted. We all know the buffoon forever holding us back from being professional until the penny drops with the owner. Or a new regime soon as.

He cares. That shows through in his frustration. He deserves to play in a better team. I just wish that is or could be Everton.

He's a fighter who worries the opposition. We don't have many of them.

And whatever happens, you can see he loves Everton and the supporters. And not in a token Sky era kiss the next badge kind of way.

He's been touched. Some would say cursed. I would say blessed.

While I totally agree with you that Richarlison is a trier, I would argue that they have different skill sets.

Lukaku is best suited to a counter-attacking team that gets the ball to him when he is somewhere between the halfway line and 18-yard box, giving him space to turn and attack.

In contrast, he's probably not best suited to teams that are always on the front foot and encamped around the opposition penalty area. I think Mourinho made this point when Chelsea first sold him – and a couple of Chelsea fans I know were surprised to see them buy him back.

In teams like Chelsea and Man City who play this way, smaller, more mobile on-the-move players (Foden, Aguero etc) are more effective. On this basis Richarlison's style would probably be a better fit for Chelsea – while Lukaku's style is more suited to, dare I say it, Everton! No chance of a swap I suppose…

Very good and interesting post I agree with most of it, just not that part “Richarlison is a very good footballer”.

I don't think he has a very good football brain but that is down to opinions and a lot more Everton fans would agree with you and not me, but thanks for your post.

Commitment, desire and hard working. Effective too. We may sing the song but he's not the stereotypical Brazilian I grew up watching.

I love him though!

A bit like Gbamin was supposed to do but it looks like flogging a dead horse with him… but you never know. Or Onyango may be the player if we struggle to get anyone. Sounds desperate but leave it to Kevin Thelwell and Frank Lampard.

The team will miss him when he's gone. Grealish (so far) in a Man City shirt hasn't done enough for £100M. Richie is worth more than £70M.

I liked both Richarlison and McKenzie, both had skill, but only my opinion, I thought both were at times selfish and showboaters, both with the world at their feet, but neither world beaters.

Richarlison has the heart and desire and the never give up attitude, no one can take that away from him, at the same time, he goes down to easy, trying to justify with other players elsewhere and fooling the ref, does not cut it with me,far too many times he goes down and every time holding his forehead, something that Gordon has now picked up on and starting to follow suit.

At times they have gone down after being clattered, but a case of cry wolf is now allowing these other teams to kick the shit out of them, because they know they will get away with it.

It now brings me to my final points, Richarlison promised us one more season and he obliged that, the player now wants to try elsewhere which is fair enough, even if we did not need to sell one of our players, he would have still wanted his move, I think out of Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison is the one we could slot other players into, whereas Calvert-Lewin is the better option to keep hold of, due to our lack of other options at the club.

No doubting the player has given us 4 good seasons and I wish the guy all the very best, what we must do going forward is invest wisely, sort the academy out, which is looking at last to be a priority, above all else give Lampard the time to rebuild our club, if that means selling Richarlison to start our next journey then so be it.

Time will tell if we did the right thing, however in this case I feel Everton had no option, they gave Richarlison a gentleman's agreement last season, now he wants his step up and no matter what happens, it is out of Evertons hands, unless they go back on their agreement.

I have yet to hear Richarlison come out and say, I want to stay at Everton, and that my friends is why we will sacrifice Richarlison, instead of Calvert-Lewin.

Fair enough. I also like parts of Richarlison's game but I also see his faults. He has quite a few but I appreciate how much he will be missed by the bulk of the fans on here. Maybe I'll miss him when he is gone.

I certainly missed Wayne Rooney… but I knew I would, like most Evertonians. Funny we qualified for the qualifying round of the Champions League the season he went. I think we would have gone a lot further if he had stayed although we might have gone bankrupt if he hadn't have been sold.

Stick to Broja and or Gallagher or the full £60 million or more. With Lukaku gone, will that hurry the deal up so we can get busy?

Sounds like he is quick, can pick a pass out, and link up well with teammates. He could be an option, if Chelsea are still sniffing at Sterling. I'd be surprised if Chelsea allow him to leave though; however, they still have Werner, so a small opportunity to nip in at the right time.

We could take one if not both as part of the deal, or take one on loan and the other filling the part-exchange, at least then it would give us some wriggle room on FFP until next season.

Like I say though, will be a big suprise if Chelsea allow him to leave.

I'd expect we might get a Chelsea player on loan (with option to buy possibly) as part of the Richarlison deal - but not as a makeweight (unless it is someone a good distance from their first team like Ampadu or Kennedy).

I'd be surprised if Chelsea were really willing to let any of Broja, Gallagher or Pulisic go for anything other than a pretty big fee.

I'd be very surprised if our new management team really does want Winks. More likely Spurs and agents trying to generate interest.

The Tarkowski deal seems to have concluded very professionally without much noise from the club.

I expect a lot of behind the scenes work is happening now but contingent on sales and possibly takeover too.

So nothing concrete may happen until the last minute. Bit boring for transfer enthusiasts but commercial realities.

The responding tweet from avid Blue Roger Bennett on the Men in Blazers account:

BITE YOUR ARM OFF

I agree. If he can stay healthy, Captain America would instantly become our best attacking player, a solid leader and a game-changer for Everton -- and a marketing bonanza in the US.

And I'd be on the plane three times every season.

Stay calm, Yank. Stay calm. It's just a rumor.

I'd hate to get the likes of Christian Pulisic just to get him off Chelsea's wage bill when he offers no more than the rest.

You obviously haven't seen the lad play. He probably offers more than all our midfield put together!

Buy Broja 30m and get Pulisic on loan for a year with an option to buy. A fantastic attacking midfielder that I'd love at Everton. Maybe slightly more possible than getting Gallagher ?, I think Chelsea may use him his season. Then look for that quality DCM we need with 30-40m ready to spend, if necessary, on the best we can get .

If I remember correctly, she featured as a Blue in the celebrity section of the 1995 FA Cup Final programme along with John Parrott and Ed Stewart et al.

So there I was this morning having a lie-in (not the type as performed by our disgraceful prime-minisiter) listening to Radio 4 when Desert Island Discs comes on featuring Rita Tushingham. Any doubts about where her loyalties lay were soon disspelled as her first music choice was YNWA. Heresy!

Rita Tushingham now belongs to that despised group of professional koppites such as Boardman, Marsden and the other slimeballs who slide out of the swamp for publicity purposes. Tushingham is nothing but a RED!

Cheers

Shudder.

Two of my favourite comedians have been / are Scottish ones. Billy Connoly back in the day and now Kevin Bridges.

Devastatingly unfunny and apparently loves his 'home' of Liverpool, despite being brought up in Cheshire; recently selling the Grade II listed Georgian Mansion he lived in there for £6m, to help the government build the HS2 rail project.

Stick 'im on the list.

He and us definitely have a place in each others hearts which his leaving will be hard for him and us respectively to replace.