Think, like Dom, he’s refusing to sign a new contract so I imagine he’ll be gone by Sept.

Had high hopes for him when he signed but never seemed to be the same player after the injury. Good luck to him, wherever he ends up, just hope we can get a decent part of our £20m outlay back.

Def need to sign a new defender or two…

Eur10m, he's worth more than that.

Reject it.

A good move for both the player and the club. We need the money and the player needs to play regular first team football.

You never know quite what's around the corner in football, from both a player and fans perspective. At the end of his first season with us, I believed we had a real powerhouse of a player on our hands, and he rightly won the Player of the Season award. A bad injury and a dose of Covid later on in his career changed everything. He was never quite the same.

Best of luck wherever he ends up.

Apparently Atlanta are willing to sell Lookman for 70 million.

Everyone is saying DCL is refusing to sign a new conteact No to sign a new contract without a shred of evidence.

I think it is important to keep Godfrey
He has had a lot of stick on here but has had so many injury and illness issues and has played out of position too. I believe he is an absolutely top class player, nearing his peak. Keep him!!
As for Lookman, Kieran, well, reading between the lines,I think you will agree with this:
Cancel the stadium and invest every penny in bringing Lookman back
He was a proper Blue, committed to Everton and never complained or agitated for a move
If only we had eleven Lookmans last season!!

£15m is the minimum I'd accept for him.
If Atalanta question the price just tell em "you fucking started it with your Lookman valuation."

You went all out there Andy. Very thorough.

If there’s an offer from another Club close to £15m, then take it. Maybe Godfrey doesn’t want to accept that Club. But he clearly wants away. Get it done and move on.

Snap their hands off and get rid.

Another player who flatters to deceive.

Let’s get rid of all these fringe players. If he thinks he’s worth a start in the team and so he’s not signing new contract, take a look in the mirror.

Get them to charter a flight for him and stick him on the next plane.

Steve #3, Godfrey won YOUNG Player of the Season, and it's not like there was any real competition (Nkounkou?) for the award.

Yes, he's had terrible breaks with injuries and Covid, but he's also a player without a position. He came in as a centre-back who turned out to be hopeless in the air and easily caught out of position. Late last season he successfully reinvented himself as a defensive right back -- he was brilliant in the derby with that save off the line -- and with his terrific pace and tackling he may have a future there, but he cannot pass and will never contribute in attack.

Seems to me that if Godfrey goes it means Dyche still has hopes for Patterson.

I like Godfrey but I think Mike G is bang on about his (lack of) position. Italians defend differently so I think he’d be better suited to the style of play there.

The issue is our shortage of any players at all. We need 3-4 in on free transfers just to be able to name a full match day squad.

Colin@5

Absolutely correct regarding DCL, nor is their any evidence that we have breached PSR, which many on here seem happy to believe.

I have always assumed he'd leave this summer for a circa £8m to £12m fee. He is a very good recovery defender for a team that plays a high line or 343. However we don't play a high line or 343.

Consequently, he hasn't established himself as a first teamer. With him being out of contract next summer, we'd end up paying him a fortune to play about 10 games. We can't afford to do that.

It's a financial decision only.

As it happens I'm expecting Patterson to leave too, but perhaps on loan. I don't think Dyche does rate him.

As Mike has alluded to he has some notable flaws in his game but can play as a very defensive full back (poor on the ball) or possibly as wide CB in a back 3/5 where his pace makes him a good channel defender.

£15m for him would seem a good deal for everyone and might hopefully be reinvested into a RB with some upside.

Mike #11,

Godfrey is in his final year, and wants to go.

Hopefully Dyche will sign a full-back if he goes, but I guarantee if Dyche got an offer for Patterson, he'd drive him there himself.

Also need to remember that Keane and Holgate are in their last seasons so need to move them on otherwise they could leave on a free.
Same goes for Maupay.

Will we have 11 players for that first match at BMD?
🤭

Wow, I didn’t think anyone would come in for him in that range. Don’t like hating on our own players, but aside from his speed and hustle, he just doesn’t have a clear position or skill set, as Mike points out.

Unless Branthwaite is gone, in which case we need him unless there’s another center back lined up, we have to take that money for Godfrey.

Sure, you need squad players, and we’ll be in trouble if we have only Ashley Young, Seamus and Michael Keane as our defensive cover, but as others have noted you have to take £10 million and reinvest it in younger defenders in this case.

Colin 5, think a few outlets said Everton have offered a new contract to Dominic, since May, but talks not progressing. Bbc and Sky off the top of my head.

Given we can’t afford to lose him on a free I cannot imagine we’d let his contract run down. That’s exactly the behaviour that’s gotten us into the mess we’re in. Can think of at least half a dozen expensive buys during Moshiris time that left on a free.

He’s been with us 8 years now so don’t begrudge him a move, as long as we get a decentish fee.

Sky now saying West Ham and Brentford(!) also interested.

Long long way to go till the window shuts. The only single upside of PSR is that clubs are forced to sell players in June so there’s at least something to talk about…..euros at ‘king boring so far.

He's got a carrying value of about £4m left, so a £15m bid posts an £11m gain for PSR.

For me I'd sell him. He's a good size and pace, but his positional sense, heading and on ball ability is poor. I know he's turned down a deal, but he never game me confidence of being a first choice full back or centre back.

A bit like Funes Mori, our lack of proper money cost us. Instead of signing van dyke we got funes mori. Instead of Gabriel who has done well at Arsenal, we bought Godfrey. Poor scouting or ability to complete deals being the resounding issue again.

I rate Godfrey highly. Personally I hope we get him to sign a new contract.

If he doesn't get more game-time though he has to go for his own good.

Godfrey is by far our least technical footballer. His effort and speed have made him a very lucky boy.

If we move him on for any sort of fee I would be more than happy. Hopefully Holgate and Maupay next to exit.

We need a few quid in the door – if the sacrificial lambs are players like Dobbin and Godfrey, then we should probably all accept that.

Better them to balance the books, than Calvert-Lewin, Branthwaite, Onana et al.

Keep your better players, flog your less-used players. It makes total sense as far as I see it.

Godfrey had his moments this past season, but I think Dyche persisted with him far too long at right-back and it coincided with our increasingly dire winless run.

As others have said, he provides versatile cover defensively, but he's basically a "Jack of all trades, master of none" and has been for a while. Moving him on would be sensible business at this point.

But I'll continue beating the drum that, if we discard Patterson, it will be very foolish.

Yes, I am with James, Robert and Sam on this.

Mike's summary is difficult to get around and £15M is too good to pass up.

I think it is a bit harsh to demerit younger players for not having kicked-on in what must have been a chaotic and stressful environment at Goodison / Finch Farm over the last 3 or 4 years or so.

However, Dyche needs players who are both capable and committed to his cause if he's going to improve things overall. Ben Godfrey has question marks in place for both attributes but he is someone I can see getting back on track in the near future to the extent we will feel we would have been better off keeping him.

The Red Echo are linking Bayern Munich with a move for Onana and Everton are supposedly going for out-of-contract Wilfred Ndidi.

We could be fielding a very changed starting 11 next season.

Ben Godfrey has been buggered about from pillar to post by successive managers, physical injury and long-term Covid ever since he arrived as a speedy, astute, calm, all but two-footed footballer sought by many.

I hope we keep him but given the financial quagmire long since dumped upon us by Usmanov's monkey - led by the ever insufferable liar he allowed free rein - I suppose we now just have to sell him to even try to claw back any iota of financial credibility under the Premier League's wholly unfit for purpose, in a respectable sense, "rules".

I wish £millionaire Ben well, in a way.

Colin 5,

Has Everton offered Calvert-Lewina new contract? Yes.

Has Calvert-Lewin signed the new contract? No.

Everyone is therefore correct, he has refused to sign a new, not to say he won't sign but we are in a shit position as we have to satisfy him if we want to keep him, satisfy the mean if we let him go and satisfy PSR.

I too would prefer us to keep Ben Godfrey, but we have no say in it.

He is a useful player to have in the squad. The only thing I have, and it's not a criticism given his effort and commitment, is that I'm unsure what his best position is.

If Branthwaite is kept, he won't get past him and Tarkowski, so it will be makeshift fullback or backup in my opinion. Probably useful given the injury to Mykolenko.

I won't second guess what the club are going to do business wise over the next month or so, as for me it's pointless. I'll just wait and see.

Ian #20, there was no "instead" there.

Neither Van Dijk nor Gabriel ever had the slightest interest in joining Everton. And our owner could never have afforded half of the £75m that Van Dijk cost the Liverpool.

I think the rumours about Van Dijk surfaced when he said there had been interest in the past from clubs including Everton while he was playing in Holland or at Celtic – not sure which.

Whatever interest there might have been, he chose to join Koeman and other Dutch players at Southampton which at the time were showing signs of ambition.

As for Gabriel, don't know about any interest, but as with many potentially highly regarded players, given a choice of going to a top 4/6 club or Everton, it's not a tough choice.

We have to get used to being used as a stepping-stone club at the moment.

You have to wonder if players like Onana are that highly regarded, how do they end up with us... apart from the obvious lure of money.

I don't see any rights or wrongs on here. I can't question Godfrey's commitment, effort, speed etc but he's short on positioning and passing skills.

If he still had 2 years left on his contract, I would suggest we keep him for next season but, with only one, it's probably sensible to let him go for a bid above £10M.

Mike, we would have needed less than half the £75M as Van Dijk only cost Southampton £13M when we were close to signing him reportedly. We opted for Funes Mori instead who cost almost £10M. Arguably Southampton got the better deal there!

As for Gabriel, reportedly he was happy to sign for Everton and had agreed terms. Arsenal played their hand on him quite late, which of course was always going to trump us.

Mike G - it was when Van Dijk was at Celtic and went to Southampton. We went for the cheaper option and the report that not all the transfer fee went to the club selling with $5M supposedly skimmed...

We wouldn't pay the £15M for Van Dijk.

We were heavily linked with Gabriel and Dunfries but didn't have the money to complete those deals, or quite the pull. So cheaper deals like Godfrey and Patterson, and lost a fortune compared to what we bought buying inferior players.

Penny rich, pound foolish. Big clubs get their targets, and keep their better players. It is a talent that has haunted us broadly for 40-odd years.

Ralph, all I’m saying is I haven’t heard a peep from either party claiming he’s refusing to sign a new contract.

As I understand it, both Godfrey and Calvert-Lewin will be entering the last year of their contracts next season; both apparently have been offered new contracts and so far neither have signed.

So, if neither are sold in this window, it is highly unlikely they would sign a new contract in January, so they would walk at the end of the season and the club wouldn't get a penny for either. Which on current estimates would mean the club would potentially lose £50M in transfer fees.

For reasons unknown to most of us, he has been on the fringe of the starting eleven.

Cash in for £25M and invest in Jacob Greaves from Hull for £15M.

Ian @13

Regarding PSR, you are right that no-one knows the actual situation, other than (hopefully!) the club, but I think there are reasonable fears that we likely would breach it unless we get a net transfer profit before end of June.

It is shown in previous accounts that we are or have been a loss making club and, while we are shifting a couple of high wage earners off the books, that may be traded off against some of the recent activity buying Beto, Chermiti etc on what appears to be the never-never, with delayed payments. Added to that, we do know we have substantially increased our debt to continue work on the stadium and the revenue gain from that is a full year away. That debt carries interest costs, possibly at punitive levels.

Hence many of us suspect that is what is driving our transfer strategy and business. I think we have at least one more challenging year, financially. After that, hopefully the owners can re-structure the debt and with a hopefully lower cost base and somewhat higher stadium revenue, we can look forward to not scratching around to survive.

Ndidi is now going to sign a new Leicester contract. So he's not going anywhere.

I do feel that he is worth more – just based on the fact that he has Premier League experience, is only 26, has great speed, physicality and versatility.

Really, with a good run of games and a change of scene, he might flourish again. $12M + sell-on fees is the minimum.

Friedkin has cleared a substantial amount of debt outside of Moshiri. This is debt for debt, but he is likely to either convert it to a long-term mortgage on the stadium or convert it into equity.

We don't have a clue if we are in PSR breach. Even if we are and it's relatively small, we have suffered points deduction for 2 of those 3 years already.

So the penalty could well be down to a point or 2. The club might well be prepared to take that on, rather than give away players cheap.

My sense is Godfrey will go, and that will be enough to get us over.

I see from BBC Sport that Lyon have put an offer of £12.7M for Godfrey.

Lyon make £12.7M bid for Everton defender Godfrey

We should take the Lyon offer.

Take the money, submit our accounts up to 30 June, then dip into the transfer market on 1 July for players we need.

Ian @42,

Hopefully you are right and it only needs a Godfrey type sale to keep us under, not an Onana or Calvert-Lewin sale (unless there are contract issues and the funds are all re-invested).

I'm not aware that Friedkin has yet cleared any debt, given the sale process is still ongoing, but for sure, the key to our future stability will be his operation restructuring, with reduced debt levels and reduced cost of servicing the debt.

Being an old cynic I find the DCL Newcastle transfer rather curious, especially now that Newcastle have pulled out of the deal. So my question is why have they pulled out and seeing they have publicly stated that they have pulled out of the possible transfer then they are not denying they were trying to do a deal for him. Now I am sure his agent will have discussed what salary DCL was after and they must have had an idea of what transfer fee Everton would want. So why suddenly the change of heart, or could it be that they would rather complete a deal after the 30th June because of P&S rules which makes sense. Or is this a player and Newcastle thinking they would both get better deals if the transfer took place in Jan, when DCL would be into the last 12 months of his contract so Newcastle can offer a lot less and DCL gets a bigger signing on fee.

Mark #46, the £158m loan from MSP has been paid by our new American best friends.

Brian #47, hopefully Dom won't do a Barkley on us.

Newcastle outwardly saying they want to sign a younger striker than Calvert-Lewin, smacks of an internally very different issue IMO. My bet is they can't afford to splash the cash because of PSR and the Sunday deadline.

They may well have bags of cash, but that doesn't mean they can spend it until they sell some players. Have they sold anyone? Not as far as I'm aware, thus they can't buy Calvert-Lewin, so they tell the press it's because of his age — which apparently wasn't a problem a couple of weeks ago, so I smell bullshit. He's only aged 2 weeks.

Pat @49,

Do a Barkley? Calvert-Lewin has been with us about 8 years now – in the modern game, I'd call that pretty loyal. Players almost always come and go, I've never understood the anger towards players when a lot of them leave without saying thankyou or sucking up to supporters with a fond 'so long and thanks for all the fish' message on Instagram.

I wouldn't begrudge Calvert-Lewin a move to another club. He's been decent for us, and if he moves on, so be it. If he chooses Newcastle, good luck to him – there's more to a player choosing a club than the club itself.

It comes down to things like location, as well as the club in question. Calvert-Lewin has a new baby, and is getting married so if him and his partner see their lives in the North-East in the near future, who are we to argue?

Brian @47, the Premier League have made such a mess of PSR that clubs like Everton, Villa, Newcastle are offloading young or fringe players to satisfy the accounts due in by 30 June.

Come July, I can see all the above clubs entering the transfer market, to get players in once the 30 June deadline has passed.

Makes sense to wait a week or so, then they can add it to the next financial year's accounts, spread over 3 to 5 years. It also enables the clubs to hold out for a higher transfer fee, instead of having to sell certain players for a low fee, or a fire sale.

Seems Everton have learned from the forced low transfer fee for Richarlison.

Ian, #20 & #35, great post with real substance, I’ve felt for a very long time that the VVD scenario had far reaching implications for our club. Having been the first club to express an interest in signing the player we were very much in the driving seat but became involved in a protracted negotiation with Celtic as we continually refused to meet their valuation. At the time VVD simply stated his ambition was to join a premier league club thus allowing Southampton to enter race. Our refusal to meet their valuation ultimately proved to be disastrous with Celtic insisting they would sell to Southampton if the club refused to match their offer. this allowed Southampton to progress the deal and steal him from under our noses.

From my recollection he signed for Southampton for a reported fee of 11.5m, there may well have been add-ons which may have inflated the fee over the length of the contract. As you rightly state we signed Mori as an alternative very late in the window for a reported fee of 9.5m. What was galling was the fact that the club brought Mori in at what they thought was a bargain price, initially believing they could capture him for around 8-8.5m.
However they apparently learned late in the negotiation that there was a third party interest and they had to cough up another 1-1.5m to buy them out, hence it proved to be a panic buy.

The net effect of this was we lost out on the signing VVD for the sake of 2m, penny inching at its finest when you consider the fee Southampton received on his subsequent move to the team across the park.

I think Martinez had pinned all his hopes on bringing him in if the tabloids were to be believed at the time. Martinez by his own admission spoke openly about our vulnerabilities in defence at the time and his desire to bring him to the club. He really was the missing link needed to transform our fortunes and the rest is history.

Lyon are in for Niakhate and Mangala from Forest for £20M each, so I guess that might be them out on Godfrey.

Moise Kean going to Fiorentina for €13M.

Chelsea are in for a Barca kid for £6M release clause for Marc Guiu. That looks good business.

It's good to see we have a plan... Where we have fallen down in the past is reaching too high too quickly – that's unsustainable.

It appears that the signings made so far are part of a short-medium term strategy to ensure we are comfortably mid-table but in a stable and sustainable way.

Once achieved, next phase – qualify for Europe through the league then who knows, perhaps Champions League in say 5 to 7 years?

Martinez had the chance to sign Van Dijk at Groningen for £2.5M a couple of weeks after he joined us. The Dutch club actually offered him to us... he preferred Alcaraz. Van Dijk went to Celtic for the same fee.

His first summer, he had a £30M kitty and gave Wigan over £20M of it for McCarthy and Koné.

He also had the opportunity to sign Alderweireld at the Brazil World Cup in 2014 for £4M... he signed Besic instead.

If certain players aren't committed to our club then it's best to move them on and get our Scouts do there stuff and look around the world for ideal replacements.

Our business has been okay atm, at the very least we seem to be going in the right direction on many things, which makes a nice change.

Atalanta offer £6.5M. Lyon offer £12.5M. Everton, being Everton, appear to be willing to accept, wait for it, the Atalanta offer...

I think Godfrey will do well in Europe. Good luck to him.

Regarding Van Dijk, when he was at Celtic, we scouted him regularly. The Celtic rumour mill had him nailed on to join us. Then we decided to buy Funes Mori for slightly less money.

Anyone involved in that choice should never be involved in any of our transfers. Van Dijk went to Southampton, and we were left with an Argentinian yard dog. We missed out on a top young defender and making a fat profit.

Sin miedo, Colin.

I'm certain we can knock them down to £5M.

Godfrey wants to go to Atalanta so he's in the driving seat because he's only got 12 months to go.

Alan, we might end up paying Atalanta too. Take him. You know EitC and all that. Bloody iPad doing my head in...

As for Van Dijk I was shouting in the wilderness for Everton to take him but was told he'd probably be crap in the Premier League.

Atalanta could be more cash up front, who knows.

Colin, I remember that.

£17M from Celtic wasn't it?

I think it a pity Godfrey is leaving, he played so many games out of position at full-back, usually as cover for an injured player and got a lot of stick when his limitations in that role were exposed.

Yet, there he was, week after week, doing his bit to help the makeshift teams that were fielded because poor management decisions had left the squad bereft. He was a fall guy for the failings of others and wasn't rewarded with enough chances to show what he could do as centre-back.

£1.7m you mean, Dale? Celtic were desperate for the money.

Godfrey's been a victim of the poor running of the club over many years.

On the plus side, he's probably helped us to avoid further PSR trouble.

It's a shame and his effort and energy last season proved valuable.

That said, it feels like the club has a plan and strategy under Thelwell and Dyche more than we've had for years.

Keane the only back-up centre back when Godfrey goes and our only left-back will be the injured Mykolenko.

At right-back, we have the 47-year-old Seamus Coleman and the young but a bit useless Natthan Patterson. Of course we do have the 61-year-old Ashley Young to cover across all positions.

I think we need at least two new defenders.

We have been linked with quite a few defenders.

Jacob Greaves, Hull
Jake O'Brien, Lyon
Max Esteve, Burnley
Issa Kabore, Man City
Wan Bissaka, Man Utd
Linderloth, Man Utd
Jayden Oosterwolde, Fenerbache
Federico Gatti, Juventus

Of those, I can see them going in for Greaves and possibly O'Brien.

Ryan Sessegnon, on a free apparently from 30th June, I would go for him both as cover and possibly permanent LB if Myko has difficulty recovering. Can also play left Mid, and left Wing, has a goal or two in him.

According to his Wikipedia page he has already gone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Godfrey?wprov=sfla1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Godfrey?wprov=sfla1

Apparently Atlanta upped the offer to 10 million plus add ons and we agreed

Just saw a little rumour, on the Everton page, (The Loony Toon, could be any of about 50,000 Geordie Lunatics, though) that the deal involving DCL, going to Newcastle and the young Newcastle player coming the other way could be back on?

It makes sense if we are signing the kid from Marseille, and might even offload Beto? And Maupay, (who will probably go in the last week? Because it will surely help the PSR, and this will also help give us some room to manoeuvre, once that sinister looking deadline has passed!

So who is going to fill in now that Mykolenko is becoming a sick note.

Branthwaite is coveted, Godfrey on the brink and two
others ( Seamus and Young) being highly susceptible.

Tom # 74, I expect we'll have a few reinforcements to cover Godfrey and other departures by the end of the window.

Not many Premier League clubs have done business yet. There's the peculiar Dobbin / Iroegbunam deal and Newcastle have Lloyd Kelly on a free. Otherwise just a few interesting young players going to Forest (Stamenic), Wolves (Rodrigo Gomes, Pedro Lima), Palace (Riad) and West Ham (Guilherme) for fees between £5m and £20m.

The encouraging news is that, touch wood, it looks like the 30th June is going to come and go without any major departure. That at least suggests we're not in desperate financial straits or up against serious PSR woes.

the fact we are getting over ten million for BG is another credit to the manager, who allowed him to play himself back into form. If you'd asked me last year, I didn't even think he had a career. Sean Dyche has saved this club half a Koeman in just 18 months. Miracle worker.

Good news. Him and dobbin makes a solid PSR gain. Cash reserves possibly less of an issue with Friedkin so if we can just stay the right side of PSR then there should be money to spend from July onwards.

And that’s before Onana has left, which seems the likely big departure.

My guess after Ndiaye is a starting RB(Kabore and Wan-Bissaka mentioned lately) a RW (Minteh?) and a squad CB (Greaves). If we could pull off anything like that we’d be looking stronger than last year.

Kabore is a player I would like to see here. Thelwell looks to be up for this gig. UTFT!

Iain, #55
Thanks for providing yet another example of the club’s penny pinching. Alcaraz arrived at the club as a free agent as I recall, though I’ve no recollection of VVD being linked to the EFC around that time or any discussions surrounding any possible fee which should come as no surprise as he hadn’t made any appearances for his national team.

He rose to prominence following his success at Celtic as I understand it, similarly don’t recall us being linked to Alderweireld or what kind of fee may or may not have been discussed.

As for the signings of Mc Carthy and Kone I’m not sure why you’ve alluded to the fees involved Mc Carthy (13m), Kone (5m). Martinez was criticised by some pundits for the fee paid for Mc Carthy but he proved to be a very astute signing and easily one of our best performers in years gone by, sadly his career was blighted by serious injury which he sustained whilst putting his body on the line for the club.

Kone had a respectable scoring record at Wigan and was signed for what would have been considered a modest fee for a striker back then however the fee largely reflected the fact that he was known to be carrying an injury however the club didn’t have a lot of cash to splash around and they were prepared to take a risk on his fitness.

You could also have thrown in Gareth Barry brought in on loan and later signed for 1m, what an acquisition he proved to be. I’d go as far as to say he was probably one of the best value for money signings in our history or Lukaku brought in on a loan and later signed for 25m and subsequently sold for 75m, not a bad bit of business that by anyone’s reckoning.

The two things that did for Godfrey in his Everton career was

1) That bout of Covid during the summer of 2021 when he'd just broken into the England setup.

2) The leg break on the opening day of 22/23 against Chelsea, completely derailed the start of his season.

We seen a fine athlete in his first season under Carlo, early doors I genuinely thought we'd signed another Lescott type gem.

But the deficiencies started becoming more clear, the lack of being able to command in the air, not being very good at all infact with heading the ball doesn't do much for a defender, coupled with his not very good passing ability.

As I say, absolute immense athlete, loves a hard old school tackle, but I couldn't ever see him nailing down one particular position.

I wish him all the very best at Atalanta and hope it goes as well as can.

Sorry to see Ben Godfrey go. I think he will do really well in Italy.

Jim Bennings

That’s the best post on here. I totally agree with you on the two big setbacks and the fact he’s a great athlete versus a great football player. In truth we paid way over the odds for him which wasn’t his fault more a result of the fact Norwich like everyone else knew they could fleece us. But he’s been a good pro, done his part. Probably a deal that works well for all parties. Good luck to him.

Spot on Jim (80). Great post. Did I really say that? Yep!

The BBC, for what it's worth, now reporting that the deal is done and dusted.

This is a great move for Ben; I think that the fee is too low.

Ben is moving to a classy club (I like to think of them, maybe wrongly, as Serie A's Lille or Real Sociedad) in a classy, beautiful town, Bergamo, as many Evertonians know (right Rob?).

Watch Ben develop over the next few years, and remember, as Jim B said, COVID, a terrible injury, and mental health issues that he was courageously public about.

The one thing that does need to happen, however, is that the people at Atalanta talking with Ben need to sort out what his best position. I can think of three possibilities; central defence is the one for me.

Good luck Ben and thanks and although the fees seems to be on the low side to me, I genuinely believe that more than a semblance of footy, financial, and business savvy is returning to our club at long last.

COYB

Everton 3 Brighton 1

Good luck to him. Always gave his all in whatever position he was asked to play. His leg break and Long Covid diagnosis did him no favours.

As a right-sided centre-back in a 3, he was okay; in the season with Don Carlo he was very good and consistent. He's not a genuine centre-back. Just look at Branthwaite and Tarkowski. Ben was never near that level.

Atalanta are a club on the up and up and hopefully Ben will prosper with them. Arrivederci Ben.

So we sell Godfrey and give a new contract to Ashley Young — that's Everton that.

Teary-eyed Bill would be proud.

With Coleman and Young getting their free bus passes next year, the future looks bright.

I meant to add, I expect Dyche and Thelwell to take Charlie Taylor on a free from Burnley, as a squad player. Less wages than Ben and he plays left-back and has played centre-back.

Dyche signed him when he was Burnley’s boss. If Keane and Holgate also go, I expect us to go after Jacob Greaves,

I would really like to send Ben Godfrey my best wishes and thanks. He had his difficulties whilst with us, but he always gave his all in whatever position he was asked to play.

I hope he does well in Italy, his move looks sensible for both parties but it does mean that we are desperately short of players, and there are still a few bench warmers who ideally should be moved on.

I think this is a transfer that works well for all parties. Good luck to Ben — whenever called upon, he gave his best.

I also expect Man Utd to land Branthwaite for £70 million with probably Wan-Bissaka and Victor Lindelof coming in after 30-June. Hopefully for a combined fee of not more than £25 million.

Both of them are decent-good defenders, and as a whole a back 4 of Mykolenko, Lindelof, Tarkowski and Wan-Bissaka may not be significantly weaker than last season's defence, with a net profit of approximately £50-55 Million.

Although, I would be happier if Branthwaite were to stay and we got in only Wan-Bissaka or someone similar. The Onana sale should see us safe from the clutches of PSR.

Lookman for 70M, pounds, euros, pieces of 8, doesn't matter – you're still havin’ a laff.

He's had half a golf bag of clubs and had his Trebilcock moment in the final.
If Atalanta can cash in on him, fair play to them – and him.

Godfrey is off to the land of Krøldrup where centre-backs don't have to head the ball too much, which is lucky for him, because he's not that good at it.

Just another big athletic Galoot like Onana, I hope he does well for himself.

Good luck to the lad.

He showed a lot of promise early on but was never the same player after he contracted Covid.

I'll also be disappointed to see him go. Another player that's a victim of too many different coaching teams. He gave Haaland a game at the Ettiad.

The sale of Godfrey will satisfy our PSR for this season so no big sale before 30th June I would imagine.
Branthwaite will be with us next season, still think we'll sell Onana once the euros are finished.

Paul # 83.

If you're referring to me, then yes, Bergamo is a fantastic city (or is it a town?). Me and a mate spent a night there before the European game at Young Boys, Berne.

Well worth a visit, especially up to the old town where you need to take a cable car to get up. Bergamo is only about 30 minutes on the train from Milan. I'm sure Ben Godfrey will love the place if that's to be his next destination.

It doesn't seem a lot of money for a 26-year-old who has played over 100 games in the Premier League.

I've always thought he was made for a back 3. He is never going to be a full back for a team that has ambitions at both ends of the pitch but he did a decent enough fill in job for us.

One of those where it's a shame to see a youngish player move on when he seems to have some potential, but I really can't see where he's fitting in at Everton.

With the contract running out he needs to go to the highest bidder. Good luck to him - I always respected his attitude and I hope he goes on to great things.

I read somewhere I think that he wants to leave. I cant realy blame him he's been shifted around in the team and been decent in each one. I like him but he's reliable rather than stand out.

The money quoted is not enough for me though, but it is what it is he if wants to go.

Ben looked a very good prospect when he first came and I thought we had signed a a good player, injuries and the virus seemed to have taken a lot out of him, then he came back to the first team and the fitness had returned but his reading of the game hadn't.

I watched him in a few games, including the derby game where he made that fantastic clearance off the line, but three times he let Diaz come inside the penalty area and get good shots in, one of hitting the inside of the post, he did this poor marking in further games.

His poor panic clearances and distribution plus his adding nothing in an attacking sense means, to me, that I will be happy to see Everton take the money and wish Ben all the best for his future career.

I would have loved Ben to be as good as how Branthwaite and Stones turned out. His flaws have been seized upon and are known to us all. His positives are not so bountiful. The lad has been a servant. Let him master himself elsewhere. With our very best wishes.

We have the brilliant Young and Dyche's slap stick if Coleman can't quite make the full 90 at right-back.

Warmington-on-Sea, wishes Private Godfrey all the best for the future.

Just don't come back! :-)

He did, Joe @91.

Haaland was really ruffled that day. He also made the best clearance I saw last season against Liverpool (another outstanding game). There have been some good moments, but has there been enough of them?

Carlo confessed he had never heard of him when he signed, but he did what he does and kept his instructions to Godfrey very simple. Got a decent tune out of him too.

I think Atalanta may be getting a decent deal if his consistency can improve with good health. It usually does.

Like many, I wish him well.

And that goal-line clearance against them was almost as breathless as Pickford's double save against Chelsea, assisted by the post, which had me holding my breath for almost a minute.

Good luck, Ben. Stay fit and healthy. You will do well.

So this takes us down to 21 players with Everton First XI experience plus Dele Alli.

Yes, Iroegbunam and hopefully Ndiaye coming in, to make it 23m so some more signings presumably. Not sure any of the U21s are ready to step up yet.

We are allowed 25 in the squad I understand. But this does feel rather light, especially as the 21 includes Keane and Holgate, the latter who never played for us at all last season and the other who started 4 and whose only appearance in the last 18 games was Chelsea away as a sub.

Charlie Taylor going to Southampton, so that can be crossed off.

Rob, there's only one Rob on here!

Brian # 94, the value isn't determined by the quality – it's determined by the bargaining position.

We're in a fix because he could leave for free this time next year and we clearly need to sell to generate some money. If we get about £12M that's not too bad considering.

Godfrey with 12 months left on his contract, and he wanted to go, so we can't really complain about the £10M fee.

I liked Godfrey, as Dave said, the horrible injury against Chelsea and Covid was a severe setback. He has great pace, which he showed in the derby, but being played left-back and right-back hindered his chances of really proving his pedigree as a centre-back.

Dyche preferred Keane off the bench, I would have loved to keep him and offload Keane and Holgate. Wish him all the best, a nice guy, who always gave 100%.

Great move for him. Atalanta are on the up.

I wish him all the best.

So much promise at the start of his stint here. Probably suffered with all the managerial changes as much as injury and never really made any position his own.

He never lacked effort though, lacking in ability, yes, but how many players over the last 6-7 years have been lacking in effort while having loads of ability!! For this reason, I wish the lad well.

He will probably be more suited to the slower-paced Italian game where he will get more time on the ball and time to pick a pass. Good luck, lad!!

Good luck to him. It didn't quite work out for him.

However, unlike us, he'll be playing Champions League football next season…

As Denis said, great move for him.

Champions League games for him and a decent price for the lad, though he was never the same after his Long Covid caper.

That said, he had a few good games when called upon under Dyche, especially the derby, but then who didn't that memorable night?

One thing I will say though is I like the way we are going about our business, getting young hungry players in and linked with a few as well. I was worried we were going to have a quiet summer but it feels the opposite.

And getting them in and having a pre-season as well, can only bode well. I feel a lot more upbeat than I have for a few seasons.

Best of luck, Ben. Always gave 100% but was lacking a football brain.

In fact, if we are being brutally honest, he was lacking any type of brain at all.

Great piece of business.

Good luck to him!

Good price for a squad player.

I cannot remember ever doubting the lad's attitude; his performance let him down at times but he also excelled at others.

Good luck to Ben.

Jay, other than a football brain, what other type of brain of Ben's are you also privy to?

I'm interested to see where and how he plays for Atalanta. I can't see where they're coming from with this one.

Just an observation, scratching my head a little about the comments…

One year left on his contract, he wanted to leave, refused a new contract, had few attributes but worked hard and went for a nominal amount. Fair comment?

Reaction has been mostly good and positive, wishing the lad well after bad injuries and illness etc. Compare that with the similar situation and tone of comments regarding Calvert-Lewin which are pretty much all slanted the other way, derogatory abuse, get rid etc.

So why the difference?

Do fans 'like' certain players no matter what? And vice versa?
Both have their supporters and detractors, but attitudes towards them are almost polar opposite. I have to say too that I could have picked many more who have left us over the years as comparisons but Godfrey and Calvert-Lewin are the latest.

So why the difference in response to possible departures, is it just flavourful of the month, bitterness or just human nature?

Always seemed a good pro – never complained when asked to play out of position.

He's not a full-back but always gave 100%. His passing needs to improve even at centre-back. He never seemed to trust in his ability to produce the right pass.

It's been said about his injury and Covid. He just couldn't get back to the level that got him picked for England after a promising start for us.

I wish him well and it's a deal that suits both parties. Champions League football is not a bad bonus and I hope he can impress the old defensive masters, the Italians.

Jay @118.

Are you qualified to say that he has no brain at all? Have you met him or know him at all? Or is that just a shithouse throwaway stupid statement?

It is a good job we have fans like you.

The lad has always tried his best for the team playing in other than his favoured position, I wish him well for the future.

Some in all walks of life love to decry others, trolls I think is the modern term. Sad ain't it?

Says more about them than who they are calling, what pleasure they get beats me.

I liked him when we bought him – saw him at Carrow Road for Norwich when I lived in Norfolk and always fancied him at Everton.

He certainly has his detractors, and did put in some sloppy performances, but he was also really good on occasion. Not the finest football brain but definitely played at full tilt most of the time.

Good luck to him, he's moving to a nice part of the world to play football as well.

Sorry to see him go. I thought he was coming good again by the tail end of last season.

Good cover for injuries across the back, which is valuable to us given we can't afford to carry two players for every position, but I understand his apparent wish for a starting role. He suffered a terrible injury for the cause and always put a shift in.

All the best Ben, hope it works out for you.

Good luck etc.

But he was shit. I appreciate everyone's candour and diplomacy but come on, I've just said what we're all thinking.

Not the guy's fault, of course, he tried his best, just like all pros should, but he was just another typical English athlete with no skill.

Maybe the Italians will teach him to defend properly and after 8 years it's time to look beyond the potential

All the best, thank fuck.

Good luck, Ben. It's a good move for him and he'll be playing Champions League football next season without worrying about a relegation battle.

And it frees up money for us... a good move all round.

Oh no!

Does this mean Michael Keane is staying?????

Good luck in the future, it didn't work out at Goodison for him… it happens.

Career wise, potentially a great move for him. He's got no allegiance to Everton, it's a job. He's not the best we've had, certainly not the worst. I personally wish him well.

Christine @122,

The difference I believe is that Calvert-Lewin could thrive and has the potential to score goals and improve the team he signs for.

It also weakens us and leaves us without a dependable striker, we are certainly a better team when Calvert-Lewin plays at the top of his game. Godfrey is a defender unlikely to ever hurt us and has never really been a first-choice player.

I've not seen the Calvert-Lewin thread but wouldn't be surprised if we're not offering him better terms than he is already on. If that's the case, which I have no evidence of, no wonder he's looking for another club.

Dean @128,

Nah, mate. I wasn't thinking that one bit. He wasn't shit. He isn't shit. I'm sure he values your endorsement though.

Disappointing, he seemed to be recovering from the illness that set him back and we will not replace for the same price.

Dean @128, bold and forthright as you think your slimy little post is, you are not saying what we are all thinking, so speak for yourself.

For me, Ben has endured a crackpot Board, several managers, a very bad injury, and came back. So much in under 5 years at Everton. I genuinely hope he finds peace and enjoys the rest of his career in football.

The last-minute goal savings stops where he saved certain goals the last 3 years in key games at Goodison and away were part of keeping Everton up. But there were many games and he gave the left winger, the freedom of the park.

The West Ham loss last season for me showed the lack of experience. But Ben, has a massive heart and I believe will excel in Italy. Serie A, the pace of the game with his burst mode, he wil stand out.

Did Everton take less money in the final tansfer, who knows?

Dean (128) — well out of order.

Godfrey was an honest pro – not shit – and I wish him well. Not sure I could say the same for you.

Dean, your call is out of order.

Ben had his faults as a player, bad luck with injuries, but was no way close to being as bad as you allude to.

Easy to put the poker in but ask any Evertonian in recent times, there are no perfect players, but also Ben Godfrey gave his all, in every game. The Burnley games home and away, the last 2 seasons stand out, and more.

Each to their own, but good luck Ben, you gave your best.

Best of luck to him.

He'll benefit from Gasperini's coaching and the less aerial, less physical style of Serie A.

Dean,

No one thinks Godfrey had a God-given talent but his effort and athleticism means he made a much bigger contribution than “gifted” players like McGeady, Preki, Aandy van der Meyde.

He's not a great technical player by any stretch but, even then, he was far more polished than Joe Parkinson who also had a positive impact greater than the aforementioned through sheer will, guts and determination.

His defensive positional play and heading ability were an issue in the Premier League – a bit like Patterson. But I never doubted his attitude.

Dyche gave him a run in the team, probably with an eye on selling him in the summer. I am glad he got his move to a club that will suit him.

Very well put, Kieran.

Best wishes to him and I hope he gets regular match time with Atalanta.

Smart in-depth meticulously researched post Dean Johnson (128). I especially appreciated the almost forensic way you examined each aspect of Godfery's game.

“But he was shit. I appreciate everyone's candour and diplomacy but come on, I've just said what we're all thinking”.

He speaks for all of us! What fucking blindness and arrogance from the voice of ToffeeWeb! Welcome one and all our resident psychologist who can read deeply into our minds to tell us what we really think is not what we are posting.

You don't speak for me, Dean, and, I suspect, for the vast majority on here.

Dean expresses his mere opinion, as we all do with our own mere opinions – some turning out to be right(ish), others turning out to be wrong(ish – excepting those who ever and still award Kenwright even a modicum of credit!).

I disagree with Dean's (and more than a few other's) opinion of Ben but because Dean is a Toffee I respect his right to post his opinion (he at least hasn't slagged off other Toffees in doing so!) but we're all of the same heart.

And when it comes to "heart", Ben is top-notch.

Erm, Don, he does not just "express his opinion".

First of all, there is nothing – nothing – to support his erm "opinion" that boils down to "shit".

Also – and this is important, Don – he claims to speak on behalf of all of us.
,

Must say I ended up disappointed in Godfrey as an Everton player. He had pace, but his application was not great.

He seemed to have gone out of Dyche's favour. Wanted away. Good Luck to him.

As I wish Ben luck in Italy, I'll remember him for those lung-busting end-to-end runs he would make, especially early on with us, his several goal-saving tackles and slides, and some cracking hard tackles.

Sorry for it never panned out for Godfrey in his time with us, for various reasons, but I'll have good memories of him.

Buona fortuna en Italia, Godders.

There is nothing wrong with Ben Godfrey, either in application or talent.

He was a victim of his own versatility, and like so many other young players at the club over the past seven or eight years, of the lack of coaching, stability and professionalism which permeated the club for so long. Too many different managers and tactical set-ups, not enough coaching.

He doesn't deserve the abuse from Dean, which like many others, I can only repudiate.

In bocca al lupo, Ben. You will love Italy.

Thanks for your time here.

Once upon a time, Everton scored a later equaliser against Man Utd (3-3) and Godfrey was seen on camera telling the complaining Man Utd players to "go forth and multiply".

At that point in time, he struck me as pretty much the only player in the side who had that kind of fighting spirit. I attributed it to him never having the easiest start on his football journey, character-building stuff.

I thought then that he was the kind of character to build a proper team around. This was all before Covid and his later injury.

He did alright for us. Best of luck to him on a new adventure.

Christine. That's a great post. You raise a question I have struggled with all my life.

Some players are just loved. It's very rarely about the player's ability. Denis Stracqualursi is a prime example.

I think one action can turn fans against players forever — dressing up and modelling will definitely do it. Once the bandwagon is rolling, it doesn't seem as if it can be stopped.

Anthony Gordon was loved one minute and hated the next. I believe that came about as a result of his agent seeking £100k a week for him.

Mind you. Gordon has proved many of his haters wrong. They said he wasn't very intelligent, but how many people who go flying over the handlebars of their bicycles have the brains to actually capture it on their phones?

Good luck, Ben.

I'll always remember that tackle on Shaqiri in the 2-0 at Anfield, the RS player nearly soiled himself!!

Dean @128,

“He's shit”, is your opinion.

But he could never be as shit as your post. That's my opinion.

Dean (128), writes like a 15 year old kid, who is desperately trying to impress his class mates, with 'shock' tactics ie 'he's shit'

Judging by the reaction of the more mature writers on here, he's failed miserably.

Hope you succeed in whatever you do with the rest of your miserable life, Dean.

James 124, I’m qualified.

I’ve seen him play - in the flesh/up close and personal since he arrived.

No other qualifications required.

My favourite memory, him warming up in front me with his shorts on the wrong way around. Not his bib, his shorts.

Maybe he was great on the live forum though, or the other internet message boards.

Had high hopes for him when we first signed him and he started well but then for various reasons he declined radically. We should have sold him last year for more...Good luck to him. He is still better than holgate though...

Everton signed Godfrey for whatever reason and despite what you might think of it he appeared to give of his best and has now declined Everton's contract update and a fee has been agreed for him to move to a club that seems to appeal to him. That's business, nothing personal on either side.

You've got to love the way non footballers come on here, commenting with some kind of authority, on how a professional footballer doesn't have a "football brain".

Isn't that a bit like the bloke down the pub saying, "Well, Einstein was a good scientist but his thought experiments were a bit simplistic. However, Stephen Hawking and his theory on singularity, bla bla bla"?

Actually, I realised while writing that quote that I was basically describing one of my kopite mates. haha

Christine. It's a very good point about DCL. I don't think he's ever been universally loved by the fans like a Richarlison, ferguson who despite both never being prolific just had a connection with the fans.

I've never doubted DCLs commitment and think he's put his body on the line alot of times while playing through injuries for us. In an ideal world I'd keep DCL, sell beto and add another striker.
However, I think for the club and the lad it might be the right time to try something new. We have been in a cycle of relying on him when his body hasn't been reliable. A fresh start for him and a new approach for us might be what's needed.

He's scored some absolute pricelessly important goals, some of the most important goals in our recent history yet, as you say some never give him their full support.

I wouldn't slate the lad for bargaining on what will probably be his last big contract, it's the clubs fault they have let him gain the upper hand by letting his contract run down.
I know I wouldn't turn down a pay rise, why do we think footballers should ?

Seemingly the contract DCL has refused is £125k a week.
I know some less than reliable sites have him on close to this already, which I believe is totally OTT.
It could be that it's not "just" about money and that he thinks he can play for a team higher up the league who don't constantly struggle at the bottom.
If that's the case I agree with him, he could (IMHO).

Anthony Gordon heavily linked with Liverpool. We do have a sell on fee for him, and I think it's inevitable he will play for RS.

Brian@163
Can you provide any evidence that
DCL has been offered £125K per week
and that he has turned it down?

In many respects, the Godfrey sale doesn't make any material difference to the squad because he only played as injury cover and because Patterson hasn't managed to make the RB slot his own. He wasn't going to play much next season anyway.

The much more significant thing is that (touch wood) it looks like we're going to get past June 30th without a major sale.

By 1 July last year we'd sold Kean for E30m, and the previous season we sold Richarlison (and had already sold Gordon).

Maybe (hopefully) we have stabilised?