Everton sign Carlos Alcaraz on loan in late deal

My transfer window bingo card has a power play bonus box...
"We were just going to sign...Fabulous Player 'X'... but we missed the deadline by 5mins"
Shades of Homer's Tax Form.

Not even another forward as cover for Beto Paul, yes you heard that right, cover for Beto 🙌👏🙌👏

I agree with Paul, these 3 wins on the bounce have made it less of an urgency. That said it would be great to buy one or two who are part of a wider, forward thinking plan for the future. Players who can be involved now and with potential for real growth ala Tom Fellows or Tom Watson.

I can't see us shipping DCL unless someone like the barcodes come in with an offer of £7-8M, even though he is injured it might be worth the risk for a PL club as he is almost certainly holding out for a foreign move for free in the summer, well that's my theory anyway. If this happens it will only be because we have another striker lined up.

The French left back looks good, that would be a kick in the teeth for Myko but frankly its an area we need to strengthen desperately.

The question on my lips is if we keep the powder dry mostly for the Summer, is there going to be enough funds available for such wholesale change that is required and who is going to be doing the buying? Moyes? Thelwell? Weir? So many variables let's hope TFG have a well thought out plan.

Wolves 30
Leicester 27
Ipswich 25
Solon 14

So as Paul Hewitt says there is an argument for holding off until the summer when business will be easier.

13 or so out of contract players and a new stadium, could make it a tricky start.

I'll guess we'll make a couple of loan deals (if we can) to bolster numbers and one permanent who can improve on what we've got. Mind you we have to spend eventually - otherwise we won't have a team next season.

DCL will be an interesting one. Pre-injury I was 80% sure he'd go for some amount of money. But now? His injury has really cast a shadow over any deal. There's every chance his next club simply offers him more money (he'll be negotiating concurrently and he's allowed to) to complete his rehab with us, take a long rest, and join them refreshed in July.

I cannot recall a situation quite like this. What a crazy exciting time that’s gonna be.

As for this window, yes, the three wins and the return of the injured certainly seem to have drained some of the urgency. But we still have only one healthy striker for the next month, and none apparently on the way. Interesting question of who would replace Beto if something happened.

in France.

You can also rostbif on it

Of the 12:

- 4 are loanees. 2 of them out for the season anyway.

- 2 are reserve keepers

- Gueye may get an extension. Lord knows his current form deserves it.

- DCL will go

- The others are Doucoure, Keane, Young, Coleman. Only one of them currently plays.

We're not like Forest a couple of years ago. Nowhere near. However, there will be root-and-branch change at all levels and dimensions over the summer. I'm still wondering where that CEO is who in the know Gaynes assured us was identified last year.

However, it would be good to have some depth in the squad to cover for further injuries. So, let's hope we bring in at least 2 new players today.

Mike@ 1, At least you still have your dog. We lost our Kelpie, Penny, last year. So, buck up mate and keep on making the well thought postings, full of well thought out comments, here on TW.
Keep well!!!

When we get say another 8 points on the board we should really see what some of our youngsters can do such as Sherif, Dixon, proplonged run for Armstrong etc, could help with summer planning?

I don’t John, I think we will be safe by the end of March.

I’m sure that a summer rebuild under new owners would make better sense with a New Stadium we ought to attract better quality players by selling the vision for the future, but it will yet again be dictated by psi rules.

The Shite will not be looking forward to coming to the Bear Pit under the lights.

Great stuff Martin, I wish you all the very best.

By the way, has anyone seen the latest Tunnel Access video on the club website? Broja was on the bench, celebrating the goals, so it does seem like he will see the season out with us.

I mentioned on the matchday thread, relegation worries are eased. Only require two more wins this season and the odd draw.

We need to spend in the summer for a major rebuild and with PSR not hindering us it would be much wiser to bring in players we want and are available then.

Alcaraz possibly a decent option by all accounts.

I still quite like the look of Nuamah who is out of form and therefore cheap.

Agreed Dan, any business done in this window should be with a view to long term planning such as possibly the case with Alcaraz.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/roster#google_vignette

Yes Steve, particularly Armstrong as it could dictate whether we would want to make a permanent move on Mangala in the summer.

I check Transfer Market (far too often), looking at the free agents and there's not much there to be frank. However after this window closes, there may be a glut of players released by clubs, so perhaps we can pick up a decent "Freebie" in the next couple of weeks. The Moyesiah is good at spotting them.

Good luck to Harrison if he leaves. Not my cup of tea but he's certainly worked his socks off for the cause.

Agree on both mate.

I also believe, with so may out of contract in the summer, the more we can get in now (not loans btw) will make that a lot easier in the rebuild phase. It is all fair and well assuming that certain upcoming fixtures (home or away) are winnable, or possible to get points from, but even Southampton proved against the odds at Ipswich, that an unexpected win, is always a possibility.

Hoping too, that our final run in, after today, sees no more injuries, which, can and do happen at the most unwanted of times. Looks like Broja's injury is not a season ending one, so may be good news if he comes back and hits the ground running, a tall order I know.

Still hoping Fulham take Harrison's loan of us, and frees up another loan possibility, but again with only a few hours to go, a Star Trek type Teleporter, would be more needed than a fax Machine. " Beam me down Scotty and don't mess my hair up " !

That gives Thelwell and Moyes a lot of options in the summer.

We should definitely not attempt to buy a striker today.

I don't think Moyes will let complacency set in, in fact quite the opposite. I am sure Moyes is also quite mindful that whatever he spends in this window will reduce his spend come the summer window. Also quite worrying to hear how PSR is still playing a massive part in what we are allowed to do, especially seeing we have been negative spenders in the last couple of windows.

The lights will then go off at Finch Farm around 10 ish and we'll go with what we've got.

Initially upon reading your comment I agreed with your positioning, down playing this summers departures and on the front that they’re players we won’t miss, I do still agree even if they have made up a large part of our playing squad this season.

However it’s when you look at the players that are left that you realise your trivialisation of the outgoings does not change the situation we will face in the summer, with a significant amount of new faces required.

Assuming Gana is the only one that stays on as you suggest, that leaves us with 14 first team players.

1 GK (Pickford)

1 LB (Mykolenko)

1 RB (Patterson)

3 CB (Tarks, Branthwaite, O’Brien)

4 CM (Gana, Garner, Iroegbunam, Armstrong)

2 WG (McNeil, Ndiaye)

2 SC (Beto, Chermiti)

A number of these players are question marks as to whether they’re good enough, as first choice or even back up. Assuming no other players (like Branthwaite) move on, we need at least 8 new players to get up to a full squad with adequate competition and cover for injuries in each position.

(1 GK, 1 LB, 1 RB, 1 CB, 1 CM, 2 WG, 1 SC)

Mylolenko is an handicap right now, has been for most of the season and will continue to be so for the rest of it, although he is due another goal to add to the two (? ) he’s got since he’s been here,got that off my chest, been wanting to write that for a long time!

I'm not a big fan of deadline day and the surrounding hype.

I'll probably go out to watch Chelsea v West Ham in my local Irish sports bar with the landlord. Its bit a weekend of mixed emotions for him. The joy of Ireland winning the Rugby on Saturday followed by City's capitulation yesterday.

For those following, get out the popcorn, Stella / vino and happy hunting. I'll be up early in the morning as always and see if we snuck someone in at one minute to midnight!!

He put the ball on a sixpence for Doucoure to miss 2 great chances in the first half. I think he has benefitted from Moyes pushing him further up the pitch.

I am not saying he is great, he isn't. During the last 4 games he has put the ball into the box more than the previous 12 months. He looks a better player under Moyes.

If we haven't got a young left back pushing him for a spot then we do need competition for his spot. Do we need it now? Probably not.

We need a couple of players who can impact the game at the top end of the pitch.

What's best to put on a black eye.

At the very least he needs some serious squad competition for his place.

Watch him in the second half with plenty of space his centres are over hit, one from a free kick, does he ever take the full back on and try to dribble past him ? He is very poor going into heading duals with players I think he has his eyes closed, not joking, he doesn’t win many of them, Dnaiye has better ability in closing men down and winning tackles than he does.

Moyes has some history of finding great fullbacks, so I trust in the process and there is no great excitement for me today.

Chilwell - Palace (loan)
Chukwuemeka - Dortmund (loan)
Evan Ferguson - West Ham (loan)

So does this leave us high & dry? Will we sign Igamane from Rangers maybe? I bloody hope the club has something up their sleeve because I had pinned my hopes on the above today.

He's our most likely Mykolenko replacement.

We probably also need a high quality youngster as understudy / succession planning (as Bournemouth have done with Soler - who will replace Kerkez when he leaves).

Yes Gana should be offered a deal, let's hope Saudi doesn't come calling with silly wages.

Armstrong and Dixon might not be up to it and could easily be placed out on loan.

Can't believe I'm saying this but shame Young is so old as he would cover 4 wide positions, and imo he's been decent this season, but he's just too old to take a chance on another 12 months.

Bare bones comes to mind, and imo even with a influx of money from our new owners, we will unfortunately accept a £65m+ for big Jarrod so as we can buy ourselves a decent squad.

Patterson can't be trusted, Beto probably isn't good enough, Chiamiti is far from proven, 2 wingers with very little coming through at academy level, to get up the league we need a decent full, a top striker, someone creative accross the 3 positions behind a striker, and a few others to give us a squad of around 22/23.

If we can cope with Beto til next season and he doesn't kick on and prove himself we should throw all our efforts into taking Liam Delap after Ipswich are relegated and build around him.

And how much PSR problems are we in that we don't just pay the £90kpw to Leeds (I reckon £1,35m) to take him back for their promotion push and then get another English loan.

Also - I fancy a theoretical bet that 3 of the teams below us will not get to 26 points - and remember, Ipswich and Southampton still have to come to GP as the last 2 games at the Old Lady.

We'll have 4 or so loan players coming in each year. We'll have a couple of old boys finishing up. And players seeing out their contract is becoming more and more common.

That match day 20+ will be turning over by decent numbers each year. The last few years have seen us move on double digit numbers of players each year. Some of those were actually pretty important players as we sought to balance the books.

Well he might have said it with a "t" in it but anyway he is coming.

Well he might have said it with a "t" in it but anyway he is coming.

Would have liked to have seen Evan Ferguson with us if only for the nostalgia of having a Ferguson up front again. I think he's a good young player though and could have done well for us.

I'm not expecting much today having won our last 3 matches but the squad is very threadbare. If we were dumped out of the cup and then lost the last Goodison derby then the mood would inevitably alter. With Everton, we're always only 2 or 3 bad defeats away from a crisis.

I just can’t understand how you can have that opinion after the lads performance against Leicester.

Having said that you are entitled to your opinion.

Mine is that he will go from strength to strength now that he is going to get a run of games.

Dave 77 I don't think he is great but he is doing a job. How many crosses did O'Brien or Lindstrom put into the box? We are desperate for quality in most positions. I think we need a right back more than a left back but probably splitting hairs as we need a lot of players once the loans and contracts expire.

Leif Davis looks great going forward, I have always liked Walker Peters he can do a job both sides.

https://www.the-nomads.co.uk/news/2025-02-01/ferguson-is-nomads-new-number-nine/

I get Beto done extremely well vs Leicester, but if we are honest they are absolutely awful, if we want to get to the right end of the table we need someone who can bag on a consistent basis, and over the past couple of years Beto has not done that.

Granted Dyche may have held him back, but if your honest with yourself you probably wanted him moving on this transfer window, I know most blues did.

Let's hope he's turned a corner and he can become a striker us blues can be proud of, but his record certainly doesn't say that if we be honest.

Geoff 95 🤣🤣🤣 brilliant.

Throw in the fact that Lindstrom is also having a blinder I say save our money and look properly in the summer. We are pretty much safe now so should be looking up.not down.

Wouldn't be surprised if our back 4 next season is

Tarkowski
Doyle
Walker-Peters
Davis

I could scored against Leicester, they're that bad. I would love Beto to prove me wrong but one good game doesn't cover up how limited he is. DCL is awful too and needs a move in my view. He's run his course at Everton.

I still think we need a striker and a full back today. It's a shame we lost Mangala but Garner and Iroegbunam are both back which means we're not too short in midfield now.

I think we can utilize Beto more too, we can adapt to his playing style which is more of the same kind of passes he got on Saturday and more of what he did while at Udinese because Everton under Dyche ruined him.

Hopefully Alcaraz comes in and that much needed extra striker.

Next season, we may still need to rely on him. That completely depends on how much money we have for reinforcements.

If you want a better striker, it may mean buying a player like Tzimas (who Brighton have just bought) in the hope that he may be top 6 / champions league quality in about 2 to 3 years.

Being honest the best performing full back this season has been Ashley Young and if he had been a few years younger possibly the best defender because the years have taken it’s toll on his speed, in my opinion, still has a steadying influence on the game especially when he comes on later in the game as he did in last years great Derby win when he came on for the whole of the second half.

Is he being sold as well as Branthwaite?

Is that a winding noise I hear. I know you put in the wrong name.

If he loses out, and wants out, then sell.

O'Brien is a big part of our future and a good player too. Wasn't trying to imply he was out of the picture somehow. We need lots of good players though not just a First XI.

so its looking like Alcaraz is the big ticket item...

I might not be remembering right, but I’m sure we won 5 games on the bounce without a recognised striker in the squad last time Moyes was here? We did have Cahill though!!

As far as I’m aware, DCL is yet to sign a pre contract with another club, so we might yet see him in an Everton shirt next season…

I won’t be upset if we don’t sign anyone else today, as long as Alcaraz goes through, as I think we’ll be ok.

He is however a tall (190cm) 21 year old left footer with over 100 games at Championship and League 1 level - and generally very good reports. From CB he already has 6 assists for Norwich this season.

Nah, I have blind hope and Internet nonsensory as my only backup to go on, with regard to Harrison going to Fulham.

He'll be praying Rashord doesnt start banging them in for Villa

Vinny O Connor or Alan Myers outside Finch Farm looking bored as hell and the lights all off so its obvious no one is there.

Cue the rumour about Danny Ings signing.

We need a CF and a LB.

Chin up mate, get rid of those thoughts, the times they are a changin, keep the faith.

The striker issue feels as though it's going to be a bit more of a headache.

Mavididi, Leicester
Liam Delap, Ipswich

Not much there to pick through.

How much of our limited activity is down to PSR? How much to a Friiedkin strategy of sit tight and wait for Summer?
How much to an inability to identify and recruit the right players?
Oh to be a fly on the wall …

Worked with Seamus all those years ago. Trouble is he won't have someone with the experience of Phil Neville behind him to advise him.

Our scouting network 😂🤣

That adds up to agents trying to dump their dross on us via a very accomodating Thelwell.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/cy0p77j5xwrt?post=asset%3A516ecaad-c92e-4f5e-852c-e855571cf4af#post

I'm sure Moyes will have his own ideas and these will be added to Thelwells. As with Alcaraz, we probably won't know most of them.

Thanks for the information on the Doyle boy, Rob T. How many players do City actually have out there!

Tommy went on loan to Wolves with an option to buy and took that option up and bought him for£4.5M with add ons depending on his progression, maybe if we do the same with Callum we will be on to a good deal.

Is that you outside the gate with the big hat on?

What's the point of bringing players for the sake of it?

We still need a striker I reckon. Beto is our only fit striker, so relying on DCL, Chermiti and possibly Broja to get fit and stay fit feels like a risk to me.

Chermiti is a nothing player so far. So is Broja. Both have been injured more than they have fit, and neither has given any sort of return even when they have played, albeit briefly.

I'd imagine it's nigh on impossible to get a striker today anyway but I still think we need one.

We have Chermiti coming back sortly which will feel like a new signing. I was looking forward to seeing what he could do this season because he looked like he could make into a top player.

It is a risk but being pragmatic they are probably thinking if we win three games, even if we lose the other 12 that is probably sufficient to survive. So between Beto, Chermitti, or some auxillary striker we can probably achieve that. Versus bringing in someone mediocre, injury prone, out of form (e.g. the players other clubs let go cheaply) and getting stuck with the extra costs ahead of the summer when we need massive investment just to maintain numbers as so many are out of contract.

Thanks for letting us know how your son got home. Is Alcaraz still at the hotel?

Sure, yeah, I see your point and you could well be right. It just feels a bit tightrope doesn't it.

I see Ferguson has signed for West Ham through the Brighton/Potter connection.

Harrison to Fulham, and Dewsbury-Hall to us feels like a smart move to me. Offload one loan, bring in another. This feels like a more realistic proposition.

I think most would take Harrison to Fulham on loan without even adding anything else to the equation.

Ex pros, most of them bang average at best, waxing lyrical about players. In all honesty I would sooner clean the car with my tongue.

Get a grip man.

You don't know who we're targeting.

Did you know about Alcaraz? Did any of the clickbait sites mention him?

You're going on what you've seen on t'internet and that's really not reliable.

Do enjoy yourself watching that 😁

I’ll just get the shammy out to dry the car when I’ve finished.

I think the club are looking at the squad and being pragmatic. Whilst we all can see areas we need to improve we do still have at lease 2 fit players for every position and maybe we are going to try and see the season out. Those 3 wins have have definitely changed the mindset

It'll be interesting to see how Ferguson does. And whether they have an option to buy.

To be honest, from what I have seen of Evan playing for Ireland, I don't think we are missing out on much but I could be wrong.

I see the comedy troupe of Kelly, Kelly and Quinn is on stage today.

Brian #188, exactly. None of the online speculation means anything. I believe the same was the case with O'Brien last summer. Nobody heard nuthin' until the move actually happened.

I'd be interested in the players you would have tried for considering the PSR contraints and that our wage structure is still out of control, it's currently at about 92% of turnover with the Premier League trialing an 85% limit from this season. In 2022/ 2023 it was 96%

With the exodus in the summer don't expect the £700k + in wages saved to be handed out like confetti or expect any real competitive transfer budget because currently as a club we simply don't generate the income.

Our turnover for 2023/2024 was circa £180m, essentially it's bottom 6 along with Brentford, Ipswich, Bournemouth, Soton & Wolves. What is crucial is their wages. As an example, Brentford wages are only 59% of their £170m turnover & Bournemouth's is currently 71% of their £150m turnover. Wolves? 84%. Soton 84%. These clubs all have wiggle room to spend. This season Ipswich will have a £130m turnover on a 27% wage budget, even they can spend hence Philogene.

Progression can only begin when our commercial turnover greatly increases. That's the bottom line. Everything is now defined by turnover and is why Spurs are classed as top 6, their turnover is greater than Chelsea & Arsenal plus is more than twice that of Newcastle.

For the Premier League I suppose the two high profile loans are currently Rashford & Chilwell, combined they earn £500k per week who can pay that? Not us.

We missed out on that one as well that was so sorely needed. Another great job from Thelwell, taking us right up to that desperate last minute. All Autumn to make plans (admittedly there was the takeover) and here we are again on the last day, trying to bring someone in and the tightest connection is arguably to someone in our third priority position.

Thelwall's transfer record to date is shite you say. So McNeil, Garner, Iroegbunam, Ndiaye, O'Brien all shite in your eyes?

Give your head a wobble lad.

Thelwell has been working at times with both hands tied behind his back and a very small budget to work with and has picked up all of the above amongst others with little to pay up front to get in new talent.

If Thelwell is kept on by TFG after this season maybe let's judge him after he's had more of a budget to work with and those hands untied a little before judgement is cast.

To be fair to Martin, Brendan, he did mention Ndiaye and Garner.

Its 20th Jan, are you desperate to sell? Nah
What is your price? £20m and you a still in trouble

It is 9am 3rd Feb Are you desperate to sell? Not really
What is your price? £15m

It is 10:30pm 3rd Feb Are you desperate to sell. He is a free agent in 4 months? OK £8m deal?

That is why Thelwell has not bought anyone yet.

Reporting also that as soon as the Alcaraz deal is official, Armstrong's loan to Derby will be finalized.

I didn't see that but sounds like Steve G will fit right in.

I'm on the side of the tax avoider rather than the hoarder of Johnson baby lotion

Leicester 17 points with inferior goal difference, with 14 games left.

Will be interesting what you need to stay up. 35 points is a fair number for leicester to hit, and that's 3 wins for us to find.

If anybody at club things the last 3 games means were out of trouble then they're in the wrong game.

Two words

Nottingham Forest.

Our Psr breaches were over stadium loans and not footballers or their wages which I believe we do and have always over paid.

Other TWr's have mentioned many players available or look good. I have mentioned that I agree with their opinions on many occasion.

When Gnonto was begging to come here we got Harrison.

I don't rate Mangala. He is too slow and fails to keep up with counter runners. He is attracted to wherever Gueye goes and leaves us exposed.

He doesnt have perception especially distribution and is easily beaten. That is my opinion.

Brendan. Head wobbled. Nope still the same.

McNeil is a good corner and free kick taker and can pick out a pass but goes missing for long periods and hasnt been anywhere near what we saw when Dyche turned up.

Tim looked like he was going under at times before his injury. He has promise.

Until 3 games ago O'Brien was just a name. He looks like he could be good.

Read my words re Ndiaye and Garner.

As stated I want my club progressing and for that to happen Thelwell should be seen at other stadia reaffirming who Moyes has highlighted as a player for this club and not the other way around.

Dof is tail wagging the dog.

Cheers Paul F

It explains why we've been unable to compete with any other Premier League clubs (again) and why it will still be very difficult under TFG until we generate greater revenue. Plainly TFG will aim to do that but won't happen overnight.

Bit surprised no movement beyond Alcaraz today. Sounds like Fellows still possible but running out if time.

Let's all be honest - despite needing lots of new players before we're a decent side again - we don't need new players to end up about 12th to 15th which is probably TFG are interested in presently.

Pete (274). Thanks mate. My mother's ashes will be next door. That's really good news but the bug is a better boozer than The Grapes.

Indeed it is, Mike.

I’m sure he has a large wish list of players he’d want to sign, but after he’s added filters of being able to afford them, will they join us, will they be better than what we already have and finally will the selling clubs accept our terms of minimal upfront payments I suspect the list is reduced to hardly any players. Really hope we can start to move forwards again on rebuilding in the summer.

But I will be pleasantly surprised if we do manage to bring anyone in today over and above Alcaraz.

Sean #266, of course he could. And he could put it in the net about three times more often than Amokachi.

Ian #281, certainly Tarks and Dwight were at Dyche's behest, but if Thelwell gets the blame for bad signings that might have been his manager's idea, I think the flip side applies as well.

Will he be the new Riquelme?

I’m fully expecting Felli and Faddy to be signed after midnight tonight.

Pat, you're still killing it today. But actually the truth is Alcaraz is reported ill in Rotterdam.

(Aretha.)

Mike (282) Lampard was our manager when Tarkowski and McNeil were signed in the summer of 2022. Dyche arrived in January 2023.

Thewell has had a difficult job, but I think he's had a very mixed bag on signings. His performances reflect that he's sweating on any new contract.

I see very little to suggest he's done anything other than a moderate job. His next job will be a step down on the mighty blues for sure.

Pat. you are keeping a dismal night . alive

For the first time in his limited number of starts Beto was given balls to run onto (like Mylenko) and it was no surprise to me that he took those two chances with aplomb. His second finish in particular was top class.

Mykolenko is another lad who gets a lot of criticism on here with comments like “he can’t cross a ball”. I also commented on another thread if you give the lad a ball to run on to he can indeed put a decent cross in. He delivered three terrific crosses into the box against Leicester - from memory on the 17th, 44th, and 72nd marks.

The pair of them will get better under Moyes because he will play to their strengths. Something that our previous manager didn’t do.

There is indeed scope for attracting support from a broader area, and good potential for a team at Conference level, at least. There is a degree of disillusionment with football at EPL level due to cost and difficulty in obtaining tickets, it looks like The Mariners are trying to tap into that, and why not?

Alcaraz thing is pissing me off now, tbh. It's no wonder Everton prefer to keep things quiet. Flamengo hung us out to dry by outing the deal before it was over the line.

.But I always thought that the Southport/Formby buses went up Moor Lane or is it that I got it wrong as I was thinking that Moor Lane carried on after the roundabout up to the bypass.

Me, too, Rob (330). How on earth does it take this long to get this deal over the line when the reports that I have heard- if correct - say that he has been in the city all day. And even if that were not the case, a medical could still be done elsewhere. Our lot could have met up with him at the Falklands, for instance.

I wish I had a memory like that.

And of course I agree with you on Myko as well, although I consider his defensive work more critical.

Rob #330, you gotta give Villa credit for earning that infusion of cash on Duran. They took the gamble to sign a teenager out of MLS for £18m based purely on potential, since he'd scored only eight goals on a bad team in Chicago. That took guts.

Duron was such an arrogant kid that the Chicago staff nicknamed him "Balotelli" -- not exactly a guarantee of success. But it turned out his cockiness was fully justified.

Romano: "Everton are completing all details of Charly Alcaraz deal from Flamengo, it will get done tonight.

€15m plus add-ons on loan with obligation to buy to be activated only in case of high number of starts."

Fuck you, Flamengo. And as for Everton, it's amateur hour. We should have said nothing, instead of making ourselves look like pricks.

As for new players it might have been nice and the squad is thin but any resources will probably go further this summer and Ian@223 gives a good summary of the PSR pitfalls.

Premiership survival is not a foregone conclusion but most bookies have us around 25/1 for a good reason. We have a few versatile players who can fill in different positions and Alcaraz can add to that. If we do get hit by more injuries then perhaps it provides the academy kids with some invaluable opportunities. Either way I’d back Moyes to keep us safe.

And hopefully our days of stupidity are just about over.

PS... we've handled the Alcaraz thing just right, with not a word from anybody so far. Moyes wouldn't even mention his name: "I’m hearing that there are ongoing conversations at the moment. I don’t think there is anything confirmed or definite."

Forest are knackered, they have to qualify for something - which they might not, or they'll be selling with a turnover of £155m and a wage budget at 94%. IF they do qualify for any European competition they'll need to reduce their wage budget to only 70% of turnover... which will mean selling players who got them up the table in the first place as their income won't magically double overnight. They've spent £360m in 2.5 years, a net spend of £215m.
Maybe they've just sent Ward - Prowse back to West Ham in order to save his £115k a week wages and maybe why the likes of Neco Williams & Hudson Odoi haven't signed contract extensions with less than 2 years left on their current deals?

You just like the rest of us want progression but it needs to be real world. We wanted Ndiaye before he signed for Marseille but didn't have the money. We were lucky he was available once and only when, we sold Onana. As a club we are still in that position.

There is nothing out there within our very tight budget that isn't a gamble. Me, I'd rather we did nothing, I certainly don't want a disruptive influence like Alcaraz anywhere near our dressing room.

"Arthur Cabral Benfica striker. Possible loan".

The number one topic among those Evertonians who have now secured their seats in the new stadium concerns the transport arrangements. Recently introduced parking restrictions around Kirkdale will make car use more challenging, nudging people on to trains which are often overcrowded and buses which are not wholly reliable. But as ever, we will find a way!

“I’m really excited to sign this deal with a club that means everything to me.

“It shows the belief that Everton have in me and I just want to keep progressing and getting better. Getting the chance to play for the first team this season has been great and I just want to push on and reach more.

“I now have an opportunity at a really good club like Derby to learn and hopefully do well for them and I’m looking forward to it.”

If Derby sack current manager Paul Warne as rumoured, the betting favorite to replace him is Gerrard.

Well done Martin.A big achievement.

I'd rather stick, than twist. Save any transfer pot for a summer window that is going to be monumental for the progess of the club over the next few years.

With all the contracts expiring, aging players, the uncertainty around Branthwaite, the DOFs position is not certain, so it seems you can't add people to suit a long term strategy, if that strategy probably hasn't been divised yet, with the manger so new.

The worst thing Moyes could have done for himself was to win 3 of his 4 games.

Planning John? I would have hoped that there would have been serious thinking from the day the stadium was announced. Train travel will be a joke. Sandhills has trains going to Southport and Ormskirk/Kirkby. They're always packed on Saturdays already. The platform is small. Much smaller than say Bank Hall. They could not lay on that many extra trains on match days. There are away fans coming into Lime St to think about. Big Rob will have to hop on a train at Aigburth. There's no buses to speak of. Used to always like the drive from Crosby after turning right onto the Dock Road but as you say, parking is getting more and more limited. I wonder how far up the Dock Road it would be possible to go and leave the car with a decent walk to BMD? Millers Bridge? Bank Hall? We need Brisbane's water taxis. Starting in Southport and calling at Crosby on the way to the dock.

On the positive side, this is the first time in years we haven't heard a word about a last-minute signing of Diego Costa.

The set-up at AFC Fylde is an example of a club with a decent catchment area and able to thrive at National League/National League North level despite the close proximity of bigger EFL clubs, Preston and Blackpool.

It all started with the Spurs game!

Anyone watching SSN .

The blues making huge moves, changed our pies from Hollands to Puka 💪🏻

Fair enough bud, I will give him credit for his work ethic, I love the way he wants to be part of us, but before now he habmsnt looked the answer for me.

That said he has shown some potential at times mate, and hopefully if we can give him the service he needs then ourscoring DCL certainly isn't impossible.

I do hope he is a huge success and we all look back wondering how Dyche never made him our number 1 striker.

Alkaraz not even done yet 🙈

Crazy Mike, will we ever change.

John, we’re from opposite ends. I like Crosby and one of my uncles used to take me there.

My favourite place is Woolton and the village.

See you in Croydon next week John.

And Armstrong is still the main news on the club pages.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

We have waited all day and now we are going to have to wait a little longer.

Everton appear to still be working on a deal to complete the loan signing of Carlos Alcaraz from Flamengo.

It means a deal sheet has gone in to the Premier League to give them time to get it done.

It is bordering on unforgivable that, assuming we did proper scouting on Alcaraz, that here we are once again after the window has closed trying to get a loan deal - a loan deal - over the line.

Oh, and let's not forget in all fairness that Thelwell pulled off the coup today of loaning Bradley Moonan to Prescot Cables. Top work. He's earned his mega-salary this window for sure.

Two names come to mind.

Answers on a postcard please.

In this January Window, with one stroke of the pen TFG, signed Moyes Mk II...of whom I am, warily, prepared to give a second chance to...this in turn apparently gave us at least 3 'new signings' O'Brien; couldn't get a kick, Lindstrom; never a Premier League player as long as he has a hole up his arse and Beto; had his bags packed for the land of Pasta.

Alvarez, (complete with hat?) may yet slide under the door ala Indiana Jones.

Yes we all would've liked more, but with 3 quick wins in the bank nobody at TFG or Finch Farm will be bemoaning their fate - "Ye ken we're all dooomed Morag, that's it then, Championship fea us, woe, woe and thrice woe, wailey, wailey, wailey."

Especially with some sort of PSR still in play.

Is Armstrong back in or still out on loan?

Seems like potentially a large cock-up!

Could the Alcaraz deal have been delayed by needing the paperwork confirmed for the nulling of the Mangala deal?

“Lindstrom; never a Premier League player as long as he has a hole up his arse…” Do you think that was the universal view Derek? I seem to remember a few of us reckoned he had potential if given more opportunity.

It won't happen overnight, but I believe we can draw parallels to Villa and become successful once again. We have made a decent start with a new (old) ex-manager, so just hope we continue to rise above the shite that has befallen us.

Taken from my perspective @435 and with my big boys glass half full pants on, was the window that bad?

Nurse, nurse, I'm feeling optimistic - fetch the bleach.

Nurse to Degsy; here, drink this, it will soon pass.

Always like to see goals being shared out and not just relying on one or two to provide them !

We are already safe from relegation so we don’t actually need to bring anyone in?

What is the obsession with predicting the future?? What is the obsession with having to have an optimistic outlook???

I’m a fecking realist and it looks to me we are only a handful of fairly standard injuries from being seriously stretched. That leads to more pressure on a core group who then become more susceptible to injury themselves or just to making more errors.

If a couple of incomings gave us that bit more breathing space why would anyone prefer the club did nothing instead? Just for the opportunity to show how virtuous they are for being optimistic / trusting of the players / manager?

Don’t worry, I’ll get with the happy / clappy program just as soon as we are mathematically safe.

Still held out hope that Harrison would have gone to Fulham. Not that I was expecting another loan in his place which would have been a bonus, but it would have meant he wouldn't be on the bench or play for us again. Very poor player, and why his loan was renewed is beyond comprehension.

Very good post Si (1)

Come on Lyndon, get that picture of Moyes off the home page and put our new hottie there instead,

Si #436, there is zero evidence that Everton ever wanted/tried to return Harrison, or that Leeds wanted him back. And Leeds flatly denied the clickbait report that Fulham reached out to them about Harrison.

There is likewise zero evidence that Willian and Everton were ever interested in each other -- although it was reported that he had been "offered" to us -- or that he had eyes for anybody in the Prem besides Fulham.

So I think your scenario, while theoretically possible, is on the outer edges of speculation.

Vijay #453, Young has played 65 Prem games at left back, so I think his bona fides are established. I know nothing about Truffaut, but we do have cover at LB for now.

I do agree with you - he's been dreadful this season, and mostly mediocre before that. Also looking online, Leeds fans don't want him back either.

On the bench v Bournemouth, and will get 25 minutes with Moyes rather than one with the hard-boiled eggs.

Nothing has changed at Goodison. Prepare to be underwhelmed is my motto.

So Steve, erm, this will be. your salary. We know it's not quite desert Sheik material. Is that just one 0? That's an 8 Steve. But that's way less than Villa. Yes Steve but let's face it you're a shite manager and we at Carlisle have not forgotten that slip in 2014 and, well, you need to start at the bottom to try to work up the ladder again. But I'm boss and sound as a pound and custy. Look Steve, we'll see what we can do to raise it to a grand a week but that will depend on results and the Liverpool gangsters.

I'd rather have got someone else in to compete with Myko, but alas that's not happening.

They, it seems, can spend freely without fear of sanction. How else can you explain their 160 million (!!) outlay in the transfer window?

I think you're right Bill G.

Great post Mike 466.

If anything happens to Beto on Saturday we are right back in that mess we looked to be crawling out of.

The January transfer window now is only a replacement window. One player out one player in.No one was interested in the available players Calvert Lewin, possibly Beto or Branthwaite, so no players came in.They would have to been cheap anyway.

All the season's planning is in the Summer Window.Even Moyes got a surprise how tight things are on the playing side.Roll on the 100 days review and the reduction of staff to make way for more money to be available for players in the Summer.

Big changes in the Summer 9 players ending contracts and the new owners settled in with a new Chief Executive and a new stadium.Again a story like no other, with Moyes reborn.

Out of frustration and despair, both transient things,( 30 years in Everton's case) Everton reborn with new words and new powers.

There aren’t many good players available in January, they have their pick of several clubs and they’re overpriced; I for one, am really pleased we didn’t get suckered into this situation.

So far I think TFG haven’t put a foot wrong, Moyes is doing better than any of us thought and the future looks a lot brighter than it did a few weeks ago.

Andrew, 470, I breathe and believe every word in your post.

Thelwell has left us awfully exposed at the front and at full back this window and the last one. He is an average DOF, sort of 15ish. We need better to truly progress though money from these ghost Yanks called TFG set aside for transfers might help the poor fella.

But we ought to reserve judgment on TFG until August 31.

That's a stance I don't think I've seen considered on this thread.

David#472

Agreed.

I think back to signing Tosun and Walcott in January 2020 - 40 million + add-ons in transfer fees and 170,000 a week for those 2 players. Over 70 million in total cost for attackers who contributed 19 goals - or 3.7 million per goal. No wonder we nearly went bust!

Mangala's injury was a killer as it forced us to sign another central midfielder rather than a right winger or fullback.

But, the 9 points earned since David Moyes joined us probably allowed us to take a bit of a calculated risk and leave it there, plus we want to be compliant with PSR in its final season.

As they have found out with Roma.

But on the bright side, we have the newly prolific Beto and the lesser spotted Chermiti to terrorise our opponents, as well as ourselves, for the remainder of the season.

Totally agree & with Brian Williams # 478 that …

“That's a stance I don't think I've seen considered on this thread.”

Agree on both counts!

Dave, my understanding is that yes you can spend any money that comes into the club on transfers as long as you balance the gains and losses.

Sounds bloody obvious but the more that comes in the more will be available to spend on transfers.

However I think the naming rights deal will be structured over probably ten years or so.

So if you get a naming rights deal for £200m over ten years my understanding is that only £20m of that each year will count as money in for that year's accounting purposes.

Could be wrong like, it's not unusual.

I can understand if DM was told whatever was spent now just wouldn’t be replaced for the summer window, but I hope to God he’s not on one of those ridiculous bonus schemes for bosses that is all based on how low they can keep the outlay on the actual workers.

They will come unstuck if they don’t properly explain their thinking to supporters.

The “we never explain ourselves” line didn’t work at Roma and it won’t work here.

If he doesn’t impress early doors, we won't be taking a risk on spending any dosh if we’re “safe”. After all, was anyone else negotiating all day to snap him up ? Spend as little as possible and only if you really have to is the order of the day.

I'm glad we're being sensible rather than the reckless spending for the sake of it over the last several years that broke us financially.

I don't like the windows, especially the January ones. Clubs unwilling to sell for reasons such as European qualification or being involved in Europe. If they do, the price is often inflated. Remember when, under Allardyce, we spent the best part of £50M on Tosun and Walcott?

Now we can get back to the more important business in front of us with what we've got.

Despite the feel good factor, we're not safe yet. Most teams still have 14 games and theoretically 42 points to play for (we have 45!!).

A couple of wins and a few draws and we should be, but we need to maintain the momentum and not get complacent.

And then the important business of a FA Cup run, starting on Saturday.

Best wishes Brian hope you are well.

Moyes said a few days ago he would like a couple more players in but he also said no use bringing players in if they arent better than what they have got. I assume the players Moyes may have wanted were either to expensive or didn't want to join a club who still mathematically could be relegated.

Only Moyes, Thelwell, the Friedkins know how this transfer window really played out.

Exactly mate. Spot on. We can all wildly speculate and pontificate, as some really are, but none of the opinions on here can claim to hold more gravitas than others despite lengthy, in depth, analyses.

Wouldn't be surprised if we let Thelwell leave, to see another club appreciate the work he's done on shoe string and him go on to be a success.

With all the Hooha surrounding the takeover and the fear of another dogfight with the dross at the bottom we needed some inspiration and it has appeared for now that the managerial change has worked.

Three games and eight goals equals nine points and just perhaps we can keep going with Beto, Doucoure and Ndiaye getting the goals.

The return of Garner and this loan of Alcaraz can certainly help midfield but we have to avoid more injuries if possible.

Not getting involved in desperate overpriced transfers in the window is a good thing so lets all hope TFG will be the best thing that has happened to the club in decades.

"Yeah, it was the season after the *, when Pickford chopped VVD in half"

'I accept this will be frustrating for Everton fans, but I also see the club’s point of view that there was absolutely no point wasting money on someone who was simply another body in the building rather than a player who would add something.

It is actually a good sign, in my opinion, that David Moyes is so meticulous about the players he signs and I am sure Everton will be more ambitious in the summer.'

Think that sums it up quite well...so we go with what we got and we will be ok

To potentially get Alcaraz for £12m seems excellent business to me. Time will tell but looks another astute bit of business from Thelwell.

The powder has been kept dry till the summer when a CEO will be in place and the market will be better value.

It might and should be different for next season. Some judicious cost cutting, including losing some poor value players on big salaries combined with the additional stadium revenue (though I've never really believed Deloitte's £55m claim) should give us a fair amount of wiggle room.

Summer is when we will find out if Thelwell is any good. Here's hoping.

One of three outcomes are likely in the summer assuming TFG are well briefed and understand the enormity of the rebuild required.

One is they decide not to spend much and we plug holes with freebies and loans. Two is Thelwell has a robust plan and has outlined targets which TFG will hopefully back and support. Three is Thelwell is toast and they are waiting for his replacement to roll out the recruitment, if so there should already be discussions going on. Interesting times.

Every club has the odd signing that doesnt work, thank heaven we arent that horror story at Old Trafford.

No doubt we will have our targets in the summer and in Moyes we trust.

It works well on the continent, where Director of Sport / Director of Football is the norm.

But culturally, we still focus on the traditional manager model.

In my view, it's like anything, if implemented and followed correctly, it can work. Cue VAR debate!!

On a serious note, there is no point doing something if you go at it half baked. All in or not in.

Whatever the case I don't think TFG have done anything to raise fans expectations. If fans have drawn their own conclusions about the short term implications for us on the pitch, then I don't think TFG have anything to answer for.

They will take time and start to build a team in the summer.

Disappointed in the lack of a striker, but I like that the owners are quiet and stay in the background.

We don't need the chaos and panic of the past 7 years, probably the reason they appointed Moyes as a steady, frugal and organised manager.

There's no such thing as a 'manager' anymore, and hasn't been for some years. The notion of a Wenger or Ferguson having complete control simply doesn't exist within a top-level, modern football clubs structure.

The roles have changed hugely, along with the game and the running of a club (business) they have all changed and adapted to the demands which really didn't exist years ago. A manager like Wenger or Ferguson just wouldn't be able to manage every aspect of a club now like they did years ago.

One of the key points about a DoF is that they're there to provide continuity, whereas managers (coaches) come and go quite often. This is important in my view, whether you like or don't like the model itself. The DoF is also responsible for the full, over arching culture at a club - so that the youth teams, up to the first team all share the same ethos, brand delivery and playing style. This is done so that academy players have a seamless path from youth to first team (Ajax and Barca spring to mind).

Recruitment is not done solely by the DoF. It's a team decision headed by the DoF, so he does the heavy lifting but it's absolutely done with the Manager (coach) having some input. This notion that the DoF simply goes out and buys players and the Manager (coach) has to play them is simply not true.

Back in the day your Chief Scout would help out with contracts and fees, but today neither the Manager (coach) or Chief Scout have much to do with this part of the process. That the DoF's job, and Managers (coaches) are left to do the Management (coaching) on the training pitch/gameday.

Merely having a Manager (coach) is a now an old fashioned/traditional idea, and something lots of fans hang onto because they think things were better/simpler then. And they were, just as your life itself was better/simpler when you were younger. We all hark back to younger days because we believe life was easier then - what's the phrase, "youth is wasted on the young". Never a truer word huh. The game has changed markedly, and thus the roles within a football club have also changed.

I highly doubt there's a Manager (coach) alive who could juggle every facet of a top level Premier League team. He'd need several brains, more limbs and the ability to teleport in order to facilitate such a role.

The DoF and his scouting team are far more aligned with the club these days. Managers (coaches) come and go quickly, but the DoF, his scouting team and his management team are way more likely to spend longer at clubs than Managers (coaches) who are just passing through.

With that in mind I would suggest people are more positive in thinking about the model, because it's here to stay and actually gives Managers (coaches) way more time to devote to the playing side of the game. The part that's most important.

The Manager (coach) is not a Manager anymore, he's a coach first and foremost. The DoF does all the management, the 'Manager' does the coaching. It makes sense to me, even as an older person. It's a culture shift, something many older fans struggle to accept.

Bournemouth at the weekend then the RS and Palace so a very busy and important 7 days.

Possibly Moyes will give young Sherif a start up front at the weekend, leaving Beto out to play in the massively important league games.

I think he has done a top job given the resources he has had available.

I would keep him at least until the summer. If he has a poor summer window then I feel we can look elsewhere. It doesn’t matter how high profile a DOF is. If he hasn’t got much funding available, then he can’t be expected to bring in top quality reinforcements

The days of Harry Catterick standing on a cold, wet terrace with his collar turned up watching a prospective signing have long since gone.

I'm positive the last 3 results have settled the owners down and they are keeping funds for the summer.

You make some very interesting points in your defence of the DOF role. You suggest that the managers may change but the DOF will be here longer and create a more stabilising effect. But at what point do the club say its the DOFs fault not the managers, as usually managers make the tough decisions and the DOF who hasn't even managed a piss up in a brewery bares no responsibility. I don't go along with your claim that the DOFs set out the style of play that each team at the club play, and if that was true what happens to the DOF when a new manager comes in with a completely different style of play, does he rip up his strategy and start again. Also if he is that important to a club why isn't he paid the same salary as the manager, which they never are.

A lot of fellow Blues keep banging on about Thelwell being a shite DOF, unfortunately this is being disingenuous to Thelwell as not many acknowledge when he was employed into the role the club was a basket case both from a financial and club management perspective.

If Thelwell is still here in the summer then the previous 3 years PSR will not hinder the available player budget to the point it has the last few seasons.

The club trying to stay within PSR compliance has meant that new players being brought in to try and improve the squad were having to be bought on the never never or drip fed payments which would vastly reduce the amount and quality of player availablefrom selling clubs.

Let's face it if a club wanted to buy Ndiaye this summer and said we'll offer you £40m but pay in installments over the next 5 years, most of us would hope the club tell the buyers to go forth a populate, that is the realm that Thelwell has had to operate in and he's still managed to bring in quality players.

Maybe it would be better to judge Thelwell's ability to spot and negotiate good deals for quality players after the summer transfer window closes once the PSR financial shackles are off.

It's all supposition and guesswork which, to my mind, makes it pointless accusatory waffle.

Nobody knows what approaches he made, what players he'd sought, or anything else, in this window so that makes it very easy to have a right go.

And Ian, David, Martin, Brendan, great comments as well.

The rules that are in place result in clubs having to be very careful about their finances.

The available talent is very limited at this period of the season. Without a willing selling you can't do a deal.

We go with what we have and come the summer we will hopefully be in a much stronger position to do business in the next window.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, we are nearly there.

The only other current Premier League club with a positive net spend in that period is Leicester - at £78.77m. And that's because they sold players after relegation and didn't invest heavily (like Ipswich at minus €157.8m) on promotion.

The next other current Premier League club is Wolves at minus €52.14m.

By the time you get to Forest and Bournemouth the net spend is more than minus €250m.

These are absolutely extraordinary conditions for a Premier League club to be operating in. No other club or DoF has faced anything like it.

Here's the key paragraph on Alcaraz:

Everton have admired the midfielder since his time in Argentina with Racing Club before joining Southampton in this window two years ago (an 18-month spell that included a post-relegation loan to Juventus last January) and expect him to provide energy, versatility and hard work. While capable of playing deeper, higher or from the sides, Alcaraz is most likely to compete with Abdoulaye Doucoure for a role behind the striker. He gives them another body and goal threat in a key part of the pitch.

And the rest of what went on:

Loanee Jack Harrison was the subject of enquiries from other Premier League sides. His game time has been limited but parent club Leeds United had no recall option and his preference is to try to earn a permanent deal at Everton.

Meanwhile, nobody was able to put together a package to convince Everton to part with defender Michael Keane, who turned 32 last month and is one of the squad’s highest earners. The former England centre-back had significant interest from the Championship and clubs further afield, but a potential loan fee plus wages coverage was always likely to be a prohibitive combination.

Even six months ago, Everton may have had to look at cashing in on assets but they are on a much surer financial footing now under TFG.

The ideal scenario with [Stanley] Mills, a talented winger still recovering from a long-term knee injury, would have been to send him out on loan with a view to potentially earning a new contract back aboard the mothership. But with his existing deal due to expire in the summer, he has taken the opportunity to return to Oxford, where he spent the first half of last season on loan before that injury happened, to try to kickstart his career.

The idea with young midfielder Harrison Armstrong’s loan move to the Championship’s Derby County, meanwhile, was to give him a chance at regular senior minutes following the arrival of Alcaraz.

For now, injuries mean Everton are stretched up front, where Beto is their only fit striker.

They are thin on the wings too, with Dwight McNeil having recently undergone surgery on a knee problem and the loan deals for Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom due to expire at the end of the season (the latter has been borrowed from Serie A side Napoli).

Everton explored a deal for Republic of Ireland international striker Evan Ferguson but were behind West Ham (which is where he ended up) and Bayer Leverkusen in the pecking order. They spoke to Chelsea about terminating injured Broja’s loan early, potentially opening the door to borrowing one of Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Ben Chilwell from them instead.

But with quality striking options in short supply and Broja’s ankle problem not as bad as first feared, they stuck with what they had.

Youssef Chermiti is due back before the end of the month after missing the first half of the season with a foot injury, providing another striking option, with Broja likely a couple of weeks behind him. There is a belief that Iliman Ndiaye could move inside and play a central role if needed.

Everton will need to strengthen on the wings over the summer, even if that means choosing to take up Lindstrom’s purchase option of around €20million and/or negotiating a permanent deal for Harrison after his two seasons on loan from Leeds. In both cases, though, the situation will be governed by performances over the remainder of the season.

A new winger was the priority in the early part of the window, with director of football Kevin Thelwell and the recruitment team leading on potential targets. They explored moves for Jaden Philogene, who eventually joined Ipswich Town from Aston Villa, and Lyon’s Ernest Nuamah, but the upheaval at Goodison — Sean Dyche departing, his replacement Moyes arriving not long after the new owners — meant both deals stalled.

Everton also had long-standing interest in West Bromwich Albion winger Tom Fellows, 21, but late reports a bid had been accepted were wide of the mark. Few at the club had a desire to risk their PSR position before an important summer.

In the emerging-talent market, they held an interest in Caen’s Tidiam Gomis, who was also wanted by Aston Villa, but the 18-year-old Frenchman’s preference was a move to RB Leipzig and that materialised on deadline day.

Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff and Freiburg’s Merlin Rohl were potential options in midfield. As a homegrown player, though, Longstaff wanted to stay to fight for his place at St James’ Park, while Freiburg were keen to retain Rohl until the end of the season.

Alongside Chilwell, Rennes’ Adrien Truffert and Wesley Franca of Flamengo were tracked in full-back areas. But with resources tight in this window and higher priorities elsewhere, those positions will need to be addressed in the summer.

I never saw anything on the clickbait sites about Franca, Rohl or Gomis, or about other clubs coming in for Keane and Harrison. And even though we'd apparently been interested in Alcaraz for a couple of years, nothing had ever leaked out.

As for our temporary Beto-only striker situation, it's certainly a risk, but if something happened to Beto it could be handled. Moyes could push Doucs up top and slide Ndiaye in behind him, as he did years ago with Fellaini and Cahill.

I can't wait for the summer window. That's gonna be SO much fun.

It is the only thought process I can come up with where Man City spend £175 million in this window, so that if a transfer ban comes in, they already have their squad topped up ready for the next few seasons.

How can a team still spend £175 million, with no out going sales, they are literally sticking two fingers up at everyone, and nothing is being done about it, while the likes of Villa and Newcastle have their hands tied, to try and remain challengers, even ourselves.

I can only assume the players we wanted were not available, or out of our price range, with inflated prices in January, the Manager has had a good look at who he has got and feels the ones being offered will not improve the current squad.

Our buisness will be done in the summer window, get past June 30th for final fianances submitted, then come July onwards we will have more spending available, the only problem though will be prices will be inflated with a lot of other teams having the restraints removed as well.

The Manager has put a lot of faith and belief in this current squad, so it’s a big opportunity for O,Brien, Garner, Iroegbunam, Beto, Lindstrom and the like to show what they can do and if they continue to carry their form, to the rest of the season, then it will make the summer rebuilding less demanding.

I can understand not bringing a striker in, if Broja, Chermiti and Calvert- Lewin are all only 3-4 weeks away from returning, it gives Beto time to claim the number 9 Jersey, as in centre forward spot and not jersey number.

It gives us a chance to see if these players are decent enough to move us forward, rather than bring a Tosun, Rondon, Walcott panic buy in.

Come the summer we will have 4 loan spots available, those we already have will either be bought, or sent back to their parent clubs, Alcaraz could prove to be a very good signing, and at around £14 Million, not a huge risk.

I think we will be fine with what we have until the summer, there will be highs and lows, but it the main, I feel we have more than enough to see us through the season.

For me the reset starts in the summer, with a huge season ahead in the new stadium.

In the meantime we need Beto, Doucoure and Ndiaye to stay fit and also hope Alcaraz can make a real contribution.

The supporters beef is he squandered the Gordon (£40m) money on Maupay and Beto (£12m+26m), at a time when we couldn't afford to mess it up. We can't all go around hailing that was great business, it wasn't it was dreadful. The proof of which we would be lucky to recover 50% after 2 years - and bar last Saturday it returned pretty much jot on the pitch.

Similarly, yes he got a decent fee for Onana in the end, but most would argue after selling Richarlison, losing DCL to injury, and after losing all our goal threat in Sigurdsson, James, Digne etc - spending the thick end of £30m on a defensive midfielder wasn't a priority. We were desperate for goals, but we spent on the wrong area of the pitch. A quality DofF would have identified a defensive midfielder for £5-8m, not £30m.

Tarkowski, Mcneil, Coady, Gueye, Garner, Young, Iroegbunam, Ndiaye, O'brien, Maupay weren't exactly difficult deals for a Premier League team to do. Most were known quantities, with a scout earning a 20th of his wage could have recommended.

Competitor DofF at other clubs put him in the shade of what they've done. Whilst other clubs have brought in Baleba, Mitoma, etc super Kev was still chasing Gnoto and Jack Harrison for about 6 transfer windows...

I might being harsh on Thelwell, but I don't see him as the man the Friedkin's will trust with his money. He's cleared the wage bill and brought in players that were easily attainable. If he's earning fair dough, he needs to be doing more than that.

Will there be a big queue for his services when he gets the bullet, not a chance. Like Dyche he kept the ship a float, but this club is way too big for him.

But it explains why they can spend.

Thanks Mike, and you only have to read some of the garbage since that post to see that it's true.

And it shows that the gullible believe everything they read on the likes of newsnow and other clickbait sites.

We still have the naming rights that will help big time, plus the previous debts have been paid off, and with no more stadium build costs, we should be in a very strong position from this summer onwards, possibly revenue coming in from concerts and events at the stadium as well.

My late parents and grandparents are "afterlife members" of Thornton Garden of Rest. My Grandad and Mum were Marine supporters ("C'mon the Lilywhites!"), as am I - it'll be sad to see the club leave Rossett Park, but times change, as we all know.

Really effected my performance. Now i know how Doucoure feels.

It helps if you win 6 league titles out of 7, play in the final stages of the CL every year.

I’m sure the economic validity of some sponsorship deals could be questioned but they have to file accounts like everyone else.

PSR might have had the right intentions but in effect it maintains the status quo. Newcastle are finding this, they have money to spend they just can’t spend it.

City’s problems appear to relate to 15 years ago when the spent money, allegedly illegally, to break into that top circle.

Good ambition by Marine; a 5,000 capacity stadium.

It made me think of other non-league teams we've had over the years and still have on Merseyside or the now Liverpool City Region.

South Liverpool, who now play on Jericho Lane, with the site of their former ground now being Liverpool South Parkway Station.

Prescot Cables, Southport, Runcorn.

Anymore for anymore?

I go there quite frequently to watch my grandsons. I tell them that their grandmother celebrated her 21st birthday in the lounge there, a few hours after their grandad had proposed to her, but they look at me sceptically, suspecting it’s just one of his yarns.

Most of the Richarlison & gordon money was eaten up balancing the books.
22m for iwobi? Decent ?
9m Dobbin ? 9m for Dobbin.. what DM are you getting with your 5m mate ?

I'd say his selling has been better, but he's dealing with a financial mess, psr, point deductions, an owner who washed his hands of the day to day affairs.

Don't you think managers had a say in the players bought ? I believed Lampard was meant to be the one pushing for maupay. Then he's sacked and you have dyche pushing for different types of players, like Beto.
So you can't lay all the blame on him for incomings, some ofcourse!

In an ideal world, he'd have the same manager and owners to work. With some funds, without having to sell to suit psr over 3-4 years to build a sqaud long term.
He's been fighting fires since day 1.

Danny (572): Formby AFC... Bootle...City of Liverpool...Maghull...A.F.C. Liverpool...Lower Breck

The Dof is there to facilitate things for the manager (coach) to put all the things in place to support what the manger needs, scouting, analysis, sports science, the financial implications so the manager (coach) should have the final say on transfers but there's a massive team supporting the decision, the decision that potentially runs in to 50 - 60- 70m over a 5 year deal for a 30- 40m player.
I'd rather have all that, than one man watching sky sports decides to invest all that money.

So obviously there has to be some level of trust from both Friedkin and Moyes in Thelwell's judgement on Alcaraz. And it's his singular chance to impress them. Or not, depending on how the player turns out.

"Yo, Kev, sure, I'll authorize signing the kid on your say-so. No pressure, but if he doesn't look good, go ahead with your vacation plans for the summer."

My apologies, I didn't mean it to sound as though the DoF sets out the style of play - what I meant was, that's one of the things he oversees, not that he dictates how any of the teams he oversees plays.

Part of his role is to keep the club culture the same from bottom to top. I imagine it's the Coach (Manager) who sets out the style of play.

Thats a really interesting point about keeping the clubs culture, what is our culture as all the years I have been watching Everton I have seen that many different managers adopt different styles, so I would like to hear what you believe our culture is.

David 579 Moyes had to deal with agents fees and structured deals over 3-5 years the first time he was here. I am still waiting for someone to tell me what does the DOF do that the head scouts and various scouts we employed in many different countries didnt do. They went and watch players and made their thoughts known to the head scout who would then go and watch those players. then he might recommend the manager has a look at him. Just one slight correction Moyes watched Lescott 24 times before he signed him, talk about leaving no stone unturned.

It certainly serves that purpose at present, with a bistro, refurbished function lounge, and a 4G pitch that is under constant use by young boys and girls.

I would love to see it retained as such, but our new government is pushing hard with an agenda of housing development, so who knows what the future holds?

I'd agree that there's a list of players Thelwell, the scouts and analysts are looking at, before Moyes arrived, and Alacaraz was probably the one Moyes fancied, after being told the ins and outs of the deal.
It would still have been a collaboration, and joint decision.

After Moyes praising the work done by the people at the club under the financial restrictions, if they can collaborate and work well over the next few months then maybe Moyes could be finding a good partner, I don't see him working with some foreign DOF for certain.

Clubs are signing players who the managers have never heard of - and then developing them out of sight of the manager.

We now have clubs in Denmark that exist to develop West African youth talent. And similar in Norway, Sweden, Czechia etc.

We have Brighton's sister club winning the Belgian league for the first time in its history.

We have Chelsea u21s signing a more expensive player than our senior side this summer.

We have competition for players from Saudi and the MLS (not just oldies but some of the best youngsters from South America).

Youth development and player trading is a huge professionalise enterprise.

Thomas Frank didn't identify Mbuemo.

Iraola didn't identify Soler and Kroupi.

Klopp didn't oversee the high volume of acquisitions and sales of 14 to 16 year olds from academies around the UK and beyond.

Guardiola didn't organise the purchase of Savinho by Man City sister club Troyes, the development loan to Girona and purchase by City.

Potter didn't identify Ferguson as a 15 year old in Ireland or Mitoma.

I think fans on here really struggle with the idea we could achieve success differently to how we last achieved it in the 1980s. But the only way we can possibly kick on as a club is to join in otherwise we get left further and further behind.

Obviously Friedkin could have vetoed the deal as well. He didn't. Again, seems to show at least a modicum of faith.

My point was that Thelwell is the only current Everton exec who could possibly have been following the kid for two years. So the responsibility is all his.

Of course, that's all blind guess on my part. I have no insight into the process.

My next visit was for an FA Cup 2nd round tie against Runcorn. The next visit was for an FA Cup 3rd round tie a few weeks later, when Joe Royle scored the only goal.

I've got to say that there has been some excellent debate on this thread. I've really enjoyed reading it all.

Bobby Mallon [581]

Made me have a think about possible sponsorship deals in general.

Here is a link to TFG's list of companies on their website;

TFG Companies

I was thinking if it would be practical for TFG to use their own companies as Corporate Sponsorship vehicles to increase revenue at AS Roma, and of course, Everton.

Are there any ITKs in the US or North America, who could outline if there a tax breaks, similar to the UK, for corporate sponsorship expenditure?

The reason why I ask, as the PL is becoming more prevalent on US TV, and indeed, global TV, could it become viable for TFG to do an Usmanov, and use their own companies to boost revenue and income to improve our PSR situation, whilst also boosting their Global Presence?

The idea of outlaying a huge CAPEX outlay to buy what they already own, for a profit, yet still retain control might follow in the footsteps of Chelsea, but would it fly with new SCRs?

If anybody could answer that for me it would be great.

As for Thelwell, if he has been given his notice, then he'll be here till mid-April approx., or he may go sooner, depending what his brief is IF he is going.

At Roma, they immediately sacked and replaced the DoF (SD) there, after being hired by TFG for three years there. However, it may be a case of slowly slowly with Everton, especially with the delicate nature of the finances.

Personally, as I stated on the January Window thread, I fully support Thelwell, and despite some excellent counter arguments on here, it still hasn't made me change my mind. The good he has done for the club, far out weighs any 'debatable' poor transfer record!

As a note of caution, if anybody thinks we'll have millions to spend in summer, unless we improve our revenue and income dramatically before June 30th / July 1st, we're going to be pretty much still shopping in bargain bins and pound land realistically.

To put it simply, our wage to income is quite imply too high. That is not because we particularly pay high wages (now!) but because our revenue is so low!

Also, if you don't work in football, how many hours do you devote to watching and or 'scouting' / analysing football?

Again, if that is not too intrusive or private.

Good wishes.

I'm really enjoying the DoF, PSR and Scouting discussion...

I agree reference the Manager only model being outdated, UNLESS you have excellent Heads of Department and a very hands on Football background CEO similar to David Gill at Utd.

I usually got to a couple of stat sites, and of course Transfrmrkt.

Plus there are a few additional sites that occasionally give you some information too.

BTW isn't "So it doesn't really take up any time." all relative? 😜 hehe

Paul F, that list reads like a north end compilation of clubs. Must be too much of a south ender!!

Brian, I'll the Sporting Director / DoF a go. It serves a few functions.

Control and oversight of the scouting staff and system. That extends to the academy and development teams.

It may sound like an additional layer, but it's a bit like certain roles in various companies depending on what type of business you work in. For me it is like a CISO; not quite on the board, but a link man between the coaching & scouting staff and the board (e.g. CSO, CTO, CIO and even CEO).

That takes away the burden from the head coach, who can focus on the first team and how they play. Obviously they both need to work hand in glove. Coach identifies what type(s) of player needed or wanted, not necessarily named individuals. DoF/Sporting Director goes and finds them.

I'm sure most know, so I'm not insulting anyone's intelligence, but the term Sporting Director is, again, a continental thing. You see some clubs use the prefix 'SV' as opposed to FC. In Germany, this is the abbreviation for 'Sport Verein'; sports club, as they will have often have football, tennis, athletics, water polo and handball (for example) under the umbrella of the club.

That's my take on it anyway.

I like to think I know my football and footballers, both home and in Europe but the depth of knowledge and understanding you demonstrate puts me in the also rans.

I mostly tend to ignore rumours and getting involved in this player, that player speculation and rely on my son as he is a bit more outward looking. Massive Evertonian, as big as I am, but I am a blue eyed monster. He is more rational, like my brother.

When it comes to the club, I have aspirations built up over years of frustration on the back of a taste of success and what that feels like. Some would say I have false hope, but I won't stop.

When it comes to the team, I'm just focussed on who is available for the next match, like Saturday.

That would be fairly accurate to the nearest 3,000 or so, there would be no jibbers from Crosby, who would be far too polite to try to enter the arena without paying.

You didn't need to be a genuis to pick these out, they were already doing it in the Championship, and just needed to be given the opportunity. Same as Jags, Cahill, Baines, Lescott.

And plenty have folllowed that on in Bowen, Eze, Wharton, Olise, Gray, Maddison, Bellingham etc. And I am sure plenty will in the future Chris Rigg, Tom Fellows.

Nothing would please me more than see Moyes picking out the best again from the efl. Young, hungry players, that are used to battling through a 46 game league campaign, where every game could go either way.

Credit for Iroegbunam, yes he looks the better player vs Dobbin. Moyes could have a player on his hands.

Not a bad deal for villa either.
They've a player that they'll get broadly some money back on, Iroegbunam wasn't going to get into their team, and critically the transfer got them through a PSR hump when they had bigger fish to fry in the Champions League. A good opportunistic deal.

I know when you do your adding ups and take away it all adds up but sheesh.

I wonder if they finish third the PL will dock them 20 points just to show who's in charge. They'd stay in the champions league of course. Different ruling body.

Link

Link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Tressell

One problem I see for Thewell is the Wages%,It is not only too high as a number, but visibly as staff trip over one another at Finch Farm.Thewell employed 32 of them and is on the wrong side of any arguement.

I worked in Manweb in Marsh Lane for a few years and knew quite a few lads from Crosby who worked there all easy to get on with and let’s say “ knew their way around”. One of them was a mate of Tony Coleman who played for Man. City, I think he was from Crosby and was quite a character apparently who had a few cheeky things to say to Princess Margaret when she did the walk down the players line ups before the 1967 (?) cup final.

I said I can't explain it, I've just never never looked out for Tranmere like I do some of the other local clubs.

I have a friend back from Army days. He's from the Wirral and we used to travel home together for weekends when we were allowed. Wall

He was a Tranmere supporter and used to wear a Tranmere top. I distinctly remember him saying he was Tranmere and didn't like Liverpool or Everton.

With the advent of social media, I started noticing all kinds of Liverpool stuff on his Facebook page.

I quizzed him about his previous allegiance to Tranmere, which he denied. Always Liverpool apparently.

Very strange. His Tranmere roots airbrushed from history!!

Sorry Mate, but for the second time in a month. I will say that your boy Paddy Boyland gets paid money for old rope. Was he really paid to put such a ridiculously lengthy article together which essentially sells stories discussed over and over by Evertonians (Often on these pages) back to them ?

He tells us about interest in Alcaraz AFTER we sign him.

Whilst he tells us of interest from elsewhere in the EPL or Harrison. Most TW's could actually tell him the name of the club - It was Fulham.

I also think saying nobody to put together a package to lure Keane away from his astronomical wages was stating the blindingly obvious. The fact that he is still here is evidence of that.

Stanley Mills chosing to return to Oxord was also widely reported last week. So were the reasons for Harrison Armstrong's loan deal.

We all knew already that Chelsea would only consider ending the Broja's loan if we were prepared to take Dewsbury-Hall or Cuckwuemeka instead. It was widely reported on this and many other Websites. So was interest and Speculation concerning Evan Ferguson.

Boyland was hardly educating us by telling us Chermiti has been out or half the season and is due back in a few weeks, nor by telling us that we needed to strengthen on the wings. by either making the loan deals permanent or signing new ones.

We also knew about interest in Philogene, Fellows, Longstaff and Nuamah - all discussed over recent days/weeks on these pages.

He may as well have just copied and pasted this article. Not much we couldnt have read much earlier on any other website.

Boyland then throws in the names of three youngsters. Kids Evertonians are unlikely to hear about ever again. For me, that doesnt separate him from the click bate shite. It puts him right in the thick of it.

Westy did one of his trademark huge over arm throws to the halfway line and by 'Accident' honest Reff, gave him one round the ear hole, laid him out, near took his head off, Redrobe kept to the rules after that.

PS. Have lived in Adelaide, Australia for the past 38 years and looking forward to next October (ish) to get back for a game at BMD together with my family and old UK friends, as long as I can get tickets.

3 years in I’d like to see the club unearthing some hidden gems like Brighton and others do. We don’t seem to have the network to find them.
We’re never ahead of the curve.

I’d like to have seen the Academy sides improving and having more young players on the fringe of our first team. This moment would have provided the ideal opportunity, we have none ready.

So it’s a very mixed bag for me, which I know others can’t fathom given the circumstances he’s been working under.
I accept the latter, DOF at Everton in recent years has been a basket case of a job, and he’s been the consummate professional throughout.

This Summer is operation rebuild and reset. Absolutely pivotal for Everton.
Is he the man for the job?
The Friedkins will tell us, and probably soon, because we should be well into the planning stage now.

But as for "old rope", please do tell me where you heard about our interest in Alcaraz having gone back two years, with the club keeping it a complete secret. That wasn't news to you? It sure is fascinating to me. How about those other three players? Never heard about our pursuing them? No? Me neither. And researching them, Rohl for one is a Bundesliga talent the RS were pursuing last fall before he was injured. That's interesting to me.

Where had you heard that Championship clubs and others were in for Keane with "significant interest"? That surprised me for sure. Or that other Prem clubs (plural, not just Fulham) were interested in Harrison? News to me.

I'm not touting Boyland for the Pulitzer Prize. All I said was that he posted some stuff I hadn't seen elsewhere. Some folks found it interesting. I did. You didn't. Oh well mate.

Thelwell has a near impossible task given all this. If the club had been more sensible when cash was being spent (Koeman particularly) then Thelwells job would be a little easier.

Buy a striker, any striker, a shit striker, probably have maupay back !

Is he farhad moshiri ? Coming on troll the new owners, and Moyes because he didn't return on his watch ?

It's laughable!!!!

I've been on two fleeting trips to Australia. The first time was for 6 days and our time was split between Sydney and Perth. I say Perth, it was Swanbourne to be more precise. I didn't get to see much of it as we spent most of our time on the barracks there, although I did manage a drive out and a couple of hours in Freemantle before we flew back. Nice place. My second visit surpassed that time-wise. I went to Sydney for 3 nights, work related. I'd been in California for a couple of weeks before that, so the body clock was a shambles by the time I got back to the UK!!

I know someone else who lives in Port Sunlight. He's a big Everton supporter and like you, follows Tranmere. In fact, he doesn't get to many Everton matches these days, but is a regular at Tranmere.

He was in uproar a couple of years back when there was unnecessary controversy over the "Super White Army" slogan. I think it was when the Lionesses played at Prenton Park and posted a picture of a banner from a previous match on social media. Apparently at the match, the FA covered it up or removed it?

I hope your planned trip is a great one and you get tickets.

Does anyone know what the hold up for Alcaraz was about?

Just think, slating new owners that have been in only a few months is harsh, especially when in my opinion, they are being prudent with the financials.

Your second post kind of proves the bad ideas of your previous post.
Buy a striker you say, but moan about beto bought In the same panic in January.
Maupay, likewise was bought to add "body up front " we don't need bodies, we need ability,potential, progression from players that.are here for a decent period.
Chermiti was not £25m either.
No wonder your fuming mate.
I'd be a little pissed too if it was £25m

Buying a striker wouldn't ensure we wouldn't be relegated, buying Beto didn't save us did it ??

Stay calm Paul. We will be fine
Fingers crossed !

Don't worry the club will send a map of where your stone is placed.

Tony#615, as I understand matters, the current proposal is for Marine to retain the Rossett Park site, where there is a bistro, function room, heavily used 4G pitch and other community facilities. The site would probably be suitable for housing, and there is pressure for such development everywhere, only time will tell whether such pressure can be resisted.
I hope life is treating you well.

I wouldn't have minded an "incident" with Princess M back in the swinging days.

Myself I think we have a potential gem in Alcaraz, If he can settle and become more proficient in English then it will all help his development.

Somebody mentions finding a few gems like Brighton ?I think we may already have, its just injuries that have taken the polish of them a little, ie Chermiti and Iroegbunam, remember these young men are 20 and 21 years of age respectively and will show their worth in time.

I think our recruitment has been exemplary considering our financial woes.

Its all very well saying we havent spent this or that, well what are you going to spend £100M + on ? other teams have done that and got very little or nothing in return.

I like the way we are progressing, I think we are starting to put together an exciting side.

It may get admiring glances in the future too when you consider and assess our frugality and savvy business at a time when money was not quite as plentiful.

Beto, Lindstrom, Alcaraz, Iroegbunam, Chermiti, Broja, O,Brien will all have the chance before the season ends to stake a claim.

O,Brien, Iroegbunam are two that have already caught the eye, Lindstrom is improving with every game.

Come the summer, we can decide on the 4 loan signings, we can look to get that right winger, left back, possibly right back and striker, but at the same time, who knows if Lindstrom, Beto, Alcaraz are the ones that can step up.

Out of the players who,s contracts are up in the summer, I would certainly look to give Guaye one more year extension, not many of the rest I would retain.

Harrison will be sent back, depending on Broja, that’s 50/50 at the moment.

Alcaraz sounds like he could be the one replacing Doucoure, then you have Iroegbunam, Guaye that can be the rock of midfield, with Garner being the linkup with them, then you have McNeil to come back in, and possibly bringing Mangala back.

We can buy in the summer but why not try these players out we already have, could save us some money and end up paying more for a couple of top quality players, rather than bring 5 or six in, in the summer.

As I keep saying, we're not safe yet, but we've made good strides to getting there and I think we'll do enough, maybe better.

Christine, I was disappointed when we brought Moyes back and didn't hide it. But credit where due, but we need to keep up the level of effort and get those all important results.

Anyway, I'm getting into FA Cup mode. I'm travelling up with my son and we're meeting my brother. It's the first time we've been to a match together since the "second coming". He'd been waiting for it since Davey left for United.

There's been some healthy family debate since!!!

I'll be okay, they both a lot younger than me, but way more sensible when it comes to Everton.

I'm the 53 year old optimistic kid, already planning a trip to Wembley like it's December 1983!!

Link

For me that is the first piece of the jigsaw sorted, next will be getting a c.e.o in, I reckon David Weir will be brought in as d.o.f with Thelwell leaving.

Whether Moyes stays the full 18 Months or beyond is down to himself keeping the upward turn going and the owners, what we need more than anything is stability.

If we can get the c.e.o and d.o.f sorted then our next step is what players can we bring in, in the summer, there will be ups and downs before the season ends, but at the moment I think we are in good hands with Moyes.

Small steps and a bit of patience needed.

P.s I hope we go with a strong 11 in the cup, I do not want Virginia to face another penalty shoot out, I’ve never known a goalkeeper dive the wrong way for every single penalty faced like Virginia against Southampton.

Whether he sees out the contract will ultimately, I think, be down to the owners and obviously how things to.

I'm with you. Take it serious and go out to win. A cup run builds momentum and the feel good factor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNyG-D5-Xu8

So the kid has a deft head, coolness under 118th-minute pressure and great big steel cojones.

I'm happy to give him a chance.

11 red cards, Alcaraz with a great header (then gets sent off) to win it and ex-nearly Everton legend Riqueleme drinking a cocktail laughing his head off in the stands! Quality

Perhaps most importantly he can drive the ball forwards. His touch is probably a seven out of ten and he will definitely lose it on ocassion but he has the capacity to make something happen and I think that will suit Moyes in a team in transition.

He seems a really hard worker who enjoys the physical side of the game. He’s a good presser (though occasionally rash) and he could potentially fill the 8 spot in the future but I expect him to be used at 10 where his dribbling and shooting skills can be best utilised.

I imagine we’ll see him as a sub initially, probably for Doucoure or possibly one of the wide men. But hopefully he settles in quickly and makes a good impression. He’s got some fire in him which will endear him to the Goodison faithful (especially if he scores a goal or two as well).

At a reported £13m (assuming transfer is triggered) this could turn out to be exceptional business. And even if he flops we’d probably get £8-10m for him from someone. Exactly the type of transfer we should be targeting.

I wonder if he ever went to The Old Lady or Marine when he was casing the joint!

With all this talk of burial places, I hope it’s easier to find than my nan’s plot at Allerton cemetery. She was placed to rest and the plot remained unmarked from 1963 until last year when I went with my uncle and cousin to put a stone down.

Hugh, it would be a great personal achievement indeed. But no trophy count comparisons!!!

Neither are particularly technically gifted, but someone who tries to make things happen, will be brave, and has a bit of grit is alright by me.

We'll see. He feels like a decent fit.

Yeh he looks a right carthorse here:

Link

Into the last 16 and Wembley awaits x 2.

Stranger things have happened, a win at the weekend and the route to Wembley opens up for us.

For example, Marcelo Morales aged 21, Chilean Left back, with 2 full caps already, gained by playing against Brazil and Columbia in the 2026 WC Qualifying Competition in South America. He has just been released by UC Chile, on a free transfer and is heading to New York Red Bulls. His stats as a Left Back aged just 21 are excellent. Overall since making his debut he has played 110 times, scoring 2 goals with 16 assists. An average of a goal involvement every 6 games. In the last 7 games of the 24 season, when UC Chile, were in the running to be Champions, he had 6 assists. Surely this is the type of kid we should be looking at. With improved coaching his stats will get better. As he was on a free, from Chile, to me it's a no brainer. There are bargains to be had, you just know where to look.

I like him already.

I think he’ll slot straight in and displace Doucs, frickin hope so anyway!

Some really good posts above defending Thelwell and the good work he has put in under difficult circumstances. Will we ever agree on anything?

If we are letting Thelwell go at the end of the season we need to a) have a replacement lined up b) be in constant dialogue with that replacement along with Moyes behind Thelwell’s back and c) formulate a watertight plan with AB and C targets for each position, do the business early.

Pace isn't everything, but it helps and certainly some players make a career from it. R.Drenthe springs to mind. K.Walker become top class mainly because of it.

His ability on free kicks and his general finishing. He will at last provide real competition for Doucouré who always smiles after missing sitters as if to say "Oops I will get the next one".

Also with Alcaraz's ability teams will not want to give away many free kicks by utilising professional fouls as the probability of us scoring will have increased.

It is possible that Alcaraz has come home.

As for Thewell he prioritises his research for position and type of player that the manager specifies. It is not his fault if the 'then' manager (Dyche) does not play them or if the manager ( Lampard) 'wants' a particular player (Maupay), neither of which knew how to get the best out of their players.

As for signing Moyes I knew we would instil the fight back into the players. He allowed Spurs back into the game but he impressively learnt his mistake and corrected that game play and use of substitutions in the game against Leicester.

In his second appointment Moyes has inherited a very good team that has been trained well but they had been used tactically badly.

Remember a lot of our players are internationals so they are talented. Young players used to sign for us so they would become internationals, ask Anthony Gordon.

Some players are blessed with it and can play football.

Others get through because of their pace alone, but aren't necessarily good footballers. Remember Tony Daley at Villa?

Then there are those who don't have pace, or not much of it, but compensate with having an intelligent football brain, anticipation and reading the game.

Apols. Agreed.

But enough niceness.

Xxxx (753285) or whoever

"dick 'ed"

As others have said, if that's the RS Right Back, Sky would have had a series on it.

This has been one of the better articles I've read with
so many knowledgeable comments on players and other stuff. No one knows how many players we tried to sign.
We have to get more scouts and spread our net wider in the search for young talent.
The club has to change, get rid of the gas lights and
get electric in.
We, at the present time are not an attractive club
to many players and it's understandable. We aren't the Everton of the 60's. " Accrington Stanley ! Who are they ? "
I think the ship is starting to steady and hopefully heading to calmer waters and as we climb gently up
the league and Bramley nears completion our profile
will increase.
It's not all doom and gloom, remember we weren't given much of a chance in 1940 but it turned out quite well in the end.

Thanks

To other TWers out there, some years ago I walked into a pub in Devon and asked the barman if he had a table reserved in the name of Peter Mills?

An unknown voice came out of nowhere: “Would that be Peter Mills from ToffeeWeb by any chance?”

It was Tony, who I didn’t know, but who had many Crosby/Everton connections.

About 20 minutes later, Mrs Mills came over and said “I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation, but our dinner is on the table”.

Alex Young. - Because he was one of the gods of
football.