Everton close to activating buy clause on Carlos Alcaraz’s contract

But Moyesie is a good man-manager, I think, so it would be a good buy.

I'd like to see him given a chance at 10 for the next five games if that's when the contract clause kicks in. If he can do it, keep… if he can't do it, get rid.

Don't get me wrong he looks the part but I'd expect any future signings to be able to displace an out of position (and out of form) Doucoure.

He and Ndiaye are giving rise to great vibes for the future success of the team.

I know the lad is a risk, but every transfer is. And he is one worth taking.

He's going to terrify St Virgil of Anfield next week.

Doucoure to make it a double and see red for a Sheedy salute to the Kop.

Oops. :-)

Thanks, Kevin Thelwell.

A couple of semi decent games and Evertonians are screaming for his signature.

He's okay, better than most of what we have, but this guy is no Del Piero and a £15M price tag will absolutely ensure we will not be facing fierce opposition for his signature.

Calm down.

He's pretty poor with the ball, but off it he's one of the best in the league at leading the press, closing down spaces, and forcing the ball down a particular alley. Dyche was fairly explicit in saying that he didn't think Ndiaye could do that and so wouldn't play him at No 10.

As fans, we think of the No 10 as being the creative playmaker, but modern coaching doesn't think of it in the same way. Alcaraz is a promising attacking playmaker; hopefully he can do the other side of the game as well.

Getting him signed is a great start to a big summer. We need 3-4 more transfers, especially in the match-winning, attacking positions, as well as some sensible Bosmans and loans.

Once again, I think he was on loan from Sheffield United. We were clamouring for him to be a permanent signing.

Played in the 1984 FA Cup semi if I remember rightly?

Unacceptable for anyone to get excited about signing a player for Everton, especially for a world record fee of £15 million. After all, he ain't no Del Piero.

Drive him to the airport pronto.

He's an improvement on what we have. Getting playing again. Not instant, but first steps.

Alcaraz gets the crowd on its feet, and when the ball is at his feet, you sense something can happen.

He's already given us glimpses, even in that poor team performance in the FA Cup against Bournemouth. His best moment to date was Palace away. The drive forward at the Eagles' defence to slide in Beto. And then whilst players and supporters were furious and demanding a penalty, he stayed as cool as an Argentinian cucumber to give the keeper the eye and slot it in.

I think the rest of the players were still protesting before the penny dropped and followed him over to us to celebrate once we had also realised he had scored!!!

At 22 years old, we will be buying potential with already proven ability on the cheap by today's standards.

I do hope his name is ringing out at Anfield next week.

Seems a bit more like Pereira at Fulham (the former Man Utd youngster). Whilst that's not going to get us into the Champions League it will improve the quality of football and move us forward as a club

£15M is very low cost these days — so good job, Everton!

At the young age and fee as it is with the likely sell-on value, I'd get him signed on a permanent deal.

Alcaraz looks decent for a price tag of £15M.

Del Piero in his prime, I don't think you'd get his left foot for that price.

Gotta keep him!!!

Mike Milligan wasn't fit to lace Stefan Rehn's boots. To the youngsters, yes we signed a lot of shite in the 90s too.

This try-before-you-buy model is the way to go. Moyes, find the next Bowen and Soucek please!

In all fairness, Milligan looked really good at Oldham. Maybe it was a step too far, or thrown in at the deep end too quick, because he was a tidy player, better than Rehn.

Our league position looks safe so may be the club will inform those being released, if they don’t perform, play the kids and see if we have any decent players that we can bring through into the first team.

Looking forward to an interesting summer with our recruitment plans.

Did he have a Claus in his contract? :-)

He is probably having sleepless nights with so much potential change in the squad. He has to find a Madison, Maginn or Rice which will be hard enough without looking at attacking players. Maybe Charly is in that mode?

I don't expect much change in defence and a few players to stay on, as long as they are not expecting the same wages, maybe only if another club is prepared to subsidise.

With so many potential changes, the media are going to throw the kitchen sink of transfers at us. But Moyes will not go out of his comfort zone – and anyway, money is tight.

The real change in June will be if Kinnear gets his Leeds transfer duo, as opposed to Moyes getting his West Ham transfer duo. But then Harrison may stay on which may suit Moyes.

At least if Kinnear gets his way, it will be a different perspective which will continue should Moyes not match up going forward. Moyes needs to live or die on squad performance on this pitch. We don't want transfer excuses from him, playing the quality card.

Just needs a few complete games to blossom!

How much is available? That's down to the owners to set and the recruitment team to understand the goalposts and priorities for the manager.

Other than providing a shopping list of types of player to the recruitment team, I would personally rather he stayed out of the dealings, but obviously working closely with them.

I appreciate it may be difficult for him to take more of an advisory back seat, but the owners aren't going to put a structure in place and pay for it, only to give Moyes complete control.

Moyes has a decent track record of using talented players as well as the workmanlike. Arteta, Pienaar, Baines and Saha etc from his first spell - and Paqueta, Kudus, Bowen etc at West Ham.

And of course he is going to play the quality card when it is very unlikely he will have one of the best 12 squads at his disposal next season.

This is a huge rebuilding job for a squad that has been in serious relegation trouble for many years due to chronic under investment into the playing squad.

We are hundreds of millions adrift of the likes of Brentford, Bournemouth, Palace and Forest in investment. We're not suddenly going to be challenging if we buy a few cheap (ie, sub £40M) players in summer.