Calvert-Lewin unlikely to sign new deal with Everton

I like Dom and want him to stay but Chris Wood scored more goals last season. If he doesn't want to sign, then sell and re-invest.

We will all remember him at his absolute best and it's a shame we won't see more of that. But we'll also remember his injuries and goal droughts.

Real shame because, had it not been for the injuries, after that season under Carlo, he could have been a world beater.

Spot on, Si.

Good player, gives his all and has a fantastic leap. His game has improved tremendously and, if it was not for injuries, I'm sure he would have had 12 to 15 goals.

He's crucially a Dyche-style player, one to chase after long balls or hold it up and bring others into the game.

But, he's not a natural striker and I do think we could get a better finisher or creater that would be equal or better for the team.

In the last 12 months of his contract, we would be lucky to get £20M. I reckon £16M to £18M and we bring in a more mature forward to complement the young Portuguese forward. Chermiti.

We don't need no passengers!

Thanks, Dom – after us all supporting you through injuries, goal droughts and lack of form amd fitness, you decide to run your contract down and shaft club and fans after the club has made you a millionaire.

Thanks Dom – how to ruin any rapport with fanbase, you are all that is wrong with a young modern-day footballer.

I'm disgusted if this is truly Dom's actions to the club and his school of thought…

We've had good value out of him... and he's been well paid.

But If he, for whatever reason, has made up his mind that he fancies a change, will we get £20M worth of value from him in one season.

While some might argue that the derby header was priceless, the one Crystal Palace header was worth Infinitely more than that – so who knows,

But I do know it may take more than £20M to replace him so good luck to him and he'll always be welcomed back.

As always with players; If you want loyalty – buy a dog.

According to TeamTalk, another one of our players who Man Utd are interested in.

What is it with that club and our players?

Not that I believe TeamTalk anyway. Knowing Man Utd, they will probably offer about £60M for both Jarrad and Dom.

Calvert-Lewin can go for me, he has been paid well for not playing and all the treatment paid for by the club.

When I was teaching, I could have had 6 months sick leave on full pay and then 6 months on half pay and then shown the door.

Some of these players should get their heads around a bit of loyalty and gratitude!

Si #1

Spot on. The following disingenuous comments are a shame.

He didn't run down his contract. And he's been honest with us: he could have played games and strung us along and then gone on a free. Now we can sell and get a fee for him.

Big shame we can't keep him as he enters his peak years. Hey ho…

Like Lukaku, he will be missed and probably not replaced.

If he goes, I wish him the very best.

Injury-prone, he was frustrating at times as you wanted him in the lineup and he couldn't play. But when he did, he changed the side.

He never caused drama. He never bitched. He came up with clutch goals that, if they hadn't been converted, we'd be down.

Whatever happens will happen. But I can't see any other approach for any Blue other than to wish him the very best of luck and fortune.

He's a good kid seemingly. He hustled. He was an asset. Good luck, Dom.

I can hear the phone ringing in Che Adams's agent's office already.

Not that bothered, to be honest.

If it was DCL 1.0, the Koeman channel runner who got 11 assists, I would be.

Or DCL 2.0, the Inzaghi tap in merchant.

But DCL 3.0, the poor man's Big Dunc who's good for five good headers a year between injuries, I'm not concerned we didn't bow to his extravagant wage demands.

Mr Cashen will be delighted though as he will blame the 2 or 3 fans who shook their heads in frustration at the Villa game and claim Everton fans en masse ran him out of town.

We've lost players who contributed more in their last season for nothing and survived, eg, Rooney 2.0, Rodriguez, Barmby.

So, if we get a few quid for him, all the better. If he wants to roll the dice on his own fitness and become a free agent in 12 months expecting a huge payday … well ,as Morgan Freeman said to that nerdy accountant who planned to take on Batman: “Good luck!”

Ben #9, well in. Those comments are way off the mark IMO. The "gratitude" remarks are particularly silly. A professional athlete has every right to make the maximum money and opportunity out of a short career that can end at anytime with no guarantees.

However, the club has every right to make the same cold, hard financial calculations without consideration for "gratitude" or other warm fuzzy sentiments.

And Everton has decided -- properly in my view -- that a striker who has given us 15 goals total over the past three years, and only two double-figures seasons out of seven, isn't worth £130k/week.

Both sides are making the right decision.

I will always remember two mighty headers, Palace and the derby, and the gritty defensive work clearing our lines against set-pieces. And I will wish him all the best.

I for one will be disappointed if he decides to leave but, if his wage demands are too high, which seems must be the case if he could not accept personal terms at the Barcodes, then we have little alternative but to try and cash in now.

I believe the young Chermiti will come good but next season will be a step too far for the young lad. I just cannot see Beto stepping up to the plate and so we would need to find a replacement for Calvert-Lewin which will not be easy if we only get £20M to £30M for him.

I must admit I get so frustrated when we appear to be in the driving seat to sign a player only to get beaten to the punch by lesser clubs. I just cannot believe this Philogene guy would choose Ipswich over Everton!!

We must be low-balling players because nobody in their right mind would want to play for Ipswich over Everton – or is this a sign as to how far we have fallen in terms of Premier League standing??

I just hope the new owners sign up soon and have some cash to splash as several players are going to have to be signed to prevent another relegation battle.

I find it frustrating that he was unable to agree personnel terms with the Barcodes, as his forward play has been for the past two seasons.

If Dom wants to go let him go. He's been a fantastic signing considering we picked him up for £1.7 million. On his day, he's a beast, but he also has long goal droughts and injury issues.

He's only really had one brilliant season under Carlo and that was behind closed doors.

I think the club will do very well to get £30M for him. I think Beto has had a settling-in season so maybe give him a go and see how he does up until January.

We would still need somebody else to come in to replace Dom but I don't think we should be writing Beto off just yet. Just my thoughts.

Jamie # 17,

I agree with your comment regarding Beto. I think it is far too early to write him off.

As for Dominic Calvert-Lewin – if I was Thelwell, I would be looking for a buyer for him.

It's a shame Dom doesn't feel the same way about the club as his idol big Dunc who would have played for us for nothing.

Everton and Dyche in particular have really looked after him this past couple of years and to me he has not shown an ounce of loyalty back.

If he doesn't want to stay, then goodbye and good luck. Not many clubs are as caring as Everton… which he will quickly find out.

When Calvert-Lewin leaves and Beto takes over, people will maybe then realize what he offered because, believe me, Beto's not a patch on him.

I think we've all supported Everton and football long enough to know players come and go. Often, in my opinion, it won't just be the player – agents and the clubs are at play.

Think back to Rooney. At the time, there was outrage at the player. But in his recent interview, he revealed that the club were trying to sell him to Chelsea. He said no and decided that if he was going to be sold, he would choose.

Those old enough (me not), Alan Ball. The club sold him, not his decision.

On Dominic, far from being prolific, he's given us a few great moments. Sad he was blighted by injury, but his commitment wasn't in doubt.

If he leaves, I'm unsure where he would go. I don't usually do the speculation thing but if I had to have a guess, it would not surprise me if it was Newcastle.

Great post @4 Mike!

If a player has committed 7 years to a club, he has demonstrated more than enough loyalty to make the ‘gratitude' comments irrelevant.

As for being ‘injury blighted', he played regularly in 4 of the 6 seasons since he got into the first team. Even in the 2 ‘injury blighted' seasons, he make 18 appearances in each season.

Calvert-Lewin wants a contract that the club feel unable to grant him; therefore, it is right to secure a transfer fee for him. When he was injured, we really struggled, and we will again next season if he leaves and is not adequately replaced.

Be careful what you wish for.

I think it's time to cash in, you could argue we won't replace him and therefore should hold onto him and play a close hand. His injury history might make him think twice about not signing a new contract, there is also the pull of the new stadium etc.

I love Calvert-Lewin, he is my favourite player, his hold-up play and threat in the air is up there with the best in the Premier League. If he wants to leave after 7 years, in his prime, and try elsewhere, he has earned the right to do so.

TBH I think he has been hurt by the "so-called fans" who hurled abuse at him for his injuries, booed him when things weren't going well. He has said as much in interviews and has been frank about his mental health.

We have some of the best support in the country but we need to somehow eradicate this toxicity from the stands towards our own, it might be a small minority but they have a powerful voice. We need a

complete reset with the new owner and stadium, I hope we get it.

If he leaves, he will go with my blessing. We will need to get behind Beto to make a step up from last season, he is a beast who needs to refine his game some more but I like his tenacity.

Chè Adams on a free would be uninspiring but would make sense given the current financial situation, especially if we get to keep Branthwaite another year.

Before anyone piles in, I am not saying I want us to sign Chè to replace Dom – I am being pragmatic about our situation and, in my expectations, he can do a job until the sky is brighter for us.

I have a feeling (I know) that next season could be when Dominic really breaks through, and whoever gets him will reap the benefits of his development at Everton. He really works the opposition defences and is a beast to defend against.

The ongoing Euros have demonstrated that the 'lighthouse' strikers like Weghorst, Merino and Morata of Spain, Ivan Toney, etc, play a key role in modern football. Dyche is derided for his tactics but the 'long ball to lone striker' tactic seems to be back in fashion again.

So, hopefully Beto and Chermiti step up, and I am sure Dyche will again be looking at someone with Premier League experience to replace Calvert-Lewin, somebody like . Chris Woods, Weghorst or… Salomon Rondon! 3 goals + 1 assist in 4 games of the Copa America is Haaland territory. Come back home, Salomon. :-)

I'll be a bit disappointed if he goes as I suspect he will have a few good seasons soon enough. However, I have no problem with him trying elsewhere — good luck to him, I guess.

No need to disparage him really... wholehearted, good person and scored some vital goals for us. I'm a Kiwi so I hope that Chris Wood will be an Everton player as a replacement but realise that says a lot about our current situation… :)

Just read on one of those awful websites, Goodison News or Everton News, that according to Paul Joyce, the Friedkin takeover is no longer considered a formality. It then goes on to quote “other sources” who claim the opposite. A veritable Vicky Pollard mishmash of, yeah, but no, but yeah, but…..

I try to avoid NewsNow Everton but I can't.

I'd love Dom to stay if only he'd get better service and not continue to feed off scraps. So much bitterness aimed at this lad over the years. He deserves better.

Apparently he's asking for £130k, which for me he is worth. We won't sign a striker of the same quality for less than we sell Dom for and get away with paying him less than £130k per week.

Use the money saved on Dele and pay Dom what he wants. He's a complete striker who has proven with decent service he can score 20 goals a season.

Dominic has his detractors but he has also been integral to the way Everton have played over the last few years.

We haven't played that well which maybe contradicts what I'm saying, but I genuinely don't believe we would still be a Premier League club if it wasn't for Calvert-Lewin.

Benitez's downturn only happened when Dominic got injured and, whilst he was out injured, the team went through two nail-biting relegation scraps. Rushed back time after time because of our disgraceful recruitment policy, he might not have had his best season, just gone, but it was the first time in 3 years that Everton were not in another nail-biting position, even though we were treated appallingly by the Premier League.

Maybe it is time for him to move on? But if he goes to a club where he is allowed the odd rest, it wouldn't surprise me if Dominic contributes in a team that can win a few trophies.

I can't believe Newcastle haven't come back in for him because one thing Eddie Howe's teams do is get loads of crosses into the box, whereas Everton haven't had a natural winger for years.

Yeah, like we are really going to really miss his goals!

Though forget Man Utd, I heard a strong rumour there is a French connection to his transfer... No, not PSG... it's the high street clothes shop!

Dear oh dear.

He played a lot last season and was mostly above average. He is not a natural goalscorer, on his day, he is a good target man.

I'd like to keep him but I'm 50/50; if he won't sign a new contract, then best to sell and improve is right. I don't see any disloyalty, the next contract he signs will be his last big contract and he or his agent is correct to try and get the best deal they can, whether here or elsewhere.

If he lets his contract run, he's backing himself with his track record of injuries and few goals the last few seasons. I think I would take a calculated gamble to keep him unless we get £25M plus as he will be motivated to play well and score goals.

I like Dom. A lot. Tireless in that lone striker role (and we can all see how hard that is watching the Euros).

But if Everton knew this then there should be a whole list of replacements lined up and we cash in then reinvest. Have they learned their lessons yet?

The worst signing this season must be getting Rossie back on the Tannoy. He can't even get the correct goalscorer's name right.

I'd rather have Billy Butler than him.

Season after season, we lack goals, with a negative goal difference. I don't care who is up front, but we need 2 reliable scorers.

I'm sick to death of the Reds finding goalscoring talent season after season while we feed off scraps.

I am not a fan of Calvert-Lewin. So for me to cash in would be just fine. However, our last 3 decades of recruiting has proven woeful.

Recruiting in advance to fill a position, as in this case, is zero.
Our recruitment of attackers would lead me to writing a paragraph or longer consisting of profanity, interspersed with an occasional reference to the phrase "oxygen thief" or similar.

Calvert-Lewin wants to go to Newcastle. Newcastle want shut of Callum Wilson. I believe that, in the short term, Wilson would be a great talisman. He is way better than our Number 9. So why not do a swap?

Meantime, scour planet Earth for some bipedal that is ridiculously capable of hoofing or heading a spherical sack of wind between the white structures of a fixed-in-position rectangle.

[Lights blue touch paper and retreats…]

I think this is the new reality at Everton. The days of giving bumper pay packets to entice or keep players are waning as every Premier League club realises the need to keep the wage bill in line with income.

Part of our PSR issues have been the number of players on £100k+ on long contracts. The new transfer policy seems far more sensible: buy young hungry players who are probably happy to accept 20% of what Dom wants on more thought-through contract lengths.

I have no problem with Dom saying he won't sign the new deal being offered, at least he is giving us chance to get a decent sum for him — unlike Barkley.

If we can't afford to pay Calvert-Lewin £130k a week, and Newcastle can't, or won't, then I don't see where he's going to go that will pay him that sort of money as the clubs that can afford it don't need him.

There is no point keeping a player who has decided he wants to leave, and too often Everton have allowed players to run down their contracts.

Also, stop paying Champions League salaries when we are a club more used to fighting relegation than qualifying for Europe. We can't afford £100,000-a-week players and we need to cut our cloth accordingly.

Hopefully over time we will get back to competing for a European spot, but first we have to try and move away from yet another relegation battle, then we can start to build for the future.

I have a lot of time for Calvert-Lewin. Whatever he decides to do, good luck to him.

Decent player, decent guy, no doubt decent parent. Certainly doesn't owe us. He deserves to do what is best for him and his family.

Two different opinions on Dominic's move not to sign a new contract. I understand both of them but agree with Ben @9.

£15M and Wilson from Newcastle would suit me for now although a better deal might transpire. Good luck, Dominic, with your future career.

People are getting too emotional. He's been with us for years, is probably heading into his last big contract, wants X, we think he's worth Y... obvious answer is to sell him while we still can and wish him all the best.

It's a loss though. We won't be able to replace him or improve on him with what we get for him in the last year of his contract.

As for the "we only want players who want to be here" crowd… if that were the case, then I think we'd struggle to field a team.

His goal returns don't merit £130.000 per week in my book. The lad doesn't want to stay, so let him go for what we can get for him before his contract runs out.

Thank him for his service to Everton but let's move on. Who knows… we might unearth a diamond!

Nothing personal, just business!

Good call by the club for once, we are in no position to pay just about any player £130,000 a week, and certainly not one with such a questionable injury record, both mentally and physically.

He has many strengths to his game, but, I believe, also the worst xG rating of any Premier League striker last season.

I like Dom, I am disappointed he wants to leave, I wonder what the club have offered him?

As many have said, it will cost more to replace him. Maybe Beto will come good with a pre-season.

Agree with the posters that say he deserves no vehemence or vitriol against him for this decision. He's an employee who signed a contract and regardless of what people think about loyalty he owes us nothing at the end of it.

Where I differ from most is I'm not going to be sad he's leaving, get as much as you can for the transfer fee and do it as soon as possible so we can reinvest it in a striker who will do what we should consider the bare minimum as the prime striker in a Premier League team:

1. Play at least 30 games a season
2. Score 10-15 times a season
3. Assist 5 times a season

Calvert-Lewin needs so many chances to score goals, he at times looks like he couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo.

During his 23-game goal drought last season, he had many chances, but his finishing let him down time and time again to the point where he doesn't look like a natural striker… and when you're paid £5M a year to do a job the least you need to be is proficient at it.

Yes, he has played some good games for us, but most of the ones I can remember were some years ago during a purple patch that led to an England call-up. There's a reason he's no longer even in consideration.

It's just as likely that Dominic will see out his contract if no bids arrive that suit him and the club.

He will probably earn a contract worth £130,000 a week as a free agent.

Loyalty is a rarity in football. If we could pick up a player from another club at a reduced price because he hadn't signed a contract, would we be outraged? Players come, players go, it's normally only us fans who show loyalty (Seamus and a few being honorable exceptions).

The big issue at our club is adequately replacing players. I'm far from Dom's biggest fan, but we do have form in the past decade of failing to do so. With the uncertainty around finances and ownership it is a major worry. I'm not sure how we can not sell if he doesn't sign though.

The Callum Wilson trade idea sounds like it may have potential to prevent most impact. However, Wilson's injury record isn't great and, given the small squad, this would be a concern.

Calvert-Lewin, if the rumours are true, won't sign a new contract. Who would want him and actually pay decent money for him?

Newcastle pulled out of the deal, Man Utd wouldn't touch him.

The grass isn't always greener. We can't afford to lose him on a free. Sell him to whoever is the highest bidder and have done with it.

Wherever he goes, I wish him the best unless he is playing against us.

Scott @46,

If your 3 criteria are the bare minimum for a striker in the Premier League, then we are in trouble when it comes to replacing Calvert-Lewin.

Here are the strikers who matched your requirements:

Ollie Watkins
Anthony Gordon
Mo Salah
Son Heung-Min
Julian Alvarez
Bukayo Saka
Phil Foden
Leon Bailey
Bruno Fernandes
Darwin Nunez.

Reality is, it will cost us a lot more in transfer fees and wages to replace him than meeting his wage demands.

I wish him the best of luck in finding a club that will pay him £130k a week. And I wish Everton even more luck in getting anything close to £30M for him.

Both will have to reduce their expectations. Hopefully, we will get a decent price.

I like him as a player and he has led the line well, with very few opportunities, but maybe it's time for a change and move on to another forward, whether it's Broja or somebody new.

Whoever plays up front, we have to provide better service and more scoring chances.

I have always liked the guy and he has shown that he still has a lot to offer. However, £130k per week is crazy money and it is contracts like this that have put this club in financial peril.

Quite a few of our top earners have had ridiculously well-paid contracts. I imagine he could do with a change of scenery and colleagues.

Doucoure earns £130,000 a week.

Steve # 50 makes the good point about the alternatives. An upgrade on Calvert-Lewin who is ready now is going to be very hard to find given our finances and pulling power.

It seems unlikely any replacement will score more than 12 goals - although we might develop a player capable of that over time.

I think Fofana and Broja are good options from Chelsea - possibly on loan with options to buy. Denkey of Brugge too.

As to takers for Calvert-Lewin,I think West Ham are most likely this summer. But his options will include all the major Champions League clubs (including overseas) if he sees out his contract and leaves for free next summer. He may choose that option.

I know it doesn't mean a lot these days, but I watched the first day in training footage on the official site and Dominic seemed happy.

Let's see what happens. I'm more concerned that we hang on to young Branthwaite.

I suspect, like me, many like Calvert-Lewin and he has had a rough time with injuries. The decision has to be made if he can still make a worthwhile contribution and if the club will make a decent contract for him to stay… but I think they won't.

They may believe that Beto and Chermiti could fill the void but we didn't see much evidence of that last season although they didn't see that much playing time.

If he is still fully fit and wants to move, then they may get a half-decent fee for him that can be used for a suitable replacement, if available.

Maybe that 16-year-old playing for Spain??? That goal he scored reminded me of a certain young lad who scored a similar goal off the woodwork many years ago and went on to be a world-class goal-getter.

DCL has, to the detriment of his own health and long term fitness, played through pain and injury for desperate managers of this club who have asked him to play knowing full well that he was injured.

He has sweated buckets performing a role that would be every other forwards worst nightmare. Oh and he has also scored goals that have secured our EPL status.

When you consider he signed for a pittance and spent years on relatively low wages. I think he has earned the right to decide his own future. He's given our club everything, He owes us nothing. He owes the large contingent of the fanbase who have spent years sniping at him even less. By showing him no loyalty whatsoever, they have long since forfeit the right to expect any back. Personally I Hope he stays, but suspect he will go.

Kieran Kinsella

Words cannot express my surprise that you somehow managed to shoehorn me into your latest ill-informed gibberish. After "confessing" that you can't be arsed watching any Everton games you now come out with this latest gem - "Only 2-3 people shook their heads in frustration after the Villa game" -

Trust me; Every fan interested enough to watch our games will be in a position to educate you about what took place when Calvert- Lewin was forced to come off that day.

Instead of spouting ill-informed nonsense about games you couldn't be arsed to watch. Why not listen and learn from those who did ? It's never too late to learn.

Not even for you canaries down the coal mines.

Davey

I watch every game I am able to watch, but if it is not accessible to watch on TV then I am not "arsed" to try and find a replay of the whole thing after the fact since I already know the score. I watched the Villa game and couldn't hear much more than a few sighs and "goodness me, is he injured again?" murmurs from the ever loyal away fans.

Dave, he’s struggled with injuries. Like a lot of players who start young, his body will have been battered. And through personal experience, I would advise many not to underestimate how difficult it is coming back from a quad injury. Just when you think you’re okay, you break down and are off the pitch in 10 minutes. Same with hamstrings and ligaments. Breaks are easier to come back from, again, from experience.

Dominic gives everything when he’s on the pitch. As you allude to, a difficult job and an isolated figure. The forlorn hope. He gets no criticism from me, whatever he and the club decide to do. He’s been a servant to Everton in a very difficult period.

Our problem is that DCL is not a natural goalscorer or attacker.
I think I am correct in saying that he started out as a centre half.
This shows.
Whilst undoubtedly he is great in the air,
Excellent at penalties.
can hold onto the ball well and
is good at passing
his other abilities are weak.

Link up play with Doucoure / whoever.
His one on one finishing.
Shooting.
Runs into the box. (He tends to jog in alongside the defender. He is unable to create space for himself).
On outleaping opponents his headers tend to be misses not even on target.

These are just what came to mind.

Without support from a very poor midfield who do not have any goalscoring ability, I think most strikers at Everton will struggle.

DCL had many glorious chances last season and really was poor. It wasnt that he failed. It was how he failed.
Coupled with the burden of a blank midfield bereft of clinical passing, trickery and scoring, maybe expectations became too much of a burden.
The guy would be better moving on. Otherwise I fear the scenario will repeat itself.

The other problem is Thelwall.
His record is bad.
He has failed to add players that can score and relieve or share the burden.
He has failed to find players who have got more ability than a brick wall.
Where their second touch to win it back is not a natural gift we need.
I am struggling to think of a midfielder who has natural technical ability. One touch pass. Hold the ball. Thread it. Has more pace than one's grand mother.
We have had a minor influx.
Tim(it is reported) is not considered to be a first team starter.
Most are unsure what kind of player Ndiaye is. He is listed as either an attacker or centre forward, but does not have a goal scoring record of note. He is seen by those on here who have a knowledge of him, to be a winger.
Neal Maupay is also back.
Ins and outs puts us at
-£4.9 m down.
I have excluded U18 signing Benjamin from Arsenal.

So if he stays, DCL still has the majority of the goalscoring burden of the club on his shoulders, yet again.
We have a dof who has failed to improve on what we have, including the ones he has brought in that arent much to shout about.
Yes, circumstances have had a part to play, but Thelwell has not done an awful lot, if anything, to improve playing staff.

COYB

Many on this thread ‘get it' - that DCL pushed himself and his body again and again for the Everton good. And we all benefitted from it. And if we sell him, we'll benefit financially.

Then there's those that just want to snipe away and then wonder why some ex-players don't have a good word to say about us or they wonder why potential signings are put off coming.

Jesus wept.

Yea, Ben, like they're avidly hanging on every word posted on an obscure fan site they've probably never even heard of.

Good luck to him.
A limited player idolised because he is better than the others we have had.
That does not make him great just better than the others.
Poor finisher who works hard and has had some great moments.
He thinks he is far better than he is.
No vitriol but absolutely no regrets in not meeting his (alleged) wage demands.

Ashley Young is on over £2m per year so Dom’s £5m doesn’t seem so bad in comparison.

Ben,

Yeah I remember reading that Riquelme was at John Lennon airport and he decided to check out the ToffeeWeb live forum to see what people were saying about Tony Hibbert. He was never seen again.

Calvert-Lewin has put a lot of effort into his game and perhaps isn't the most prolific goal scorer but we are not now in the position where he was our only striker as we have Beto, Chermiti, Maupay and the kid from Villa, if he is a striker or old enough for Mr Dyche. The question is will we get the same effort from whoever replaces him as if he won't sign the contract presented to him then Everton must look at recovering some of his value.

And it might be that given we tried towards the end of last season occasionally to play more structured football that we might not need an out and out target man, or is that just leopards and spots.

@Alan #68. Whilst I agree DCL needs to move on, if nothing else but to give himself a fresh start, we do need an out and out striker. The difference he’s made to the team and performance since coming back shows that a good player in that role will open up opportunities for others in the team. Without him, we were blunt. No, he didn’t score much but it was the space and threat he created that give us a fighting chance. Without a out and out target/front man, the team lacks cutting edge.

Fair play to you Kieran.

42,000 people inside what was an extremely raucous Villa Park and you were able to hear the sighs of a couple of Evertonians on the TV. Some hearing that.
You were also able to hear a couple of Evertonians murmur the words "Goodness me".

Credibility restored. I take it all back

I’m not going to pull up anyone, or have a go at anyone, about what happened to DCL at Villa Park last season. During the game, me and about 3000 other blues fans saw a collision between DCL and the Villa goalkeeper, Martinez. Both players were down for a few minutes, DCL a bit longer. What me, and about 3000 other blues fans, didn’t see was the fractured cheekbone DCL suffered as a result of the collision, and I suspect, at the time, any of the watching TV viewers. Play went on for a while before DCL went down to the ground with what me, and about 3000 other blues fans, thinking was a re-occurrence of his hamstring injury. When he eventually went off the pitch, the far side to where we were, it was only then that a few boos from some blues fans were heard, simply because we thought it was his hamstring injury again. The watching TV viewers could then see, and probably told the true extent of his injury, simply because there was a TV camera right in his face, showing his fractured cheekbone, something all blues fans didn’t have the luxury of. In fact, it wasn’t until half time that we finally got to know the true injury DCL had sustained in the collision with Martinez. So rightly or wrongly, DCL was boo’d for what many thought was his hamstring injury again, not because of his fractured cheekbone.

Villa Park is one of my favourite grounds. The two semi-finals. The match when we were marching towards the league title and there must have been 10,000 of us in the ground as Sheedy hit the winner. I think Villa went down that season.

And the League Cup win (2-1) in September last season was a great night out. I was convinced we were finally on our way after all these years of ovoiding that trophy.

Obviously a bit of radio silence when I got home.

Haha, Danny, the league cup game last season, when we met you in Wetherspoons near New Street station, for yet another heated debate between Dave and Steve. 😁😁😁

An outsider reading some of these posts will be wondering if DCL is some ToffeeWebbers love child.
He is a highly paid professional footballer who is privileged to play for Everton Football Club
At the very least I expect every squad member to sweat buckets for the team,run his blood to water sometimes for nothing,play when banged up,play out of position if required by the manager.Thats the minimum required of a professional footballer.
To imply that the player has in some way been let down by the club because they picked him up for a small fee and paid him only a few thousand pounds a week in return for his physical and mental efforts and now won’t agree to pay him what he wants is quite frankly ludicrous.
The bottom line is the club doesn’t believe his contribution over the last five years merits £130,000 per week,hence he wants to leave in the last year of his contract.Of course he has the right to decide his own future as does the club to decide what is in its best interests.
Of course he has given the club everything,and has been well paid for it.That is the very least we,the fans,should expect from anyone in a blue shirt and to state that a large contingent of the fan base showed him no loyalty whatever is just not true.Yes he had his critics but that is the paying customers right and applies to all players.
As I said in an earlier post,it’s nothing personal,just business.

The Dave & Steve show Rob. I mostly stand watching two people who are obviously very good friends “debating”!!

All this cry babying.

When your postman comes around if he accurately delivers each letter into the correct letter box the whole street don't come out and start singing "There is only one John the Postman, one John the postman."

But he screws it up people certainly complain. So why should footballers be exempt from criticism if they miss chances? They get the upside of the money and adulation no postman, plumber, hawker, or candle stick maker gets.

I'm a DCL fan who gave his all for the club, he's probably on his last big contract, so you can't blame him for looking for security. For all the negativity on here about Dom and his injury problems, how he's not a striker, misses too many chances, not worth the money and should be privileged to play for us, get real. He joined us 8 years ago for£1.5m, he owes us nothing, regarding his injuries, Benitez played him with a broken toe, and that was the start if his injuries. Dyche didn't play him until he was fully fit, mentally and physically. He played on his own upfront, running the channels, chasing his own headers, and cleared plenty of corners in our box, where are all those chances he missed, he was feeding off scraps, there was little crosses coming from the wings, how many crosses did Harrison provide? How did we play last season with no Calvert-Lewin in the team?Be careful what you wish for, if you think Beto or Chermiti will fill his boots, and have the same workrate, It won't happen. It would cost more to buy a good striker when you add fee and wages. We should be getting rid of our high earners, who are only squad players, like Keane and Holgate.

He’s given us decent service so can’t begrudge him a move. Been with us a long time. Not his fault with all the injuries and would maybe have had less if not rushed back too early a few times.

I’d rather we sell him now and move on rather than he leaves for nothing next summer. Would also help a lot with PSR.

We need a goalscorer(s)
Everton goal scorers

Can we game James Rodriguez back on the cheap? He’s starring in Copa America and I can’t imagine he’s earning a fortune in Brazil

Anthony (#69); Without Calvert-Lewin, we were blunt?

We were what, third lowest goalscorers last season which may have more to do with the "style" of football we played most of the season.

Otherwise, we seem to be in agreement, with Dom on the pitch, we did look better but not more prolific or stylish, where I'd prefer us to be but I think that would be the position of the majority.

Paper today says Man Utd looking to off-loan Tominay to fund a new midfield.

I reckon Thelwell should write to Sir Jim and offer £3.25M. Final Offer.

Shaun @5,

I guess you missed the abuse he has regularly got from his own fans? Tons of it. While he's a pro and should be able to suck it up. I don't blame him if he wants to try somewhere new. Although the abuse will follow him as that's the times we live in.

I didn't really want to make a new thread on Dele Alli, who still generates a handful of NewsNow stories every day, all seemingly saying the same thing about Everton continuing to look after him despite his contract having expired. And quoting what was said by him and by Thelwell weeks ago.

So no news is, er… no news in this case.

Kieran, he can't run past anyone, never tackles back, is a passenger, hates hard work, doesn't know who we are playing, his legs have gone.

Oh yeah, he's just a brilliant player, creates and scores goals... what on earth would Dyche do with him?

Imagine Thelwell telling Dyche to give him a free reign in midfield.

Besides, Kieran, that useless dinosaur Ancelotti bought him (he was past it too, they tell me) cost us a fortune in wages and both were just Hollywood's, never did a thing for us other than raise our international status around the world... can't have that, can we?

I dreamt the other night we had Ancelotti as manager, together with a host of players who made Man City look like Hull... another parallel universe, it almost happened.

Christine,

Luckily Rafa brought an end to all that football and nonsense.

If Calvert-Lewin isn't signing, then we need to sell. Get £30M or £20M or even £15M and invest it in a new striker. Or winger.

Beto will score more than Dom did last season if he starts as many matches.

No top 6 club is interested in taking Calvert-Lewin, that leaves Newcastle as his likely suitors. After that clubs like ourselves, West Ham and Wolves, Brighton are ones looking to finish in those places between 9th and 12th.

So where exactly is he going if he's staying in this league? If he wants European football in the near future he's better off staying at Everton unless he pushes for that move to Newcastle. One or the other.

I'm not a fan of him; if we get a decent offer in for him then use the funds to get Adebayo in.

We should all know what a Dyche team brings. Spirit, fight, effort, awkwardness, solid, hard to beat.

He isn't going to be known for a good footballing team that creates a glut of chance and dominates opponents. That's why any striker will find it hard to score regularly.

Most fans are in agreement that Dyche has done a very good job in very difficult circumstances. Therefore, despite me not wanting him and not enjoying the football, I have too admit that he is a good fit for our troubled club.

We have an average Premier League squad, little money, an owner that has in effect given up on us and a bare bones and relatively unknown new board.

We need to sell players and can't afford to let Dom go for free. I'd like him to stay but understand why he would want to leave and why we will not pay more than £x to keep a lid on all salaries.

Yes, a replacement will cost us more overall, but in the current rules on profit, it doesn't matter. It's a bizarre situation of sell low, buy high but ensure wages are kept manageable for when rules change next season.

I wouldn't dismiss Calvert-Lewin not signing for someone decent.

Arsenal have signed Havertz but, if they hadn't, you could see a team like that picking up Calvert-Lewin for the bench and him playing 30 odd games a season to pad out their Champions League, Cup and Premier League campaign.

I agree on Adebayo, but there's been plenty on here dismissing players and managers going elsewhere. I recall someone saying that Moyes wasn't good enough for Tottenham, only for Ferguson to hand-pick Moyes for Manchester United...

Clubs that could buy Calvert-Lewin:

Newcastle Utd
Man Utd
Spurs
Arsenal
Aston Villa
AC Milan
Bologna

If Godfrey is going Atalanta, Gravesen to Real, Saha & Pienaar Tottenham, Fellaini to United, and Arteta to Arsenal… anything is possible.

Luton were a credit to the Premier League last season, throwing men forward, committing to the attack but conceding far, far to many.

This is why Adebayo and Morris hit good goal figures – not because they are better than Calvert-Lewin.

Injuries have stunted many a fine player's career and it's a great pity Calvert-Lewin is one of them but business is business and keeping him is of no use to Everton if they want to progress from the depression of the last two seasons.

Yes, he was looking sharper at the end of last season but how long will that last if he stays.

Getting a decent fee for him now would be more beneficial to the club than paying him good money to be constantly under the physio.

We have two strikers who may just be ready to seize the moment especially Chermiti but if Dyche feels they won't fit the bill, then perhaps a new name may be brought in.

Calvert Lewin is not worth the rumoured half a million a month in wages. If he was clear through on goal, I'd half expect him to miss it.

Good in the air but has a powder puff shot and is too injury-prone and nowhere near clinical enough for the money he's demanding.

Good luck staying fit, Dom, and proving your worth at a lesser club.

Remember that saying, "Football is a simple game"?

In a game of football, there are only two main players with singular roles. Goalkeeper, whose only job is to stop the ball going in the net, and a centre-forward, whose only job is to put it there.

The rest are the supporting bit players who are there to provide the passes to the striker to score, or protect the keeper in an attack. Simple..

Yet this beautiful game of simplicity has morphed into a game of chess, endless boredom sprinkled with occasional brilliance. Passion on the field is prevented with a yellow card and playacting.

Managers elaborate roles in an attempt to cancel rather than create, blaming the comparison in quality over the haves and have-nots.

Someone once told me I had "Champagne tastes on a beer budget". I support Everton, so I know what they meant, but I was full of indignation and anger. I was being discriminated against because of my lack of money. (Or class… we didn't do class on Scottie!)

Point of all of the above? You create a team that plays to win, we created a team not to lose. Luton created a team to win with lesser players. They got relegated, Dyche created a team not to lose. We are still hear, that's brilliant, err no, it's a job half-done. Transition back to the simple game.

Calvert-Lewin has one job in life, stick the ball in the net. The other 9 players' job is to give him the ammunition. Pickford the same: prevent a goal, the other 9 helping him do the same. We don't expect Pickford to smack crosses in, nor should we expect Calvert-Lewin to block shots.

Without the team, both will struggle to survive; without the creative ability, any striker will struggle. I hate to see Calvert-Lewin, Ferguson, or any centre-forward running channels, holding a ball up at the corner flag.

But for some reason, we have been told that's what we need, hard-running clones (or is that clowns?)… because survival is the goal now, winning no longer an expectation.

Remember the chant, "Feed the Yak?" Well, if we feed Calvert-Lewin and not expect him to live on scraps... But that's just me, I still must have those Champagne tastes, with a packet of crisps...

Kieran, no bigger fan of James than me... but at 33 (tomorrow), it's all over. He can pull it together and do magic for the national team for a few games, but not for a league run even in Greece or Brazil. And Dyche demands hard work from all 11.

Just enjoy the fond memories and hope we find another one like him.

I just don't understand why many of us fret over what players earn. What does it matter to any of us if Calvert-Lewin earns £ 50k a week or £130k a week?

It's all nuts, but working class lads earning big money playing football gives me more pleasure than bankers do.

Tactics and transfers make great threads, the money side is beyond my comprehension.

Oh, just spoke to a guy tonight who said that Everton's best ever goalkeeper was Pat Jennings.

I have been honoured to meet Pat, the must humble and decent of men, but I have no recollection of him ever being at Goodison Park.

£20 bet at stake…

Andy, if one player is being paid over the odds then the others are likely to be aggrieved and want more. Maybe the £130k/week to Doucoure has influenced Calvert-Lewin's demands.

We cannot afford a salary arms race among our players. They can make big money at Man City or Man Utd if they are good enough.

Andy,

He was briefly in mid-'80s as a backup.

I've met him too. Really decent bloke.

Ed,

Precisely. Remember when Man City got money and suddenly Shaun Ireland and Co wanted pay parity with Robinho etc.

I could see Calvert-Lewin's point regarding Doucoure but, at the same time, we've just cut Gomes and Alli lose 'cause we realize we can't afford that money.

Ed nailed it. The days of us giving £130k per week contracts are over for the time being out of necessity.

I like Dom but he's picked the wrong time to ask for that kind of money (if that is indeed genuine; it's widely quoted on this thread anyway).

If he ends up leaving on a free at the end of the season, I have no doubt he'll give us his all in the meantime, and I wish him well in the future, though not the club he ends up with if it's another Premier League team.

Andy (102), are you assuming all footballers are ‘working class' lads made good and all bankers were born with a silver spoon in their gobs?

The only ‘comprehension' needed for elite-level footballers wages is that players being greedy is what threatens the competitiveness of the leagues as much as anything.

I think many players could do with a reality check unless they are one of the truly philanthropic ones who are using their wealth to benefit many people (who aren't just family, friends and hangers-on).

Ian #96,

But of those clubs who actually need him and would pay £130k a week for a third in-line back-up?

Okay, Newcastle maybe want him as a main or second striker but it seems they are not willing to pay £130k a week for that either.

Christine (#100), you once again hit the obvious nail on the obvious head – unlike some others.

As a squad, we've never for 30 years and more had any ability at all to ever sustain even a mere hope of seeing winning, goal-scoring football.

The very few players who've ever possessed talent enough to even try to attempt what they were capable of when bought almost always gave up even trying within weeks of going into the thoroughly complacent Finch Farm – where Kenwright ass-kissers had a massively unsuccessful sway, to lasting damage to our club's reputation.

Kenwright was the football-owner equivalent of Japanese knot-weed in a garden. It consumes everything to its own survival.

It takes massively acute action to even try to eradicate it so that foliage we all want to see might emerge and prosper.

We've years to endure before that might even emerge under Freidkin (or whomever) but in the interim, at least, Dyche with our DoF have earned and deserve our support.

Crap as football for us (and all but the Skybabes) generally is, season after season after season.

Si #108, sorry but I won't join you in sitting in judgement of a player's character because of the size of his salary request. The "reality check" is that greed in football and its impact on competitiveness is driven far more by the leagues, the owners, the TV rights bidders and the commercial interests than the players. And you never see Richard Masters, the Abu Dhabi sheikhs or the CEOs of Sky Sports or NBC visiting the sick kids at Alder Hey or supporting The Children's Hospital Charity as Dom does.

More to the point -- and another reality check, if you will -- is that there are 250 million people on this planet who play footy, and about 2500 of them play in the Big Five leagues. That makes Dom one of the top 0.001% footballers in the world. As one in 100,000, he deserves every dime. In fact, given the fact that his career will end in less than ten years (whereas broadcast executives can go on forever), I'd argue he's grievously underpaid.

I get that working-class people are jealous of athletes' paychecks, but I'd ask a resentful plumber if he's one of the finest, most brilliant 0.001% of the world's plumbers. Then ask him if he'll be pushed out of his job at age 34 by a younger plumber.

Very well put Mike.

Calvert-Lewin is already the third highest-paid (jointly) player at the club and his contract expires at the same time as our highest paid player, the other three having 2 or 3 years left on their contracts.

Anyone heard anything about Doucoure being offered a new contract? Or transfer rumours?

We could lose them both on a Bosman next season.

We have 2 players on £100k + a week whose contracts end in 12 months. If we have to prioritise, then I would target Dominic. He will be far more expensive to replace than Doucoure.

My guess is he will not be rushed into a move he doesn't want, and will see out his contract if we don't match his wage demands. I have no issue with that.

In all professions, people are able to change firms and maximise their earnings. Why should footballers with a 10- to 15-year window to make their money be seen as different or greedy for trying to do this?

1. Pat Jennings was a back-up when Southall got injured in 1986 but never actually played and, as you were only allowed 1 substitute on the bench then, was never even on the bench.

I can see an interesting debate about that £20 coming up.

2. During Carlo's time, he scored 13 and 16 in the season. That was 1 in 3 of our goals. Back in the Moyes days, Cahill was top scorer for 3 seasons and Fellaini for another.

Until the last couple of years, we have always scored between 40 to 60 goals and personally, as long as we score around 50, I don't care who scores them as long as we score them. And I do believe we are more likely to score the 50 with Calvert-Lewin at No 9 than without him.

Would we rather score 40 with Calvert-Lewin getting 20 or 50 with him getting 8?

It must be around thirty years since the Bosman ruling and so many people still don't get it.

You can scream about a player being greedy. You can demand that the club cut their losses and sell him to the next bidder until you are blue in the face.

You can allow yourself to get all bent out of shape after reading fictional finger-in-the-air speculation spouted by eternally wrong media outlets about numbers they will never be privy to.

The Bosman law is not some evil edict announced by a dictatorship. It is a fair and just law passed by the European law of justice. It gave footballers (many of whom earn pittance) the same right's you and I enjoy. The right to decide their own future.

I understand speculation printed in a popular Footy site will inevitably generate debate, but I cant understand why people are agreeing or angrily disagreeing DCL's viewpoint. He hasn't even expressed one.

We know two things at this point. The player has not signed a new deal and like so many other footballers since the European courts ruling, He is exercising his basic human right to consider his future.

He's in the driving seat and if he doesn't want to satisfy the clamor to sell him to the highest bidder by joining a club he doesn`t fancy.. It wont be happening

Steve #115,

"My guess is he will not be rushed into a move he doesn't want, and will see out his contract if we don't match his wage demands."

It just seems that nobody wants him and his wage demands.

As Sir Alex Ferguson said when the Bosman ruling became law, all the power has now been handed to the players. He also referenced the power this would also give to players' agents.

The Bosman ruling stopped clubs demanding a fee when a player's contract came to an end or they could allow him to leave on a free. The Bosman case was based on the free movement of people according to the Treaty of Rome, and he won the case, but even Bosman now realized that the ruling as it's being used now is not what he intended.

While some argue that the ruling gives them the same as any worker, I would question when did an ordainary worker get a 4- or 5- year deal when he started work which would guarantee him that money – even if the company went bust?

I think the Bosman ruling allowed players and their agents to manipulate clubs in a way that the ruling was never intended. Does anybody really believe that, when Barkley was having his medical at Chelsea and decided he wasn't fit enough to go through with the deal, there wasn't a discussion between Chelsea and Barkley pointing out there would be massive implications for him and Chelsea if he delayed the transfer to the next window?

Maybe there needs to be an independent body set up that decides what compensation a club should be paid to a club when a player can leave for nothing. Obviously, age and experience would be the main criteria, which would at least redress some of the imbalance that the Bosman ruling gives the players.

I love Calvert-Lewin but, if it's true that his agent is asking for £130k a week, then the only hope he has is to run down his contract with us this season and score 20 goals. No transfer fee so he might get his big pay day.

Otherwise, he won't get that from us or anyone else.

For me, he's been a great asset for Everton and comes across as a top man. I wish him the best of luck.

My concern is around replacing him – particularly next season as we have a poor track record of doing so – Beto, Maupay, etc.

However, a 4- to 5-year contract is around £27-33M in wages and opportunity cost of around £25-35M in transfer fee. Over the course of the next 4 to 5 years, does he represent good value for an opportunity cost of £52-68M?

With his track record, I struggle to see that the risk/reward here is justified. The money would be better recycled into players that don't have the same injury record, can score more frequently, and will have a value in 4-5 years time.

We have seen far too many players leave Everton for zero or next to zero over the last 5 years – the trend has to stop.

I don't think he does.

Eric @ 115,

He will exit his contract as a 28-year-old striker with circa 250 Premier League games under his belt.

He might not be attractive with his wage demands and the transfer fee Everton are demanding for him this summer. But his wages will not be a huge barrier when he can sign as a free agent.

We only paid £1.5M for Calvert-Lewin, so if he leaves for free next year, we haven't lost a great deal in that sense. That said, if he wants to leave, that would be fair enough – he's been with us for 8 years so why shouldn't he go elsewhere?

We should be going all out to flog him in my view - make a few quid, and buy a new striker. Easier said than done, of course, and the thought of going into a new season with Beto and Maupay as our options means we'll score bugger-all goals next year.

It's a bit of a coin toss really – keep a potentially unhappy Calvert-Lewin for a year, or keep him and he leaves for nowt. Or maybe Beto and Maupay become goal machines… and then I wake up.

Christine @100, strikers have a much more varied role than simply putting the ball in the net.

In modern football, we have seen the No 10, attacking midfielder or wing forward, become many teams' primary goal threat.

At Real, Benzema played second fiddle to Ronaldo. At Liverpool, Firminho occupied the striker role but Salah scored the goals from an advanced right-wing position.

Last season, Calvert-Lewin created the space and opportunity for Doucoure to hit impressive figures from midfield. He also forced or won set-pieces which created a goal threat for the team.

In fact, many teams now play without a conventional striker but still score lots of goals (eg, Havertz at Arsenal).

Personally I think, to develop as a side (and score more goals), we need faster, more technical versatile forwards – rather than to try to attempt to replace Calvert-Lewin like for like.

As we've seen at the Euros, there aren't many strikers who can play the isolated striker role as well as Calvert-Lewin can do it (often to the detriment of his personal goal stats).

Phil # 116,

Also during “Moyes time” we had the “Yak” — 25 goals in all competitions in season 2007-08. A terrific natural goalscorer and a favourite of mine.

The Yak

Imagine thinking you're worth £130k a week for kicking a piece of leather on a patch of grass. The finances in football for me have killed it completely.

Most will just think it's how things are and think it's fine. It's not, it's totally ruined the sport, it's all greed and self-preservation. The sooner this big football bubble bursts and we get back to how the sport used to be, the better.

It is true that a player might have only 10 years playing career at a good wage with possibly another 20 or 30 as a manager or coach.

But, in that 10 years, he could be paid in a week what the average man might earn in 2 years.

Robert @124,

Yes, of course you are right, some clubs do just fine with attacking forwards but (always a but) you either construct a team with that in mind, or you play to the strengths of the players you have.

In Calvert-Lewin, we have a centre-forward who can play a holding role, who can defend, who can do a variety of jobs, but his main, best, singular role that benefits the team is putting the ball in the net.

Yet we do not play to those strengths, getting early crosses in. We saw exactly the same with England the other night, I hardly recall the amount of crosses we put in to Kane or anyone from the wingers.

The result: Kane was never in it, feeding on scraps... it looked so Everton in the second half it wasn't funny.

Comes down to the manager and players, who he buys and how he wants the game played.

Looking at the Euros, Spain play like Arsenal, short quick passes of 6 - 10 yards... no long stuff. England play keep-ball, 20-yard passes sideways or back, keep ball. Slovenia, almost every ball was a forward pass. France just didn't know how to play, long or short.

Point being, every manager should play to the strengths in the team, or rebuild the team in his image, which is probably whats happening now.. but as Ancelotti stated, just play it to him in the box, a one-touch finisher – it worked, and no one has used him like that before or since.

I'd keep Calvert-Lewin and give him a new contract for the £130k wages, simply because to replace him with a prolific striker would cost the same, or more. He's 27 and still has plenty of football left to play.

Doucoure is 32 next January, on £130k, would it not make more sense to let him go? He' definitely not as important to the team as Dom.

Also, our bigger problem is Keane and Holgate, also in their last year, but on big wages; squad players but no one will match their wages, and they won't move.

If Villa are paying £130k a week to Watkins, Calvert-Lewin wanting a similar salary is not outlandish.

We have got 4 friendlies coming up, hear me out before you all jump in

Drop Dom for those 4 games and try Betto with Maupay just behind him, yes that’s right much have we have torn into Maupay, who has played a lone striker role for us, try him out with a supporting striker, then switch and have Chermiti replacing one of them.

If that system fails, then look to offering Dom a little more.

Offering Dom a much bigger pay rise will reflect on future Everton players wanting a big pay increase.

Since we are trying to get the wage bills down, we need to be careful caving in.

I want Don to stay, but not at any costs, he has a £120 grand wage offer on the table and not signed it.

Haven't we bought a new striker, Brian (131)?

Where does he figure in all of this?

Christine #128,

You're right, we do not play in the style that saw Calvert-Lewin score more regularly. But that team had the likes of Digne, Richarlison, Allan, Iwobi, Rodriguez, Sigurdsson and a younger Coleman.

Dyche is playing a different style because he's limited by the lack of quality elsewhere in the team (and the extreme cost cutting that prevents us improving).

Dyche could require Calvert-Lewin to stay put and wait for the service – but the service doesn't come. So DCL plays a different and very difficult role for the team – and it all came together so that we overperformed and finished 12th.

As you point out – and as we can all see watching England – that's a hard job. Kane, a much better player than Calvert-Lewin, is struggling with it.

I'm actually not hugely fussed whether we keep Calvert-Lewin or not because I think Dyche will adjust the team to play to the strengths of the replacement (and the limitations of those around him). It could be the likes of Fofana, Denkey or Broja as mentioned.

But the idea that a player like Adebayo could come (I know you're not saying this, Christine) and improve us with goals aplenty is a bit far-fetched in my view – and he'd not be cheap either I expect (although Transfermarkt are strangely vague about his contractual situation).