Blues snap up Brendan Galloway

Taxi Signing?

Mike H. Thanks for a good laugh.

Incidentally take a look at the RS list of young players they have released recently, all foreign nationals that cost them a fortune to bring in over the last few years !! TheyÂ’ve spunked millions on them , just like they are spunking millions on their first team squad now .

They finished second last year , anything less this season will be a step back and they have spent over 100 million !!

But hey onwards and upwards for us , no foundations made of sand here !!

A few years ago I was genuinely worried that this team needed significant investment just to be a going concern... simply due to the age of the first team. Look at the first XI and beyond now - we've got a mix of experienced heads supported by players in their early to mid 20s... and then another layer of youngsters ready to get experience.

I would have been great to have Stones, Mustafi and Dier in the ranks behind Jagielka & Distin. But I guess now we have Galloway so we'll see how that pans out.

Don't think Duffy has much chance.

We did have Mustafi on our books but he didn't break through under Moyes and we let him go to further his career in the end.

Macca leaving for Man City ?

I wouldn't expect McCarthy to push for a move to Man Utd but I'm sure the board would be interested if Man Utd put in a big enough offer.

http://www.nsno.co.uk/everton-news/2014/08/henen-confirms-five-year-everton-deal/

Could we be heading for a three-way press conference on Monday? (Atsu, Galloway and Henen?)

This feel good factor and associated spending is infectious.
I haven't bought trainers in ages but have bought two pairs this month (since the Barry deal).

However, unlike Bill "Decadence" Kenwright, I won't go on to buy three, four, five, six pairs ......

When will this madness stop?

Lesson from our history...
if player...photo...shirt...OS
then
done deal
else
bollocks and conjecture
end

I still cringe when I think about that tax-dodging Brazilian tart who turned up in a red blazer!

I'm glad we're outside the 'magic circle'. I say it's to our advantage. If Man Utd, for example, lose two games on the trot, their players will be pilloried by the press; if they win two in succession, their players will be praised to the skies by the very same press. Either way, it's unhelpful for the individual players and the team in general - although it might be lucrative for the club, any publicity being good publicity in a certain way. We don't have that kind of insane pressure. We have (to use a very Martinez-type word, the opportunity to concentrate on playing our football, That's a good thing.

I would actually be very surprised if Van Gaal even knew who James McCarthy was. I can't imagine Van Gaal sitting behind his desk at Old Trafford and issuing the order 'get me James McCarthy'.

Don't get me wrong McCarthy would be ideal for Man Utd but I just don't think Van Gaal is good enough to know that. Maybe after Everton play Man Utd this season he'll know all about McCarthy

As for Galloway, definitely one for the future and a player who wanted to come to us. I think the MK Dons Managers comments on the transfer sum the situation up well: He was great for them, they didn't want him to go, he can be as good a player as he wants to be and most importantly he's gone to a fantastic club.

I think we're more attractive to younger players, because they've seen RM will give them a chance, unlike OFM!!

As for McCarthy, would be gutted if he goes, however lets look at this realistically if Man U, offer more than double what we paid for him, (as no doubt Whelan will get a sell on cut!!), the board would consider selling him.

That said I agree with other points I just can't see Van Gaal putting him on his wish list. This all stems in my opinion from the rumours that came out, at the end of last season, where Roy Keane voiced his opinion saying McCarthy should stay put, and the rumour no doubt put about by the press to destabilise our push for a CL spot.

Plus we're all assuming Van Gaal is going to be a success at Man U, who knows what's going to happen!!

But Matt Muzi I think you are way out of line calling OFM numb nuts, OK he may have made a mistake with Mustafi and Dier but those two players were brought to Everton by OFM to begin with.

And don't forget OFM may have been wrong letting Dier/Mustafi go but he's also guilty of bringing John Stones, Luke Garbutt and George Green to Everton.

Seamus Coleman cost Everton £60,000 and we could probably sell him now for close to £30 million.

I'll forgive OFM for Dier/Mustafi because we now have players like Coleman and Stones.

Having watched Dier on the TV playing for England under 20s earlier this year I saw nothing to suggest he is ready to play in the Premier League.

And big congratulations also to the Everton management and Board of Directors who spent the summer haggling (whilst we were biting our teeth!) to get the best possible value for our money (and got it) whilst other clubs were throwing money at players like Luke Shaw for £30 million.

And now for a healthy bit of realism as well. We still have basically the same team as last year (albeit with some very talented youngsters who are going to be better this year) and are up against some very strong, very well-funded big teams. I think we are going to need to be patient whilst MartinezÂ’s plans for the future start to, literally, mature.

What makes us all excited and gives us such great confidence, however, is the guy who’s steering our ship – Martinez himself – a hugely positive man with fantastic tactical nous and wonderful long-term vision. And if we are allowed to dream for next season, what better dream, and what would be an absolute game changer for us, would be winning the Europa League – serious silverware, Champions League, money (lots of it for new players) and prestige.

HereÂ’s to Roberto Martinez, the man whoÂ’s giving us dreams to dream again!

As for the rest of the thread, hindsight is wonderful and perhaps they would have been given more opportunities under Roberto rather than Man U's FM. As for Man U's current manager, I would expect a professional manager to know the stand out players in the teams in his division... so I think he would know who James Mc is. Obviously I hope we keep him as not only will he be worth more in two seasons (failing any form or injury disasters), but he's great for us.

If Man U or another club do put in a silly offer though and JM does decide to go it won't undo all the work Martinez has done... that's some serious hyperbole. I expect the media to be relentless on this until the window closes, but players only have to look at Rodwell and Fellani's current careers (or arguably Barry's) to see that the grass is definitely not always green. Include the lesson of Pienaar's God endorsed temporary London switch, Lukaku's big money move for a pay cut and the feeling surrounding Osman's testimonial and it would be difficult to lure our players away with promises of shiny things.