Season › 2017-18 › News Everton sign Bowler for U23s Lyndon Lloyd Friday, 7 July, 2017 35comments | Jump to most recent QPR midfielder Josh Bowler has been confirmed as the latest addition to Everton's Under-23s squad after undergoing a medical today ahead of a £1.5m move. The two clubs have finally agreed on a package for the 18-year-old who could end up costing the Blues £4m if appearance-related clauses are triggered. Bowler has made one senior appearance for QPR having made his debut on the final day of the 2016-17 season but Everton believe he has a big future ahead of him. Reader Comments (35) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Geoff Lambert 1 Posted 07/07/2017 at 19:13:25 £4.5 million for an 18-year-old who has played one game in the Championship."The world's gone mad I say mad." Alasdair Mackay 2 Posted 07/07/2017 at 19:16:13 This reminds me of the Dominic Calvert-Lewin deal from last summer.Let's hope he has the same impact on the squad and just as much long-term potential! Fred Charters 3 Posted 07/07/2017 at 19:16:43 Never heard of him. Is right arm over or left hand round? John Otway 4 Posted 07/07/2017 at 19:18:13 Geoff. Read it very slowly!! Geoff Lambert 5 Posted 07/07/2017 at 19:28:28 John, I did... I suggest you do to!http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11671/10940226/josh-bowler-having-everton-medical-ahead-of-4-25m-move-from-qpr Mike Berry 6 Posted 07/07/2017 at 19:32:15 We seem to have a very extensive scouting network for young talent that other clubs are not seeing.It will be interesting when we analyse this period in the future and see how many go on to great things. Colin Glassar 7 Posted 07/07/2017 at 19:38:24 It's called TV, Mike. James Morgan 8 Posted 07/07/2017 at 19:45:52 Geoff, minimal risk on this one. It's only £4.5m with appearance add ons, so if he makes appearances in the first team that would mean he's doing well which then means he's a bargain. If he fails then £1.5m is hardly crippling. Mike Gaynes 9 Posted 07/07/2017 at 19:57:18 Wasted money.We need footballers, not bowlers. Fran Mitchell 10 Posted 07/07/2017 at 20:00:37 We are certainly making serious moves in out scouting and poaching of young talent.It is interesting. The fact remains that most will not make the grade, but such is the trend in fees, It doesn't take much for a player to triple in value these days, so it is as close to win-win in business terms as possible. John Otway 12 Posted 07/07/2017 at 20:10:02 Thanks James. Geoff, given your Murdoch link, yes, it's an initial £1.5 million for an 18-year-old who has played one game in the Championship. In total, if he succeeds and meets given additional contractual requirements, this will rise to £4.25 million. Geoff. I've read it very slowly. There is no initial or long-term payment of £4.50 million! Nigel Munford 13 Posted 07/07/2017 at 20:18:47 Mike at 9 he'd best be a footballer or we'll be on a sticky wicket. David Pearl 14 Posted 07/07/2017 at 20:46:58 Pretty soon our Under-23 squad would of cost more than some other Premier League first teams. Hugh Jenkins 15 Posted 07/07/2017 at 20:49:00 Signed and sealed according to the OS. Steve Bingham 16 Posted 07/07/2017 at 22:16:08 We seem to be building a very strong squad of youngsters. Exciting times ahead, I hope. Paul Hewitt 18 Posted 07/07/2017 at 22:38:51 Why would you leave first-team football to play for the U23s in front of a few hundred people? Geoff Lambert 19 Posted 07/07/2017 at 22:44:23 John, I bow to your superior reading skills!!My initial post was said with tongue firmly in cheek though!!!!??? David Ellis 20 Posted 08/07/2017 at 01:24:02 £1.5m for someone without a YouTube highlights reel... the world has gone crazy!!! Teddy Bertin 21 Posted 08/07/2017 at 02:01:59 As long as we keep signing exciting young prospects, and ToffeeWebbers keep reading things very slowly, then I'll be a happy Evertonian. Sam Hoare 22 Posted 08/07/2017 at 07:07:47 I think it's good to help the academy teams continue success but I'd like to prioritise local talent and those who've been at the club for a long time.Don't want to become Man City who end up poaching almost their entire academy crop from aboard and other clubs.The U23s were magnificent last season. Don't change the formula too much!! Roy Steel 23 Posted 08/07/2017 at 08:16:44 Hopefully some unearthed diamonds from Walsh and Co. I can't wait to see how we fair this season, really excited, go for it lads. Bob Parrington 24 Posted 08/07/2017 at 08:26:03 Reading some of these (chuckle) comments, I look forward to the time he scores a hat-trick. :) :) John Dean 25 Posted 08/07/2017 at 09:08:51 I'd expect the number of U23 watchers to increase substantially. Does anybody know what progress has been made to facilitate playing U23 games at Finch Farm? Jon Withey 26 Posted 08/07/2017 at 09:34:46 Another one for the production line.It's like what Arsenal used to do but with British players. Mike Berry 27 Posted 08/07/2017 at 10:27:23 Bowled over, you have to tip your hat!Everton look to the future... Barry Jones 28 Posted 08/07/2017 at 13:58:16 In Walsh we trust, I suppose. It only makes sense to keep mining these hidden gems. Even at a 25% success rate, we would be quids in. Dave Abrahams 29 Posted 08/07/2017 at 14:08:22 John Dean (#25), I was just thinking the same thing, but I hope a lot of these games will be at Goodison Park, hopefully on any other night than Monday. Kieran Kinsella 30 Posted 08/07/2017 at 14:08:58 I suspect Everton are lining Unsworth up for the top job after Ronald Koeman. These signings are his practice run... Brent Stephens 31 Posted 08/07/2017 at 14:11:29 Geoff (#1) – it's £1.5 million for an 18-year-old who has played one game in the Championship. Gavin Johnson 32 Posted 08/07/2017 at 14:16:23 Another promising addition to the squad. Hopefully we'll also bring in George Hirst from Sheffield Wednesday. I'd really like us to sign the U23 Man City captain too. Don't remember his name. Tosser something or other. A highly rated giant of a centre back who turned down their contract offer. We were heavily linked. Surprised there's not been a clamour to sign him. Clive Mitchell 33 Posted 08/07/2017 at 14:56:57 We're going to have a bloody good Under-10 side this season. Anto Byrne 34 Posted 09/07/2017 at 11:11:49 Stan Bowles brings to mind. He was a player. David Hallwood 35 Posted 09/07/2017 at 19:23:25 Nigel (#13), He could be another Gareth Bale. John Smith 36 Posted 11/07/2017 at 02:30:36 £4.5 million for an 18-year-old who has played one game in the Championship. The world's gone mad I say mad."And we still want Moore.See what I did there?,"£4.5 million for an 18-year-old who has played one game in the Championship."The world's gone mad I say mad."And we still want MOORE.See what I did there?,Turned on,BlueKfrog,1,02:13:35,,110.23.11.243,probation,18950,07/11/2017 02:13:35,EFC_Fan,probation,, 829888,35172,toffeeweb,11/07/2017,Benny Snow,t463050@spark.co.nz,Let's hope we're waiting for Celtic to qualify for the Champions League and get Dembele in – the kid is a beast. ,Let's hope we're waiting for Celtic to qualify for the champions league and get dembele in $$$$ the kid is a beast ,Turned on,BlueKfrog,1,02:14:06,,125.237.62.229,probation,19253,07/11/2017 02:14:06,BennyBoy20,probation,, 829889,35170,toffeeweb,11/07/2017,Kieran Kinsella,haggerwood@msn.com,Mark AndersonAgreed. And yet like fools we come on here and demand we spend tens of millions on players. Money's got to come from somewhere.,Mark AndersonAgreed. And yet like fools we come on here and demand we spend tens of millions on players. Moneys got to come from somewhere.,,BlueKfrog,1,02:19:57,,66.87.73.114,ok,2769,07/11/2017 02:19:57,Evertongator,reader,, 829890,35172,toffeeweb,11/07/2017,Mark Andersson,markandersson180@msn.com,"Next we will be linked with Ballotelli an other ex red reject. Who ever we get I hope Koeman's jigsaw comes to fruition quickly. The gutter press are giving us a lot of coverage now. They will delight if we fail to hit the ground running.I will trust Koeman for now as he's done an okay job in his first season. Some crap away performances, but I have a feeling that we will be a different prospect this season. Has he got the mentality to manage and motivate his men? Geoff Williams 37 Posted 20/07/2017 at 10:54:21 Thought Jose Baxter was due to join the U23s in July... what happened? 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