Everton 'consider' move for Maguire

Hope this is more tabloid crap, why take Maguire who is past his best? Just because he's English and Southgate kept picking a Man Utd reserve didn't make sense, and £200k pw, and consider the Hammers offered £30M for him, allegedly?

Also, we shouldn't sell Onana.

More tripe.

Hopefully this is nonsense, Onana is improving , we should fight them off and keep him. Same with Branthwaite , let’s take a chance and see if we can build a very good young team . There’s no need to sell them just yet.

We can hopefully improve the squad enough without resorting to that by getting some shrewd signings in to give us some better strength and depth.

Other rumours tonight is that it looks like Kamaldean Sulemana maybe coming in on loan with a £25m option to buy. Thelwell was after him in January so still may get his man. Saints were after Holgate, so maybe he’ll head that way.

I believe there will still be quite a bit of movement Tony, and something tells me that if Dyche has got to lose anyone then Onana, will be the player who is sacrificed. I might be wrong.

Alan Myers, who can be trusted on anything Everton, hasn't said a word about Maguire, but has said that we are interested in signing Daka from Leicester. Apparently Leicester would prefer a sale but Everton want a loan with a view to a sale.

The thought of Maguire coming to a club that has narrowly escaped relegation for the past 2 seasons is nonsense. Also how do we pay him in excess of £200,000 per week?

Some of the players we seem to be linked with, some even being rumoured to being close to joining, are African players, and who's country has qualified for the AFCON tournament in January and February 2024.

We already have three players missing due to this tournament, and if we sign the likes of Daka and Sulemana, that would make it at least five players missing. I hope Dyche and Thelwell are taking this into consideration when looking at players they want to bring in?

I don't want Maguire because like Keane he has a mistake in him but I wondered how many Evertonians would swap Onana for McTominay and Maguire in a two-for-one.

Not for me. I hope ‘consider' is as far as this goes. I don't mind Maguire at all, but we need another goal scorer.

Why can't we ‘swoop' for a signing under the radar and not get fleeced for fees and wages?

I really hope that the incoming players can put in a shift and make a positive contribution.

I'm worried and excited.

It's a no from me too!

Rob, it's a good point and makes me wonder how interested we actually are in Sulemana.

Maybe trying to create some leverage to get the Gnonto deal done as it seems like he is first choice…..and Italian!

Maguire won't be coming to Everton either on loan or on a permanent transfer. We can't afford his fee or his wage demands even if he would ever agree to come. The idea of Onana being part of the deal is fantasyland.

Rob's point about Daka and Sulemana and AFCON is a valid point that deserves consideration as we won't be in a position to lose so many players at such a critical part of the season.

There is no way we'd be wasting our transfer budget on a centre-back when we have bigger problems up front. Move along, nothing to see. Man Utd trying to drive the price up is all it is.

Too many rumours, not enough signings. Worried no one wants to join.

Jay, doesn’t everybody have a mistake in them???

No. On every facet of this ludicrous tabloid junk, no.

Another central defender who turns like a bus! No thanks.

Erm. No thanks on Maguire. Probably the most overrated English centre-back in recent times.

Onana? Happy to trade, £60M please thanks.

A few comments on the AFCON. Think this is a bit of a storm in a tea cup.

The competition runs 13 January to 11 February. During this period, there are currently 4 rounds of Premier League games. Most countries will be out after the first couple of weeks so most players going won't actually miss more than two league games in any case. (FA Cup in between.)

Not really something to get that worked up about – especially as most players miss more games due to injury in a season anyway.

This may well be a lot of press rubbish but, when it comes to Man Utd cast-offs, they certainly know which other club to link to it. Now why would that be, Bill?

If we signed this donkey, I would not step foot in Goodison Park, even though my season ticket is paid for… Maguire would finish it for me.

We have our own donkeys with Keane and Holgate without considering letting a decent midfielder go as a swap.

West Ham are interested as well so he won't be coming here.

We are nearly at the stage where we have exhausted our search in the professional leagues. We will soon be on to the Hare and Hound to see if they have anyone in their Sunday league team that a) they don't want b) nobody else wants, and c) can be easily manipulated to sign under the influence of the landlords stale bitter.

Joke of a club.

Sean #21,

You can't be serious! Why on earth would we want to sign that overrated, lumbering carthorse?

I'd consider us a joke of a club if we did. lol

3 days to the start of the season but 23 days to the close of the transfer window.

Most of our ‘ins' are likely to occur in the last few days as the targeted players realise we are the best offer they will get.
Patience will be sorely tested if we get injuries to a few more key players before the recruits are landed.

It’s back to the glorious Moyes days, when Kenwright, would always make sure he found David’s plucky little Everton, £5 million to spend.

Dychey had a dream - to save a football team - they had no money - cos the owner never had a plan. He’s trying to hang on - with his fingers in the dam - but Moshiri bit off more than he could chew - when he met the conman.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that none of us have got a clue what is really going on. According to The Esk, MSP’S investment was getting held up by the Premier league, but he said on these pages at least three weeks ago that the deal had now been approved.

We come on these pages and speculate, some of us do nothing but speculate wildly, but Everton have gone full circle during the Kenwright era, even though he found us a billionaire.

My own view is that Kenwright is going nowhere until the new stadium is built, because it’s his holy grail. Forget about trophies - look at what he his about to deliver - one of the greatest achievements in Everton’s long history, will have been delivered by Chairman Bill - and nobody is going to stand in his way until his dream becomes reality?

Maguire, Barkley, Branthwaite and Onana.

Two are 'Old' and won't get any better...and they're not too flash right now anyway.

Two are 'Young' and may get better.

Hmm?

It's a definite no from me, especially if it involves Onana going the other way, I want to see us trying to build a team of good young professionals who will grow together,

Maguire is not a bad player but at the moment he seems to be making a mistake a game, he was booed by Irish Man Utd fans at the weekend after another mistake in a friendly against Bilbao.

Hopefully this is just nonsense, plus he is on £200.000 a week at Man Utd so he'd need to take a significant pay cut,

I'd do a swap for him with Holgate going the other way..

I heard Man Utd offered Maguire to the Saudis, but they said he would have to take a massive pay cut, although I'm sure this won't put Dyche off?

Defending on the edge of our own area suits every single one of our central defenders bar Branthwaite but one of the things that surprised me the most about Dyche was that he hasn't really set us up to defend very deep.

Another dud signing to go with the long list of dud signings over recent years.
Do we have a scouting system?

There must be better younger undiscovered options out there. Other clubs find them.

Our board will never learn.

Maguire would be our best centre-back but is very expensive and his best years are almost behind him.

Swapping him for Onana would be ludicrously bad business even by Everton's low standards. In 3 years time, Maguire will be worth nothing and Onana will probably be worth £50-60m.

I'd like to think there's zero truth in this story!

I think the £200,000 a week is the number of reasons we will not aquire Maguire. I could only see him coming if his salary was at least halved and I couldn't see the lad accepting a wage cut!

The Mirror only looks at us as has beens of a club and only has eyes for the red clubs of Lancashire, and begrudgingly gives the same column inches to Man City now they're winning everything in site. What a rag of a paper!

Your right about the Kenwright era, Tony, especially when Moysey was our manager. We'd all be glued to ToffeeWeb 'til the last minute of the last day, to see if we were getting a decent player in. And quite often,we did. But then, we mostly had a decent squad of players and we wanted someone in to push us up into the European places.

Now? I think it is all about finances, or lack of them and there's nearly 3 weeks to go to the end of the transfer window. I can only see us bringing in the players who are going to cost us i.e. the best goalscorer we can get our hands on. When we're nearing the end of the window and we've sold, sent on loan whoever we can.

About Kenwright, my view is he is the only one of the 4 musketeeers who made up our Board, and Moshiri wants him here to face the music, when the enquiry's held.

As Chairman, he's the one who is responsible for all the dealings that have gone on in the club and had to sign them off.

Moshiri, as major shareholder was just that, he had no position on the Board. So my view is Kenwright will have to do all the answering to the enquiry.

Then, I sincerely hope!!! He will be sent on his way and the new investors will come in once the enquiry is over.

I think it is then, we can start seeing our club beginning to be rebuilt.

If Maguire comes on loan with heavily subsidised wages, then it's a really good deal. Anything else is a poor deal.

There are lots of centre-backs of excellent quality we could buy for between £10M and £30M as alternatives.

Maybe Jim, but if Everton are to be found guilty, then I think you might have a better chance of passing the blame onto the people you have already had to get rid of? It’s very murky, but that might just be me, speculating very wildly once again.

Robert (32) - You think we have £10 - £30 million to spend on a centre-back? Come on…

I can only see Maguire coming to Everton if it’s on loan, with us paying a maximum of half of his salary, and because he wants to stay in the North West and be guaranteed first team football. United would probably want first refusal on Branthwaite or Onana or something suitably predatory in return.

Even though Maguire would be a decent enough addition for this coming season I feel like any deal to get him here is going to end up suiting Man United more than it suits us. That’s the fear anyway.

I think that Maguire flatters to deceive. He looks cool and collected on the ball and he is useful around the penalty area on corners, but his pace and positional sense when defending are questionable.

Harwood-Bellis Man City would be a better option for me.

It is very murky indeed Tony! And if Kenwright can pass on the blame to those who have gone, I'll consider it the only thing he's done for Everton that has benefitted us...and not Him! I was goin to to to write Bas**** but I won't!

Tony, he is never gracing Goodison again and he simply cannot waltz into the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock as if nothing happened. He's made his bed and he surely knows it unless he's got more front than Brighton or Blackpool or is genuinely oblivious. To the latter, he is not.

He found the Billionaire that suited his needs. Basically someone who let him get on with it. Here's the bank account. A kid in a sweet shop who has got the money to spend.

To the Moyes years, I'm well documented, but as time went on, the two of them were a match made in heaven.

I still can't forgive the Wigan FA Cup match and more so our shithousery approach to second half against them in the Semi Final.

Hindsight is a great thing. But we got sucked in. We forgot who we are.

Everton's very own Pied Piper.

My expectation will never go away. No matter how some try to beat it out of us. Never ever.

Maguire in and Onana out, no thanks!

If we are ever going to move things forward we are going to have to keep our young talent.

Branthwaite and Onana are the future and hopefully will have us well away from a relegation scrap with 10 games to go.

Danny correct, the semi v Liverpool was a gut wrenching shitter. We had it in the bag. I'm not going to even comment on the Wigan result. Its not often you see the crowd at Goodison stunned.

Jay (7), I’d swap Onana for McTominay and £20-30M no problem with the possibility that we might be fleecing United for once,a ready made good player and money for a lad with potential.

It might’ve already been mentioned but rather than continue to poach Man U rejects why don’t we get Julen Lopategui in as manager?

I know Dyche will probably keep us up but is he really the man we want leading out the team in the new stadium? Will he be able to attract, if we ever have the money, top players to Everton? Will Dycheball ever entertain or excite us?

Roll the dice, get Lopategui now before some A-list team gets him and let’s shake up the world.

West Ham have improved their offer of £30m for Maguire - some good news at last 🥳

Andrew@34, it’s difficult to know exact financial situation but if we could shift Holgate (and Keane or Godfrey?) I wouldn’t be wildly surprised to see us spend £10-15m on another CB.

Of course it would have to be an ‘Everton’ deal with a small up front payment which only suits a smaller number of selling clubs, mainly ones outside England.

I do worry about our CB strength. Hopefully Branthwaite makes the step up but I’ve little faith in Godfrey or Holgate. And not a great deal in Keane when playing in a higher line.

Perhaps now Maguire is off to West Ham and Weghorst has gone to Hoffenheim people will calm down, stop criticising the club/scouts/DoF etc and ignore all the stupid rumours. Wait till the window has closed then we can have a sensible debate

Maguire to West Ham, Branthwaite to United will be next- just wait.

Andrew # 34, my point was that there's a lot better value CBs out there to buy than Maguire - who will probably command £30m(+).

Hence it only works as a loan with heavily subsidised wages.

Like Sam, I could see us getting another CB in. But it all depends on finances and whether Branthwaite stays.

Colin, shake up the world with what? We've no money and no one wants to join our club.

I knew this was a load of bollocks

You all know he'll score against us when we play them !

Well the good news is West Ham have agreed a deal with Man Utd for Maguire for £30M.

We are trying to get the wage bill down to more sustainable levels. Was it 94% of all our income?, something like that. Maguire doesn’t fit into this necessity, Dyche will be looking at a CB from the Championship or closely at one from further afield who Thelwell has put forward for consideration.

The experienced backup striker still the most important business. Patson Daka could be worthwhile gamble for the job.

Noticed Neil’s Nkounkou has signed for Eintract Frankfurt today for €8.5m.

Ian, if we got Lopategui it would be like Ali beating Sonny Liston. It would shake up the world.

Lopategui has great contacts in La Liga and would help us get top class loan deals. Unlike Dyche who can only attract an OAP, a guy who already walked out on us previously. A kid from Portugal whose own fans don’t rate highly and now linked to an ailing cart horse from united.

I know it’s not going to happen as we are stuck with Dyche for the foreseeable but I can dream.

Colin @52
Why would a manager walk out on a dysfunctional Wolves to come and join an arguably even more dysfunctional Everton? Are you really blaming Sean Dyche for the transfer policy? He has yet to see a penny piece spent by the club on incomings since his arrival. There's never been a period of Everton's history, at least in premier league times, where a newly appointed manager has had to wait so long, for his first real signing, if you discount loans and free agents, that have come since Dyche was appointed.

Colin, that's very harsh on Dyche. Don't think he's the one to blame for who we can and can't bring in. Why would Lopetegui get more backing? He didn't at Wolves - that's why he's leaving. He would have jumped ship even sooner here...

I also appear to be in a very small minority who think Maguire would have improved us. Not that we were ever going to get him. But I hope to God we keep Branthwaite because he looks ace.

Colin, are you sure about that? The only loan that Lopategui bought into Wolves in his time was Matheus Cunha, a decent player but with the ludicrously overpriced obligation to pay £45m.

I think we could do without loans like that.

I like Lopategui but Dyche did near miraculous work last season keeping us up without any strikers and deserves at least one more season. Once the stadium is built and our finances hopefully become more secure as a result then perhaps that might be the time to re-consider but for our current situation I couldn't think of many managers who fit the requirements better than Dyche.

It seems that Dyche has acquired a reputation that his teams only play dour, one dimensional football. The reason for that, of course, is that that has been his only option with the players he has had at his dispossal.

I don't think that it is necessarily his life guiding football philosophy and given a few tweaks in key areas of the team, we may be pleasantly surprised.

I'm pretty sure that the result at Brighton, away, last season wasn't achieved because the players ignored the coach's instrucitons and decidec to "unleash" themselves.

Given a fully fit squad to chose from and - as I said, a few tweaks in key areas, we might well see some pleasing football - and results, in the coming season.

I have my fingers crossed.

Can someone do a care check on Colin?

Dyche did near miraculous work keeping us up last season, is definitely the most factual thing I will read on ToffeeWeb today. I think we all sometimes look at what we haven’t got, but realism, pragmatism and professionalism, have been in very short supply at Everton, for a very long time now, imo, so I’m glad we have finally found a manager that seems to possess these very important attributes.

When you think back to our manager’s thoughts and mannerisms, after we escaped the drop against Bournemouth, then it’s clear to see how much his hands are tied, yet people still want more?

There is nothing wrong with wanting more, but there is definitely something wrong with expecting more, under the present circumstances, imo. We have been mismanaged to the hilt, and it’s left us in a very, very, very precarious position. Everton’s standing in the game has never been lower, otherwise we would never have got to a position where we have ended up with Sean Dyche as our manager.

At least our manager, had the wisdom to realise this, and also his lack of ego, which meant he didn’t mind saying this to everyone, is definitely something we can hopefully learn from this manager?

We can all breath easy… Maguire has gone to West Ham £30M?

Hugh@56, I agree after remembering the way Dyche’s Burnley, gave Carlo Ancelloti’s Everton, an absolute football lesson, about two and a half years ago at Goodison. They pulled us all over the pitch, and we couldn’t get near them.

If Ancelloti, had started his managerial career at Everton, and the lack of resources had us playing like we did for seven seasons, then I’m certain he would have been thrown in the same pigeon hole as the one that people have put Sean Dyche in?

Dyche has done a great job since he joined.

He steered a weak squad to safety, despite being seriously let down in the transfer market in January. He strikes me as being very calm, serious and practical.

The right man at the right time for the club.

Maguire and Moyes - they were always meant to be together.

I’m not blaming Dyche for the dire straits we are in but Lopategui took an almost doomed Wolves team and got them to mid-table respectability. Dyche took an almost doomed Everton team and scraped to survival on the last day of the season.

Starting a fresh, new season I know who I’d rather be leading us out. Saying that, I’m 100% behind Dyche in the hope that he can redo his Houdini act. But for how much longer can we keep doing this?

Tony, absolutely spot on. It's hard to read TW sometimes, with some expectations bordering on laughable, both ways, doom and gloom of certain relegation, or just a few players away from a good team.. Dyche is a no crap manager, get them fitter than they have ever been, don't take unnecessary risks with players, tighten it up and fight. That's about where we are. Those not as well organized as us will be below us without a doubt.
It's a dose of salts to many supporters who frankly should know better than to expect an influx of signings, we need to start well, every single point will be of immense value this season. I suspect we are still going to offload 2 or 3 players with a couple of loans coming in. If there are good enough offers for Onana, Braithwaite or Gray then I suspect they will go. Any income from the sales may not fund incoming players..
I think Dyche is doing the right thing, Thewell too, a couple of youngsters making it and wait for it, Dele.. I can see him coming in...
Going to be a long one...

West Ham potentially spending £100M on Maguire, Ward-Prowse and McTominay.

They are all decent players and am sure they will do ok this season but that feels very much like what Everton have done over the last 5 years or so.

I was just looking at transfermarket figures for Everton and West Ham. Unless I'm reading it wrong, since Moshiri took over, the two teams have had a very similar net spend. I know the narrative is that we have no money, despite selling two of our best assets in Gordon and Richarlison, and I know West Ham have a bigger capacity at their ground. But why aren't WHU in the same shit as us? We've been told that we make the most money outside the Top 6 from our commercial endeavours, so why are West Ham thriving and we're fucked?

It looks like they'll be spending all the Declan Rice money on incoming players this summer, but what about the years prior to that? They've marginally out-spent us post-Moshiri, so what are we doing wrong, or what are they doing right?

Answers on a postcard to "Where's the Arteta Money? PO Box 1878, Liverpool 4."

Sam @65,

I think it's more like what Moyes did when he was at Everton, all British lads, all very competitive and Ward-Prowe could be one heck of player for the Hammers if he settles in quickly.

Nobody knows whether they'll all make West Ham a better team but, in a different situation to ours, it would have been nice to see players like those arrive at Goodison.

Obviously if the Hammers have pushed the boat out with regards to wages, then that might eventually prove to be Everton-like.

Dyche did very well last season. He is, however, just a different version of Allardyce and to a lesser extent Benitez… both roundly vilified on this site.

Keep us up he might – and that will be some achievement in itself – but is he the manager to stir the soul?

Sam, also what Moyes tried to do when he took over Man Utd in 2013.

A complete lack of imagination has always been his weakness.

Apologies, further to my post @66, I had read the stats wrong. In fact, since Moshiri took over, West Ham have a net spend of around £150M more than us!

Silva, Lampard and Martinez - up and coming managers - tried that - ended in failure.

Allardyce, Benitez and Dyche, - proven to an extent - but usually myopic in how to set up a team - tried that - ended badly for two, jury still out on Dyche.

Koeman / Ancelotti - one a Golf loving, lazy, International big name - tried that - we shouldn't have done, the other a legendary manager with more honours than our squad has goals - tried it, liked some of it - ultimately it wasn't a match made in heaven.

What or who next?

Michael @66, if this is true then it can obviously only be on the wages that Everton must be paying?

What did Begovic allegedly say to Benitez during one coach journey? The players are on easy street because they get Champions League wages, without having either the pressure of having to qualify for the Champions League, or losing their place to a more hungry or better footballer.

Money can make you lazy, said the incoming Marcel Brands. I wonder how much his payoff was?

Steve Brown @ 61 ,

I wouldn't say Dyche has done a great job, we were pretty lucky to stay up in reality and he did pocket £3.5 million for it too!

We secured 17 points from 15 games, scored 17 goals and conceded 26 in those games. Okay, better than the hapless Lampard but that is still 1.133 recurring points per game.

If we repeat that performance this season, yes, we will be safe and should accrue 43 points. But it's hardly the stuff of greatness is it?

Barry, if I was a believer which I'm not, I'd say god is the only one who could sort this mess out.

John @68, my point entirely.

Tony, according to Spotrac, the two clubs have identical wage bills.

Meanwhile, after my recount, it appears West Ham Utd have a net transfer spend of €424M against our €246M since Moshiri landed.

Of course, the stats are all guesswork on behalf of the websites that compile them, but I must admit I'm a bit flummoxed.

Colin @74,

If God exists, I bet he/she doesn't know Everton exists, besides why would God come here?

There's only so much that a celestial being can do, miracles are easy, but sorting Everton out, better advised to ignore it and hope it goes away.

Ed - you have to put what Dyche did into context.

He took over a team that hadn't won in 11 games, losing 8 of those. He wasn't allowed to sign anyone and was deprived of his only striker for almost all his games. 10 of the 18 games were against the top 9 sides, including 7 against the top 6.

Despite all of this, he got the team over the line. He made us difficult to beat against the ‘rest' with our only lost against a team outside the top 6 being Fulham. He put a 7 game-unbeaten run together away from home.

He pretty much worked miracles with the hand he was dealt.

Are we really going into this season only Virginia and Lonergan as back ups to Pickford? Surely we will need an experienced back up just in case Jordan picks up a knock.

Michael #66 & 70,

I suspect that West Ham's turnover is significantly higher than ours and/or they've managed the 3-year accounting periods more skilfully than us.

I feel that this is going to look like a disparaging analogy to Sean Dyche. But I think he's a good manager; and the best we could hope for in the poor position we are in both in finance and our appeal to players.

Some of us are talking about who we would bring in, both footballers and Managers, as though we were able to do so.To me it looks highly improbable that we can pick and choose either.

It's like choosing from Harrods. When we've had to, and will have to, take our pick from TJ Hughes or Primark. We went for Dyche when all else failed. He's not soft, he know's that. Personally, from what position we wwere in, we couldn't have got better manager. I think we have to hope we can get some players in who will give him the chance to go through a long, hard season, without everyone of the first team staying fully fit.

He's got two decent players in and I think we can only trust him and Thelwell to make the best of whatever contacts they have and finances that come their way.

I think we should forget about who could do a better job than Sean Dyche. We sink or swim with this management team. And I'm glad he's our manager.

Tony #79.

I read we bid £35 million for him. Not a chance we can afford that. More crap rumours.

Paul, do you understand how transfer fees are paid?

If we bid £35M for a player, and the bid is accepted and he signs, we don't pay the whole £35M up front, it's spread out over the length of the player's contract.

So, if we sign a player on a 5-year contract, we pay £7M per annum. So in reality, we could afford £35M, unless the selling team demand the whole fee upfront.

A classic example of nonsense website fiction. The same 'news' website that claimed we 'offered' £30M for Maguire is now stating that 'Everton have 'failed in their bid for £30M star.'

They know what theyre doing. It's as if they're reading the ToffeeWeb comments page and laughing out loud whenever they put something out there.

Michael @66,

The reason West Ham Utd aren't in our predicament can be summed up in one word – Moshiri.

Ed @ 73,

If he earned £3.5 million, then it was money well spent and he earned it. Relegation would have been a financial disaster for this club.

The squad was fundamentally weak, but he still managed to guide us to safety without a striker or any incomings in the January window. That makes it a great job for me.

He will have to do even better this season, as he has seen 9 first team squad players leave and received 2 replacements so far. Chermiti is one for the future and won't trouble the first team squad much this season.

Fingers crossed he does get to 43 points given the hand he has to work with.

I think the reason we signed Onana from the French league is because of the way the deal would have been structured, Paul.

We got McNeil from Burnley but we couldn't sign Cornet for around the same price because we never had the money to pay upfront. I'm not saying we will sign this player but the only way we will pay big money is if the deal can be structured over the length of the player's contract.

I wonder how much it has cost Everton to pay off seven managers, two directors of football, and a whole host of people from the board, since Moshiri started trying to play Football Manager, with the help of William Kenwright, who was smugly declaring him as the man who just keeps on giving, Michael?

I can't wait for these two to get out of Everton and wouldn't be surprised if our net spend was in the bottom half because there doesn't seem to be much correct recording of most things nowadays.

Rob @83.

I do know how they work. But it still goes in this year's books as £35 million. Something we can't afford to do.

I can't understand the negativity towards Dyche. IMO, he is one of two reasons to have anything resembling optimism, the other being the magnificent new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Dyche did a superb job in keeping us up last season with both hands tied behind his back.

Rather than bid for Maguire, if we even did, why don't we get Iheanacho and Daka from Leicester? We don't need yet another slow centre-half on big wages!

Paul, it doesn’t get entered as £35M, it gets entered as £7M.

Paul @80,

Yes West Ham Utd have a turnover around £50M higher than ours to be fair.

On the other hand, the Saudi Barcodes have a similar turnover to ours, and yet have a net transfer spend close to double ours since Moshiri took us over. Their wage bill is currently slightly higher than ours too.

Of course, their turnover is about to be inflated by Champions League money and some incredibly dodgy shirt deals etc as they sportswash the Saudi cash.

Well if that's the case, how are we in a financial mess?

Paul @92,

Salaries! Salaries! Salaries! for players, managers and executives, not to mention the mega payouts in compensation, oh and the lack of fees received for expensive purchases when their contracts expired.

Paul,

We would have signed Bilal Toure if he chose us. Similar price and surely a staggered payment plan.

I don't think we will be signing players any other way currently. It's a way of booting the can down the road a few years to a place where finances improve…..in theory.

I don't understand the sentimentality behind people wanting Dyche gone. I certainly don't understand Colin's preference for Lopetegui, given he has walked from Wolves because he wasn't going to be backed in the market – he is hardly going to want to come here?

The other side of it was we are crying out for is some solid foundations to bloody build on. Martinez came in and added some attacking flair and Lukaku to the solid foundations built by Moyes over a long period. Gambling again and again on managers trying to get it right and getting rid the moment things look dicey is just no way to get us back up the table. It caught up with Watford eventually.

It feels very much to me like be careful what you wish for. I'd take a couple of seasons now of being safe with 6 or 8 games to go, get the stadium built, improve our scouting and academy products in that time and then start looking at how to work our way up the table. Patience for me is the prerequisite for being an Everton fan now; otherwise, our blood will be constantly boiling over.

Rob,

You are mixing up the way a player's value is depreciated in the accounts, which would be £7M per year as you say, and how he is paid for.

The clubs have to agree the payment terms which could be anything from £35M up front to the payments being spread over a period of time.

John # 97………that sounds pretty much how I explained it to Paul @ # 83, unless I’m mis-reading your post?

Yes, Rob, you are right. Whilst the £35M payment could be cash up front, the purchase would appear in the accounts as £7M cost every year for 5 years (if the contract was 5 years).

Chelsea have been handing out 8-year contracts to reduce the cost of each player annually in their accounts. Uefa have tried to combat this by saying it can only be a maximum of 5 years but Chelsea are still signing 8-year deals.

I don't think Uefa can enforce their 5-year maximum anyway because they are essentially trying to change international accounting laws without any authority.

I cannot understand the negativity towards Dyche. He took over a team in free fall, and the most unbalanced squad in the Premier League. He turned it around with his hands tied behind his back.

You can praise the Wolves manager in the position they finished, but they had a choice of 3 strikers. Dyche kept us in the Premier Leaague playing without a striker, and for the last 3 or 4 games without a recognised right-back and left-back.

I'd call him a miracle worker, and hopefully, with a few more incomings, Dyche can show what he's capable of with a better and balanced squad.

Dan, regarding the length of contract / repayment period…

I read recently that any repayment must be completed over a maximum of 5 years. A players contract can be as long as whatever the buying club want it to be.

As you say, the likes of Chelsea, when buying Mudryk and Enzo Fernandes, gave both players 8-year contracts, and therefore repayment was also 8 years, thus reducing the annual repayment. This was quickly stamped out by Uefa or Fifa, who said repayment must be completed within 5 years.

Christy #102,

You're spot on!

Christy, I don't think anyone doesn't recognise the ability Dyche to get the best out of shite resources. Some of us want a longer-term blueprint too though. Burnley look a much better team now than when he left, taking a gamble on a young progressive manager. Dyche was a massive part of why Burnley eventually went down.

I hope that this time next May you send me a “What did you say about Burnley?” message, but I suspect they'll be the latest (last year it was Villa, Brighton, Fulham and Brentford) “We can't expect to compete with them”. Dyche will be as much to blame as Kompany for that.

Rob #103

Don't think that's quite correct.

The period over which the transfer fee is paid is a matter solely for the clubs concerned. This is largely due to the fact that whatever timeframe is agreed it doesn't actually impact on P&S or FFP outcomes.

Additionally the period over which the transfer fee is paid is highly likely to be less than the length of any contract agreed between the player and his new club.

The length of the contract, however, normally determines how the cost of the new player is charged to the Profit & Loss account and thus impacts directly upon P&S and FFP outcomes. It was for this reason that the footballing authorities wanted to impose a standard timeframe over which the cost of new players would be written off.

Brendan # 106…

It's a bit like the offside rule, does anybody understand it??

Rob, the maximum period a player can be depreciated on a clubs books is now 5 years. This is as a result of Chelsea's spending last year where they were signing players on 8-year contracts.

This meant, for example, a £40M transfer would only show as £5M a year for 8 years. Now in such a situation, they would have to show £8M depreciation a year for 5 years even if the player was contracted for longer.

As I said previously, this does not mean you would pay the transfer fee over that period; you would negotiate the payment structure with the selling club.

This is why often you can buy a player “on the cheap” from a club struggling with cash flow, eg, not enough cash to pay players wages, if you pay a significant part of the fee up front to the selling club

John, that is only according to Uefa that a player's costs can be amortised over a maximum of 5 years. UK accounting rules say differently.

I'd imagine that Chelsea are continuing to offer 8 years because, if Uefa try to challenge them on it, they will take them to court and win. Uefa are trying to have different accounting principles than the countries in which the football club companies are registered. The court will rule against them I would think because, otherwise, clubs will have to produce two sets of accounts with the different accounting principles.

I may be proved wrong of course but if Chelsea were going to abide by this then they'd have no reason to continue with their 8-year contracts.

This is pretty much what I said…

Uefa changes rules on long-term contracts with transfer fee spread across a maximum of five years

Bournemouth buying Max Aarons for £7M. Not that I think he's a superstar or anything but I still wonder how we spent over £30M on Patterson and Mykolenko.

Doing that business whilst we lacked a head of recruitment was an interesting decision.

Patterson may turn out okay but both players were vastly overpaid for.

Rob #111,

Indeed it is and I understand the confusion but the BBC report is only concerned with how the buying club reflects the cost of a new player in the financial statements.

The report doesn't deal with how the actual transfer fee is paid between any two clubs. As I said previously, the period over which the transfer fee is paid is a matter between the two clubs; for example, it can be paid in full up front.

Opposite sides of the same coin, perhaps, but different rules apply.

Dan #110,

Not sure a court would see it your way. I feel a court may take the view that clubs wishing to compete in European competitions should be required to comply with the financial rules laid down by the governing body of the competitions concerned.

I suspect Chelsea may feel the cost of producing two sets of accounts (which is unlikely to be substantial) is outweighed by the benefit of continuing to offer 8-year contracts given the impact on purely domestic P&S outcomes alone.

Sam,

I think you will find that both were bought for "undisclosed" fees but Patterson was widely reported at £12M plus add-ons taking it to circa £16M.

I still think Patterson will turn out to be good value although Aarons for £7M does look particularly attractive.

Sam (112),

Aarons is in the last year of his contract, so that explains the low fee. And, personally, as a defender he over-relies on his pace to get him out of problems, so at the very top level he is going to be exposed as attackers are generally as quick or even quicker than him.

And I think you must have made that point about us overpaying for Patterson and Mykolenko at least once a month for the last 18 months. I personally agree about Mykolenko, but not Patterson – who I think is developing quite nicely.

Sounds like Maguire is signing for West Ham for £30M.

Jay @115, maybe, it's always hard to get reliable info on transfer prices.

Andrew @116, didn't realise you were counting! Is it as many times as you've said Michael Keane isn't that bad? Ha!

If we paid £30M for Onana he's got to be £50M now?? We don't want to sell so unless it's £50M do one !!!

As for Maguire, he's better than what we have but for how long? He's not exactly a supreme athlete. We got Tarkowski for free. I don't think he's really so much better for the outlay.

McTominay would be different: I like him. But what does it say that Man Utd want Onana and want to off-load McTominay? We have the better player!!

On Saturday, I will be at the place that means so much to me and many others.

I will get served by the same people that served me as a youngster at my favourite Chippy that I go to religiously. I will probably go an take one in the Red Arkles for my Grandad (Evertonian).

I will be travelling many more miles than I did then, but it will still mean the same and feel the same.

And I will be watching the team I have supported since I can ever remember.

I'm personally getting into the place where I don't care who is on the pitch on Saturday.

If they are wearing a blue shirt, they are representing Everton Football Club. Just compete and perform with the desire we supporters show. That's all we ever ask.

I will sleep all the way home with a smile on my face hopefully.

Apologies, I'm getting in the zone. We are Everton playing Fulham at home. I am not putting the miles in to think we will lose. I never do.

Andrew Clare
29

Another dud signing to go with the long list of dud signings over recent years.
Do we have a scouting system?

There must be better younger undiscovered options out there. Other clubs find them.

Our board will never learn.

——————————

You mean like Branthwaite!???

Honestly. Classic ToffeeWeb. Believe a nonsense story and use it as a stick to beat the club you support with.

We were never signing maguire and we already have the ‘better undiscovered option’ that other clubs didn’t find.

Heard the West Ham deal is stalling (which could just be agent talk to get the deal moving) but is there a scenario where this is linked to the rumours about Onana and Man Utd.

Could be looking at McTominay and Maguire in a straight swap for Onana? If it's true, you've heard it here first; if it's not, then I didn't say anything!

Probably pie in the sky, but sell Onana to Man Utd for £60M, pay £30M for Maguire, which leaves plenty of money to negotiate with Leeds for Gnonto.

Probably never going to happen, but to me it would make good business sense, not that I want Onana to leave.

I wouldn’t give you tuppence for McTominay and Maguire, never mind trading a £60 million player for them. Both absolutely mediocre.

Anyway, Onana would go for more than that if he was sold.