Gnonto links strengthen again as winger pushes for Everton move

Why does it always take us so long to get any transfers done?

Season starts in two days and still no striker in place. Absolute joke…

We have always been poor at recruitment! But I think the current issue is purely down to money or been blunt a severe lack of it!

Watched Gnonto last Sunday against Cardiff on TV, and if ever there was an appearance to all and sundry “come and get me”, I don’t know what was.
I might be naive, but wow what an acquisition he will be!
Let’s hope we can sign him up, not just for this season, but the future 🤞🤞🤞

Neil it’s because we’re skins will have to structure deals in a way that Davies is not the selling club. Leeds will have waited to see if they get a better offer/better terms.

Kane to Munich has been going on for months. It’s not just us.

If we get Gnonto over the line tomorrow without too much faffing about things will look better. Dragging it out will only encourage other clubs like Villa to step in and we’ll end up having to pay what they are asking anyway, if we don’t lose him altogether.

Calvert-Lewin declared himself fit on Monday so that will buy us some time to get the striker in. So for me it’s still time to be patient and not to panic.

Ray agree , he’s one who we should pay the price , get it done .

Is anyone else thinking Dyche saying no Ekitike contact means it is likely we can get Gnonto? Seems odd that Romano stated Everton had concrete interest and now this. I get that concrete interest does not imply contact but barely. Myers is pacing expectations on the basis that we are negotiating with 49ers Enterprises. He is wary of them.

Really hope this one goes through. Would feel a lot more optimistic.

Beggars can't be choosers, however comparisons to another small winger we once had has me keeping me fingers crossed it will work out - if he does sign for us of course.
UTFT.

Hey Dale, didn’t Stephen Davies already say that on the Ekitike thread?

Yes, sorry bout that.

We all know these Everton transfer matters will come down to the wire and not necessarily the first few games.

We will see basically the same old names on the starting team sheet for Saturday's game plus maybe Danjuma and Young.

It's so important to get a settled formation as soon as possible so any new signings should be done in this first month.

After the tension wracked final game of last season I expect Everton to come out more relaxed and settle into a strategy that will be more competitive in many of the games that they weren't last season

If 12 mil is accurate it is a steal!

Tom that’s a really good point. We can’t throw the full amount at players so we will have to wait inevitably until the end of the window and that means a few games without new signings. However- we do seem to have a strategy and balance that will hopefully see us competitive in the first few games.

Looks like this one's definitely a goer. I'd say it will be done early next week. It's just sorting out the fee with leeds, clubs aren't a million miles away on that front either, personal terms not an issue, 5-year deal (all according to the bobble). Will be more than the £12 million though I'd say close to double that.

Busy couple weeks ahead I'd say.

Off topic, but I now fear/expect that Chelsea will come in for Onana and we will struggle to find a replacement in time.

Sean Dyche’s response to the journalist about players who maybe leaving was a classic.

“Sean Dyche on outgoings: “The ones I keep reading about, like Demarai, Mason, Andre Gomes, they are still here, they are absolutely part of the club… and if that changes, you will be the last to know.”

Fran @ 14; If the price is right, I'll drive him there myself - only if the price is right though.

Because potential is only just that. He's had a season to 'adjust' and I know he was in a struggling team then. But for me, he needs to visbly 'kick on' to justify the hype.

He's neither fish nor fowl, not even Kante or Pogba-lite. What's his position?...oh and by the way, I don't class being a 'big atheltic runny up and down galoot' as a position...even in modern day football.

Tony #15, as I understand it, Dyche is trying to find the phone numbers of a few ToffeeWeb posters so that he can notify them before anybody else of how potential signings are going at each stage.

There are some I wouldn't want by my side if I were trying to negotiate the price of a new house. "We want it now! Let's get this deal done! We're desperate to buy!"

Ha ha that's brilliant Tony, didn't see that comment from SD. I like our grizzled gaffer alot and I believe we will be closer to mid-table mediocrity this season under his stewardship.

Gnonto has alot of potential and personally, although still raw, would prefer him to Gray who has been patchy and has peaked with us I believe. Gnonto, Chermiti and Ekitikè are absolutely the types of players we should be looking to get in until we get our shit together and learn to purchase these gems at source.

On that note I see the Redshite are desperately going to pay £110M for the Brighton lad who they picked up dead cheap from SA. The game is gone, the money being spent is repugnant and the disparity between clubs in the top flight grows every season. Still, you can't help but admire Brighton though eh?

Looks like Etikikte isn't happening but Gnonto looking likely. That would be young, Gnonto, Danjuma and Chermiti for relative peanuts.

I still think we need a midfielder in case of injury but I doubt the funds would stretch past a loan.

Otherwise, I don't think we're looking too shabby and Thelwell is doing a good job on extremely challenging circumstances.

I'd still take Che Adams…

Don’t count your chickens with Gnonto.He may have said he wants to join Everton and be refusing to play,but Leeds have got to agree the move and they haven’t yet.They’ve also got the 49’ers organisation behind them and they know what they’re doing in the sports business, so it’s not a foregone conclusion.
I know it doesn’t make sense to hang onto a player who doesn’t want to be there,but if they agree to let him go I wouldn’t be surprised if they touted him round to get the highest bidder.
I’d still take Che Adams too Si!

Steve 18

Agree re admiring the way Brighton do business.
I’m now living in the south, and over the last 10 years have watched Brighton develop to where they are today.
It’s Tony Bloom who has resurrected them from the ashes.
The point of my post is the way they conduct business, loan deals with their younger players, a scouting network bringing in otherwise unknown quality players, and who’s in charge of that?
David Weir.
Would be great to bring him on board, especially with his knowledge of transfer dealings gained at Brighton!
Tony Bloom v BK, chalk and cheese.

Derek, would you really trust that if we got 'the right price', that the money would be reinvested?

I'm confident the board would come out and say 'we tried to sign a replacement, but unfortunately time was against us' after eventually selling Onana on the 28th. Then come January the money would be sat in the same account as the Arteta and Gordon money, never to be seen again.

and I wouldn't have been against selling him to reinvest. Seeing Sander Berge go for 15m makes me think if we could have got him, and maybe someone like McTominay for the sale cash, we'd have a pretty strong midfield that Dyche would get a lot from.

But if he goes, it will be late in the window and a replacement won't be made, or it will be a panic buy.

Also believe Onana can really kick on this season, and one good season would make his value soar to over 100m as the market currently stands.

Fran #14 - especially now that their other midfield target, Caicedo, has gone to the dark side for 111 million. Hopefully we will get another season from him, he starts to fulfil his potential and we sell for something north of 60m

If we can him for £12-15M as reports say. Wow a good bit of business. Those who say get all transfer business done before the start of season are just living in cloud cuckoo land.

Leeds flapping now that we've dug our heels in. They don't want an unhappy player they have to negotiate. Italian international for under £15M??? It's buttons in today's market.

This guy and two more please, Mr Thelwell!

Ray (21),

There was talk of David Weir coming back to Everton last year but he had second thoughts after talking it over with people at Brighton. Strangely enough, an Everton scout went from Everton to Brighton just afterwards.

This Gnonto looks like a live wire to me. If we can get this one over the line I will be chuffed.

£12M for a young quality player, please get this one over the line Blues!

I'm not convinced by the Leeds statement that they are going to let him go. We will have to pay up if we want him.

Dan #30.

"Not"?

According to Talksport, he's now refusing to play for Leeds!

The plot thickens.

It must be great to be in a profession that, as well as overpaying you relative to most other professions, you can also just refuse to work whenever you want and, it would seem, still be paid.

Leeds just issued a statement saying Gnonto is not for sale, and they will make no further comment, apart from reiterating, he is not for sale.

Gnonto refusing to play against Birmingham.

Are they playing hardball for the full £25M that they were demanding?

We need to walk away from this transfer.

Leeds have issued a statement saying they told him he wouldn't be sold, then he said he wouldn't play on Wednesday and now won't play tomorrow. They have 'started disciplinary proceedings'.

Operation Play Hardball and Get the Price Up has now commenced. This is going to be an interesting ride!

He's clearly coming to us at this point. New owners need to make a statement but he's refused to play and agreed terms with us. I can't see them letting him rot in the reserves it's just down to if we pay or not at this point.

I don't trust this lad and his agent. Give it a few years and he will be refusing too play for us.

They say that money is the root of all evil, and football is definitely awash with loads of money. The biggest surprise today seems to be that even the ultra-professional Liverpool can now be stitched up. They obviously didn't see that coming but it's getting that bad I didn't even find it that funny.

You could probably run 40 lower league clubs for a full season on the fee agreed for this one player. Football might have profit and sustainability rules, but the contradiction is that the game is now massively dictated to help the clubs who have the most money continue to keep pulling away from the rest. Maybe it's never been any different?

Sad to see a player down tools after signing a long contract, but this is the kind of signing we need to be making.

The top clubs don't care a jot who they trample on.

If this is true hopefully we don’t go near him. Imagine being that keen to play for Everton in the state they’re in.

Totally agree, Shaun, stay away from the snidey get. We don't want shits like him and where is out pride?

Nineteen years of age and refusing to play for a fantastic passionate club like Leeds United? You do wonder about who is advising this kid.

Like Ray #3, I watched that Leeds match last week and on the basis of that (admittedly small sample) would be very happy to have him at the right price. He was outstanding.

He's a kid with agents and advisors in his ear probably telling him he's better off in the Premier League, and they're probably right. It's not like he grew up loving Leeds, who among us in his shoes wouldn't prefer to be in the Premier League, making more money and getting more exposure?

We need attacking options after losing Calvert-Lewin for long periods and having to suffer what little Maupay brought to the table.

Yes, we are desperate when it comes to transfer fees but we may just get lucky sometimes and bring in a real bargain.

God knows we have brought in some short term flops over the recent seasons including managers so are we not due to have some luck at last.

We can and will always remain optimistic so let's see what Dyche can bring this season after dragging us up from our bootstraps last season.

That last game with that tremendous strike from Doucoure is still fresh in my memory and should serve as a precursor for what can come this season.

Having seen Man City walk all over Burnley, one wonders who will finish second again.

Apologies if this question has already been asked and I have missed it but was this the lad who appeared to be having a right go at Seamus at the final whistle after, 'that goal' against Leeds at Goodison last season?

Correct Andy.

Interesting to see the latest comments from Lukaku. Seems like he has burned his bridges everywhere else and is making a play for a return? Or am I hoping too much? I know he is a dick but he'd transform our attack.

So if we do add this lad, seems that would give us a squad of 30 first-team players — despite the long list of departures already — albeit with the likes of Billy Crellin added to the official First Team Squad. That still includes Gray and Gbamin who may yet both be off.

I guess there's enough of them who could be classed as Under-21s – Chermiti, Cannon, Dobbin – to bring the number down to 25 for registration with the Premier League.

Yes, some of them may not be the standard we crave, but as for this being a "threadbare squad" as we've told many times on here... I'm not sure there's really much room for any more players without there being some departures to compensate.

Dan@48

I must have missed this Dan, what’s he been saying? Any links?

Tony # 43, yes it is sad to see players down tools like this. Based on his earlier career choices though, he's seemed quite savvy. Left Inter Milan to get first team football at Zurich (where he helped win them the league for the first time in 30 years) as a 17 year old. Shows some ambition and balls. Same with joining Leeds last season.

Looks like Napoli and Juve are showing interest now, which is not very surprising. Unless there's a low cost sale clause / relegation sale clause in his contract, I can't imagine the fee would be as low as £12m (which would be an absolute bargain).

What might be working in our favour is that he seems to choose clubs on the basis that he'll be in the starting 11. He'll get that at Everton - but possibly not at the two Italian giants (or at least yet).

Christ, I’d carry Lukaku to Goodison Park myself if that’d bring him back.

All those great crosses with nobody on the end of them last season.

Lukaku will go to Spurs now that Kane has signed for Bayern

Having released the statement yesterday Leeds are adamant that Gnonto will not be sold in this window, we should look elsewhere as I cant see Leeds changing their mind. I think its good that clubs are now starting to take back control, for to long players have ben able to walk out on contracts. Pity we didnt put Iwobi on the list at the end of the season, seeing he wont sign a new contract, so come Jan he will be able to sign a pre contract agreement with any club not in the Premier league. So yet another player allowed to run down his contract, when will this club ever learn.

Ray, he has apparently told some Belgian newspaper that he felt he was at his best with Everton. I cant find anything on the Belgian newspaper website though so may well be twitter rubbish.

Talking of twitter rubbish, that footyinsider guessed reckons we are in for Beto of Udinese on loan.
someone has already updated his wickepedia to say he plays for Everton lol

Gnoto should put in a transfer request in. If he's refusing to play, and waived his right to a cut of the transfer fee - Leeds will want him out.

Beto would be an excellent signing!

Writer for Yorkshire Post says he thinks Leeds won't be flexible for how Everton have to buy, particularly as they don't want to sell.

When Gnoto joined Leeds, I thought he looked great -pacey, agressive, direct.
However, he prooved to be unreliable and not as dangerous as I thought.
Now we see that he is agitating to leave. Hardly the sort of character that I want in our ranks.
He plays best on the left and we already have Mc Neil and still have Gray (at the moment).
The market seems to have got out of control at the top end and now the likes of West Ham and Brighton are awash with cash. It will make it harder for us.

We'll have to sit tight and see where the cards fall. Right now Leeds will be holding out for the best price, while hunting for a replacement and hoping we find an alternative. And we're waiting for a deal at our price, while hunting alternatives.

A classic case study in how these transfers take 'a long time'.

Paul #60

I humbly disagree - I think we should move on

We need forward options and can’t afford to be caught out again. If signing Gnonto (who I like as a player but now have reservations about as a character: if he’s prepared to screw Leeds over then he’ll do the same to us), is proving too much of an obstacle then move on

We could have got Adama Traore in on a free or there’s other wide options out there (Sulemann at Soton as an example).

Yes Gnonto may be best of breed/highest potential ceiling BUT we NEED certainty and stability now rather than waiting games that we lose out on

Tony #5

"Calvert-Lewin declared himself fit on Monday so that will buy us some time to get the striker in."

Yeah, 90 minutes, if he lasts that long.

James #53, I read Lukaku is holding out for a move to Juventus.

Eric, rumours are the Juventus fans were protesting against his signing.

I reckon we could get him cheap from Chelsea, even if a season long loan it would be worth it. Trusting he can be fit obviously.

Not sure what you're disagreeing with, Ben. Your main point is similar to one of the options I stated.

We wait for them to cave in while looking for alternatives. We find a better alternative, we take it.

Times like these it's often about who's best at holding their nerve.

I'd love to know how much he really wants to join us.

Dan #64, I read Chelsea want £40 million for him. Might still be worth it?

Not sure Eric, unless we can recoup most of it from Saudi in a year or two?

Slightly worried to hear Man Utd approached us about Onana!!!!

God knows what shit they will palm off on us as part of the deal!

If we do lose Onana, could we not make another attempt to get Kudus from Ajax?

We couldn't find £40M for him previously, but £50-60M from Onana going could do it (on the mad assumption that Kudus would have any interest that is)… just a thought

Apparently they haven't made an offer.

I am concerned that this negotiating tactic with Gnonto is opening the door for Spurs and Palace.

Apparently we’ve now offered the “Asking Price” for Gnonto…… £25M, including add ons, and a sell on clause, all of which benefits Leeds. Will this saga soon be drawing to a conclusion? It seems pretty clear that Gnonto wants to join us, and with him being forced to train on his own, as well as refusing to play then surely it’s only a matter of time before he leaves, to us or anyone else.

Getting complicated. Palace sold Olise to Chelsea so now they are in for Gnonto and obviously cool on Gray. I think it is still Gnonto’s choice but London might matter for a guy like him.