Everton put €70m price tag on Onana

Is meeting with agents no longer tapping up?

Not in a transfer window, Rob.

Also, as long as a representative asks a club's permission to approach a player via their agent, then I believe, under the current regulations, all is well in Denmark!

£60 million for an arm waver. I'd take that.

I think £60M plus a few add-ons would be good business. Though I think it's possible we could sell him for more than that in a year or so.

Some people don't see it (though a lot of the top scouts clearly do) but this lad has a lot to his game. Defensively he's very solid, athletic, tough to get past and constantly winning the ball back but he's also getting better in possession now and is able to distribute it forward and to the wings quickly and effectively.

Obviously he's also pretty dominant in the air and should really have a few more goals to his name. All at only 22.

If we can get good money for him, and if it was possible, I'd sell him this month, we won't miss him as much as some might think, and perhaps we could use the funds to improve other areas of the team.

I really can't see what all the fuss is about for this lad, he's young, that's true and he has size, but he doesn't look like a 'great' in the making to me. He would probably do better in a side such as Arsenal, but he just doesn't seem to have the verve or intensity to take any game by the scruff of the neck.

If he stays until the summer, I hope we see a lot more of his abilities, because so far, I haven't seen much to get me off my seat with this lad.

Mr Abrahams Snr will be distraught.

Everton in talks with Man Utd to sign Tunisian midfielder Mijbri.

Let them talk – then don't sell unless there is some young talent they are willing to offload.

It's up to €80M next window.

If this is correct, I'm appalled. Will we ever learn how to conduct business? We set a fee before we know of any concrete interest?

£60M... take off the 20%, and the fact that we'll be beaten down to £55M and we make a few shekels on a truly promising young player, who, in fairness, has not exactly pulled a lit of trees up at Goodison.

But we know there has been interest in him so what we should do, surely, is keep schtum, keep our powder dry and when Barca, or the Gooners or Stenhouse bleeding Muir come knocking, we invite them to draw up a chair and see what they are prepared to cough up.

But what the feck do I know? I just wish I could play poker with the people who "handle" our business affairs…

He's not worth sixty quid, never mind £60 million.

Cue the ‘he's only young and still learning' comments.

An absolute expert in hiding, playing the laziest pass possible, and rolling around on his arse feigning injury.

Sell him.

Alan, agreed and it will unsettle squad, if this rumour is true.

Duck Soup!

UTFTs!

This is how it is after Mad Moshiri and the financial drag anchor of the new build — sell to survive.

Any pretensions of building a challenging outfit are fantasy; we are the epitome of "fur coat and no knickers" — anything of value needs selling, pronto.

Peter @ 6;

As will I.

Barry #12, alternatively this is exactly how a well run club can build a good squad without oligarch or Arab financing.

The RS certainly did okay after selling Suarez and Coutinho.

Thelwell and Dyche seem to have their heads screwed on – and so would hopefully use sale proceeds to improve the squad.

Peter (6),

You know me so well. I'll never be the same again if that dear boy leaves us!

We have to trust the club as they will be selling Onana at some point.

Having seen the likes of Garner and Onana come through the door recently, we can only hope if Onana does go then Thelwell and Co have a good list of gettable targets.

On the upside the players coming in may even make the squad better overall! Most of the transfer decisions been decent overall in last couple of years. If this continues, selling more oddly means improvement quickly as money is spent on more decent players to improve the squad.

Also, can't live off loans as these are not assets that go up in value. Plus players going out of contract in the summer due to the earlier transfer methods.

The transfer methods of the last 2 years are working well, and sell to buy better players is a way Brighton have done it.

Hopefully Thelwell can do some more good stuff with the money if Onana or anyone else goes in this window.

£60M? About £15M short that.

I guess those that think he's only worth £60 know better than Barca, Arsenal and the like. 🤣

Robert @14,

You're right to draw comparisons to the RS and not, say, Brighton, Brentford or whatever flavour of the month is deemed "well run". Aspirations here run to being a challenging outfit not comfy non-entities.

If the Premier League is an elevator ride, Liverpool are always one floor below the top and can afford and attract equivalent or better when they sell. We're still in the car park arguing about who pays the £1.50 for half-an-hour of parking.

Getting to Liverpool levels of "well run" is unprecedented unless you class Man City and Chelsea as getting there by astute marketing etc. 😂

Looking at Villa, as long as the right recruitment decision-maker gets it right with an astute manager, things can go well really quickly, and can challenge Liverpool for the title.

In the meantime, if the club can stabalise in the chasing pack for the Champions League places, like Brighton, and be challenging for Europe, it's progress in the next year or two.

Keep Onana - sell in the summer if the right offer comes along. Too big a miss before then

Onana is a very average footballer: he always plays the easy, simple pass, never drives with the ball at his feet, hides for long periods, cannot shoot, average in the air, great tackler with those long legs, can't take a fucking simple free shot at goal from 12 yards without making it all about him and failing big time.

I'd take what we paid for him personally, so anything above is fine.

If we can flog him to Man Utd and get McTominay plus cash, we'd be far better off.

Barry, we're absolutely bigger than the flavour of the month clubs – and the likes of Brentford and Brighton will return to the lower leagues in the next 5 or 10 years. Maybe even sooner.

We, on the other hand, need to rebuild in order to knock the rich 6 (or 7 or 8) off their perch when the inevitable fall comes (as per Chelsea and Man Utd currently). In the meantime, I'll be pleased to see us competing properly for cup trophies and European honours.

That's absolutely within reach if we can sell and buy well – and if Dyche can do the things noted in the excellent fan article posted today.

We are short of decent players and it would be a mistake to sell one of our more promising players just to buy some cheap castoff from other clubs.

It's about time we stopped these rich clubs taking advantage of us and we are not going to improve by selling better players just to make a profit.

This is a short window and there is no need to make rash last-minute decisions… after all, we do consider ourselves a big club — don't we?

We wouldn’t get anywhere near that amount.

How many thought that we would get £45M for Anthony Gordon?

£60M+ for Onana looks about right at the moment.

Robert 24,

"within reach if we can sell and buy well"

Some claim Moyes and Kenwright did that (I don't) and we challenged for zip-all – we got to one FA Cup Final in over 10 years.

And let's say Dyche unearths some absolute crackers and we storm up the table (don't laugh – I'm trying to be positive). Inevitably, the pilfering monied contingent would be snaffling the best in 5 minutes flat and we're back to square one.

Ah!! But that money would go on new players – ha! Only if you like works of fiction…

We should not be selling any of our best players in January as we are in a relegation battle.

Onana is only going to get better in my opinion and we need him for at least the rest of this season. It will be a big mistake if we sell him in this window.

I notice the usual crass comment from the usual sources regarding one of our most promising players. But hey, let's sell him to another club and then watch him become world class.

Some of our so-called fans never cease to amaze me with their expert comments… ha, ha.

I'd like to see the state of the accounts, not just 3 years for P&S, before deciding if we should be selling our better players. I think Onana is one of them and, if rumours are to be believed, so too do several leading clubs and the Belgian national side.

He may play more simple passes and fewer defence-splitting stuff but that may partly be down to the system we play; he does always make himself available to take a pass which, before him and Garner, we looked reluctant to do.

There may come a time when he moves on – and I hope it's not in a Lukaku / Koeman manner – but by then, we have lined up a replacement and still show a profit – both on the pitch and in the accounts.

I don't like the "he's young and learning" jibe. He is young and learning. Simple fact. And he's having to do it in a club that has been in turmoil.

Were it not for the points deduction, we'd be comfortable. The circumstances are not down to the player or the team.

I hope we keep him. This boy may not yet have consistency, but he has passion and potential. He is going to be a very good player, but I guess that may not be with Everton.

I do respect what Danny and others say and post, but for the life of me, and I do try, trust me, and keep an eye on him. I'm with Dave A on this: I struggle to think of what difference he makes, of what is that special to even murmur a fee more than we coughed up?

I genuinely hope I'm proved wrong here, but nothing about Onana impresses me. If his silly Belgo value will float up then keep and sell in the summer to fund what we really need; best not to test this window's waters.

Credit where credit is due, after much dillying and dallying around the half-way line, Onana did eventually walk towards the Street End after that penalty, though not so far and deep as usual. That took guts.

For the silly money being bandied around, we can sell him and, so long as the sponds is reinvested in players – no guarantee with Moshiri – we can do better than Onana with astute buying and bring in a couple of others.

Very glad that some of the fans on here aren't in charge! Selling Onana for 60 quid or what we bought him for!

I said a while ago that I think Branthwaite and Onana will fetch around £150M for us and I hold to that. Sad to sell our most promising players but a necessity given the stadium and financial hole that we are in.

Plenty of well run clubs around Europe manage to prosper by selling players for big profit and then reinvesting into well scouted players. That will no doubt be the model that 777 Partners or any new investors will adopt whether we like it or not.

As for Onana, I expect we'll keep him till next summer unless we get a massive offer in January. Hopefully he continues to improve till then.

My Man of the Match at Selhurst Park on Thursday.

I know it's one match, but he demonstrated what he can do.

If we don't keep him, he'll go on to be great for someone else.

Thanks to the disproportionate point reduction, we are still in a precarious position. Injuries to one or two key players has to be mitigated against. In light of this ,we are in no place to be weakening the squad or blooding new players in to the team, or league.

For this window, sell Godfrey or Keane and get a couple of loans. Just do business that keeps the essentials of what we have got that has us in an effective 12th place.

The release of a player who does not play and the addition of two loanees makes the most sense to me for stability and squad strength. Onana can wait and move in the summer.

I like Onana, and think it's much better to sell in summer.

However, I think the recent duo dealing with transfers would be savvy enough to have a plan to improve the squad.

Unless a club is in a relatively successful period, like Real Madrid, it's hard to retain players if one of these clubs come knocking with the money. You might lose a Gravesen but gain an Arteta or a Cahill.

While I think an offer of €70M is to good an offer to turn down, and I doubt we would get more than £60M, the problem is timing.

If Senegal get knocked out of the Afcon fairly quickly and we get Gana back then we could sell Onana. But we are that light in midfield if we sell Onana, and if Garner was to get injured, we would be in big trouble.

So, given the circumstances, I don't think we can sell anybody and don't see anything other than a loanee coming in. I do agree with Danny: Onana was Man of the Match against Palace, but that hasn't happened enough for me to want me to keep him long-term.

I don't think we will sell Onana in January but, if we did, then I would expect us to have some midfield cover ready to come straight in (Mejbri, Brownhill, Wieffer etc).

We are better with him in the team than without him. All this "snatch their hands off" stuff is short-sighted sighted especially in January.

The big picture is to get to safety asap and plan for the summer. We can't sell any of the starting 11 in January.

We have been a selling club for over 30 years and that won't change anytime soon.

Barca haven't got the £60M so this is just paper talk.

We will be selling Onana, Branthwaite or maybe Pickford to bring revenue in. I do trust Thelwell and Dyche to spend it wisely and not on 4 Number 10s for £100M.

If he goes, then a replacement needs to come in straight away.
Maybe 2 or 3 players.

Not the incoming money for him stuffed down the couch and never seen again.

If we accept an offer for Onana in January, all we need to do is:

a) Get approval from the current and future owners to reinvest the money;

b) Get a reasonable offer accepted by a club and player who would at least match his quality;

c) Assimilate the player into a tighty-knit squad;

d) Get him playing to a level that justifies his selection in a tough league.

All while we are bottom 5 with very limited midfield cover. Thank goodness Thelwell and Dyche are not that daft!

Tall, skillful midfielders are a rarity and I am inclined to believe that he is becoming much more of an asset.
He along with Doucouré could become a real force in the Premier League.

Our midfielders overall are coming together better.

All this inuendo in the transfer window is just a distraction that Everton don't need in the wake of everything that is going on.

We need to offload some dross but Onana isn't one of them.

Anika @ 30.

I've been watching the blues since 1954. Seen some of the finest midfielders in the country. Gabriel, Kay, Kendall, Ball, Reid, Bracewell to name but a few. So I reckon I can spot a good ‘un when I see one.

Onana isn't in the Top 30 or 40. Not as good as Brian Harris.

Wonder how much those players would cost in today's market, Les?

I quite like Onana and think he can, and probably will, become a very decent footballer, but if he's worth £60/70M, Alan Ball would have been quite literally priceless today.

Les 45,

Do you think those midfielders you mention since1954 are good enough for the current Premier League?

The game has changed so much even in my time in watching it. I don't believe Reid or Bracewell would make it in a decent Premier League team these days.

I think anything around £60 million plus and you'd have to consider taking it.

You have to ask certain questions and then find the answers.

Is he a goal-scoring midfielder? No.

Is he a creative midfielder? No.

Is he a player that has enough of a consistent impact on the game? No.

I think that probably gives you a conclusive answer on whether you'd take a £60 million offer or not.

I still think the money we got for Gordon was quite good, albeit he's a decent winger and we lack pace since he's left I grant that much.

Ron (48),

I think Kay, Kendall and Ball would make it any era of football and so would Peter Reid his football brain would match any of today's players and his tackling and passing would ensure that he would fit in with most of the teams of this era.

Dave,

I fully agree. I reckon Ball, Harvey, Kendall and Tony Kay would adapt and thrive today. Young and Vernon too

Mind you, I reckon Roy wouldn't take any shite and probably be sent off half a dozen times. Class is class, regardless of times and era. These guys would fit in regardless of era.

John and Dave,

It would also be good to Law, Charlton, Best, Bell, Greaves, Lorimer and many others including Reid and Souness (yes I know), but unfortunately we can't.

Trevor Steven would be worth a fortune.

Now you've started me.

Kevin Sheedy would be priceless.

I'm hearing Barcelona came in at £65M but Farhad has managed to beat them down to £50M in instalments.

If it's true that the Club has "put a price on him", then they must be looking to sell.

Eric (55),

I think it is mostly paper talk that Everton have put a price on him – same as it is mostly paper talk about clubs showing an interest in him.

When a club actually puts a bid in for him, we can take notice.

Rob @ 47. Yes.

We are £40 million light on his fee!!! Brighton and Hammers sold players in similar positions and age group for in excess of £100mill.

It seems we are still a soft touch when selling our players

It's not a jibe to say he's young and learning, Danny. Young he may be… but learning – I'm not so sure.

As for him having passion, yeah he's great when he's trying to get the crowd going after someone else has won a corner but otherwise, the most passionate thing he does is vigorously rub his shin pad while he rolls around the ground ‘injured.'

Players develop differently and at different stages, Jay.

That lad has talent. We may not see it right now. I doubt we will do in future, because another club's supporters will probably do.

Gueye is away for weeks so, if we sell Onana, we'll leave ourselves very short in midfield, considering we're still in a relegation battle.

Wait until the summer and decide then, and he'll probably be worth a bigger price. Personally I'd keep him; at 22, he's only going to get better.

After years of not having central midfielders suitable for playing 2 in the middle, we finally have 2 players who can play as a midfield 2, they are young, complement each other well and are only going to get better the more they play together.

And yet we want to sell him for an amount that would get us 2 average players in today's market. We might as well change his name to John.

I read today that Branthwaite is a target for Real next summer.

Probably just a wild rumour but we need to put a price tag of £15 million on him right now. That'll give those paupers in Madrid time to ready a bid of £12 million. That's how you do business!

This kid is definitely one for the future and I'm sure Man Utd would not let him come just to sit on the bench.

I'm starting to think Onana may well go this window but we must get top dollar for him – £60M minimum with add ons, to give us at least a chance of £70M in total. Branthwaite has to stay – no ifs, buts or maybes on that one.

If Onana does go, it will be very interesting who we bring in. Paper talk around Harrison Reed at Fulham and Josh Brownhill at Burnley. Reed's contract is up in 2027 so I reckon we can forget that one.

However, Brownhill's contract is up in the summer. Maybe a low cost deal can be struck now, otherwise he will walk away for nothing in July. He's been Burnley's captain this season, so Kompany must think highly of him. We need as many leaders in the team as we can get, so he may be a smart move.

We can't afford to sell Onana until the summer, things are still far too tight at the bottom.

Getting Hannibal in for a loan with an option to buy would allow us to see if he could replace Gueye, whose contract is up in the summer.

Another interesting option could be Isaac Price. He is now at Standard Liege, one of the clubs already in the 777 stable, so presumably, we would be well placed to bring him back if his season in Belgium develops positively…

I see that Branthwaite has already had a mention here. To me, he has the potential to be our answer to Beckenbaur – he has time on the ball, he reads the game well and his passing is excellent.

Down side? I'm sure they'll get a mention at some stage…

Robert (77),

Everyone knows Branthwaite's downside: he, unfortunately, will leave us. I hope we keep him but it won't be for long enough.

Mike (74),

I don't drive and I can't ask Tony to see Onana off because he likes him. I knew I brought that lad up wrong!

Robert #77,

The only downside I've seen with Jarrad is direction on his headers. He wins the ball in the air but has no idea where it's going, so his headed clearances tend to fall to the wrong guys. Mina and Stones had the same problem.

But I don't think Real Madrid will be much discouraged by that small flaw. Carlo, your £100m check is good. Just wait another year, would you?

Hey Dave - I can drive - where do I pick up “the passenger”?

Hannibal on the bench for Man Utd tonight. McTominay in the starting XI.

Mike, that’s an issue I’ve seen for several years now with our defensive headers. They always seem to go to the opposition rather than our own or even safety.
I don’t see that nearly as much with other teams.

Mark (8),

Not sure Mark but I think he lives in Manchester so he could walk to the club himself if United or City are really interested!

FFP rules mean Arsenal can just keep on spending eye-watering amounts of money!

The Premier League is rotten to the core. If it wasn't for me loving Everton, I wouldn't bother with watching football at the top level anymore.

But we all do — that's how they get you! No choice but to accept it's all turned to rat shit.

Nick @ 77,

I think that Arsenal's revenues mean that they can spend a whole lot more than clubs such as ours.

I read today, that they do have concerns about splurging in January's window, due to PSR considerations, so they might have to sell somebody before they purchase a player such as Onana.

Onana is still promise yet to be fulfilled – certainly needs to learn how to take penalties!!!!!

With both so-called big (meaning money) clubs Arsenal and Man Utd interested, we have an auction to the highest bidder. All about getting the right price at the right time for Everton.

We need to conduct transfer business a lot more ruthlessly – as the Spurs way.

Rob Dolby @ 47; Tony Kay was as good, if not better, than Kante at his peak.

Class players; Collins, Vernon, Young, Ball, Kendall, Harvey, Reid, Bracewell, Sheedy, will always get a game.

Derek, I'm always intrigued by Tony Kay given what I heard about him.

Bracewell is often overlooked when we reflect. I wish Sheedy was fit for the next match!!!

We have the makings of a decent young team, just a paper thin squad.

Onana can be part of that and his recent statement suggests he is committed. By no means the finished article, he played very well against Palace. He just needs consistency.

I suspect however, we will cash in on him.

My main fear is that the hawks come circling for Branthwaite.

Annika Herbert (30), what she said.

How much of the transfer fee for Onana do you think Dyche and Thelwell would actually see? Considering we're in hock to just about everyone in the world.

A decent price for a sale is about £80M in today's market I'd guess. If that happened, I'd expect Dyche and Thelwell to see about £10M of that for a replacement. As we're in a relegation struggle, I don't see that as being a good way forward, I bet Sean Dyche doesn't either.

If Onana goes, it won't be for footballing reasons, it will be because Moshiri wants some money back, it's that simple. It's nothing to do with football or whether he's as good as Paul Bracewell in his prime. Who cares?

I've said it before, so glad it's Sean Dyche managing football matters at Everton and not some of the posters on here.

Wake up and smell the coffee.

Hey Dave, I'm (65) actually and agree with you! No need to be sarky!

See you in the Harlech Sunday for a straightener!!

I worry that there's probably something deeply and fundamentally wrong with me as a football fan — but I just don't get this fantasy:

Class players; Collins, Vernon, Young, Ball, Kendall, Harvey, Reid, Bracewell, Sheedy, will always get a game.

Err… no, they won't.

Hate to break it to you but they're all past it; some sadly 'passed'.

Mark (83), were you referring to me? Nothing sarky about my post I assure you.

Michael (84),

It's all about the argument would a player from a different era be as good in today's era.

I think most of them would be, possibly better than some of the over hyped modern players to be honest although there are many modern players who are truly outstanding.

Michael @84

I am sure you posted this with your tongue firmly in your cheek. As Dave says its some of of us older posters comparing players from our past to today's team, but you know that. Maybe the fans sing "If you know your history" as a nod to the great teams we have had in the past.

Like any sport, people always compare what would the stars of the past do against present day. Yes hypothetical and totally irrelevant but we all do it, obviously not you, Michael.

I don't get how some fans say players from the past wouldn't cope in today's football. Well the current stuff we watch is I'm sorry to say, total crap.

The Premier League isn't the best league in the world, nowhere near. And players like Ball, Kendall and Harvey would get into any Premier League team easily.

Paul,

I don't believe the Premier League is the best league in the world. It's a bit like one of its poster boy clubs, Newcastle on steroids. Self-proclaimed and clever marketing supported by it's Sky groupies.

I watch the Bundesliga. That's a good league.

On that note, respect to Der Kaiser (the Emperor), who sadly passed away. He may have had controversy, but you couldn't deny his ability as a footballer (sweeper / Libero) and manager. One of few that won the World Cup as player and manager. Born in Munich, played for Bayern and forever associated with them even though he apparently grew up supporting 1860.

Random thought for the day. As I speak a bit of German, why do we refer to them as Bayern Munich? In German, it should be Bayern Munchen. In English, Bavaria Munich. It's probably just my OCD.

One of the greats. Not many get boots named after them. Adidas Kaisers and Maradona Puma Kings. Which ones?

Players today are fitter, faster, sharper and physically stronger. They would not last 5 mins in a '70s or '80s side. They wouldn't be allowed to... most would be kicked off the park.

Conversely, put in today's game and they would struggle, no contact, no tackles, no decent referees.

The very game itself has changed. I remember Duncan Ferguson struggling because every challenge he made was pulled up, He became a casualty of change, he was on the very cusp of that change, yesterday's player in the modern game.

Context, brilliant players in a different class, but would they make it now? Very, very few I think, but God how they inspired us...

Danny #89. I agree.

I love watching the German league. It's probably the best in Europe at the moment.

You make an interesting point, Christine.

Notwithstanding how much I bemoaned how Duncan never really lived up to his potential, we didn't use him correctly.

I appreciate the supporters had to have something to latch onto but, as Joe Royle stated, he became the legend before he became the player.

As we are hypothetically talking, can you imagine Duncan with Trevor Steven and Kevin Sheedy? Dare I say Dwight McNeil.

Too often we pumped the ball up to him down the middle. It's what concerns me what we're doing to Calvert-Lewin right now. Not all the time, but quite a lot.

Dave, I was confused by the (8) in brackets in your reply to my post @ 72! The post at 8 was by Dale so l “assumed” you were referring to my age.

It was tongue in cheek mate -but you can bring that lad of yours for a straightener as well on Sunday if you like - I can sort both of you….

(BTW - a straightener IS a drink isn't it??)
UTFT!!!

Onana and Branthwaite moving to the glamour clubs sooner or later is one of the big obstacles for us to get on par with your Man City et al.

Less successful clubs' best players are cherry picked every season by the same clubs, its one of the factors that makes the Premier League a non-competition.

I'm sure this is common knowledge, its as clear as the nose on your face, wishing for a miracle each season is bordering on barmy.

It's inevitable that players get shifted if the right price comes along.

The important thing is how we reinvest that money in playing staff.

If we get the alleged £70M, we have more than doubled our money.

There are plenty of bargains to be had in the French, Belgium, Dutch and Danish leagues.

Mark (93)

Yes looked at that (8), don't know why I made that error I'm usually precise when I reply to a post.

No Mark, that doesn't mean you're a ‘no-mark' just making a reference to you by name, this is going to be a long bleedin' post Mark, that doesn't mean a postmark, just another reference to your name Murphy, not being insulting to you by calling you by your surname just getting Mark out of the way.

We're where we, well a straightener is an offer to fight and I will ready for that, by God you will be sorry for the day you laid eyes on me next Sunday, I don't like picking on kids Mark, no that's not ‘skidmarks Mark but kids Mark and you've asked for this, be sure to bring your blood group with you Mark the hospital will need it after I've finished with you.

See you on Sunday, erm Mark you might be wise to sell your ticket for the match you won't need it!

On a different note, let's pray Real Madrid don't get into Branthwaite's head as Ancelotti was in charge when he arrived.

He is the crown jewel in this current Everton squad, and he should only be sold for an Everton, club record fee, if there's an agreement between the clubs.

Dave, as the late great Michael Wacko Jacko once said, hopefully innocently and not at all dodgy, “I'm a lover, not a fighter”.

I'm still trying to decipher your post but I will gladly offer the pints of peace (see what I've done there?) on Sunday.

Regarding my blood group – here's a funny but actually true story about that. When I was at Cuthies secondary school, the nurse did our blood tests and my blood group matched neither my mum's nor my dad's. Luckily my dad wasn't the jealous type and shrugged it off, saying I must be the bloody messiah!

Just as well as years later I had another blood test and the first was incorrect – I have my fathers blood (and don't intend losing a drop). UTFT

If Lavia is worth £52M, Onana is worth £100M.

No, he's not been incredible here. But he's been surrounded by mostly ordinary players. Put him in a top team, and he'll be something special.

The way Everton fans knock their own players is fucking mental. The fact that big, big teams want this guy should tell you that he's going to be a big deal. Instead, a bunch of you are already talking about how "he's not all that".

Ridiculous. He's our best central midfielder (not that it's a crowded field), and if any suitors want him (and they will), we should expect big money.

I can't see any way we keep Branthwaite and Onana beyond this summer as things stand. What have we got to offer them, a shiny new stadium?

I know that is something we are all looking forward to but I don't think that would be high in their priority list. If we win the cup, or get the 10 points back, the possibility of a European competition may influence their thinking but I can't see how we can compete with other clubs who would probably double their wages and virtually guarantee European football.

What we have to do is maximise our negotiating position. Contractually, we are in a good position with both. Financially, I hope the austerity approach the club have taken over the last couple of years, and possibly the takeover, means this is the last year we are worried about the PSR numbers.

If, for once, we are no under pressure to sell, we should be able to maximise their value and reinvest a significant sum back into the team.

One other player we might have to make a decision on in the summer is Calvert-Lewin. I know he polarises quite a lot of opinion at the moment but, I believe, he only has 18 months left on his contract and I saw something the other day saying he has appointed new agents to either significantly improve his contractor get a move.

ps: Anyone know when his appeal will be heard? This must be impacting the planning for the weekend as Dyche doesn't know if he will be available or not.

Selling Brainthwaite this month would be suicidal.

We all know who'd take his place and that only increases the threat of relegation.

Mark (98), You're a bleedin' case, you, Mark!

I've just been down to Goodison Park to get my season ticket impregnated for the Crystal Palace replay and while I was there I called in The Harlech to explain our situation.

They said they didn't want any fighting outside the pub on Sunday but, luckily for me and you they have a boxing ring upstairs and so I booked that for 20 minutes before the game – gives me time to put you away and walk up to the match.

Now I've got to go back down and tell them, a white lie, you've pulled a muscle in your back and can't make it on Sunday and the fight is off.

Don't be surprised if you get some funny looks in The Harlech before the game. Meanwhile, I've phoned my trainer to cancel all my gym work until further notice.

Braithwaite will make the England squad for the Euro's this summer – not only is he fast and 6ft-6in tall, he's a left-sided centre-back, which England are totally lacking?

Why would you sell our most prized asset?

We're trying to stay in the Premie Leaague and hopefully moving to a state-of-the-art stadium next year, selling our best young players, Onana included, would be a disaster. Look at the bigger picture?

If we can sell Braithwaite, Brainthwaite, and Branthwaite, we'll have no problem with Profit and Loss this year.

We are in a no-win situation.

Other richer clubs know that at this stage Everton need money and young rising stars want big money and a bigger future.

Everton's league position doesn't look good and so it's essential that the talent we have is kept at least until the end of the season.

New investors may be in by then and perhaps, all being well, the club will progress out of the doldrums of the last few seasons.

Christy (103)

England are not totally lacking a quick, tall, left-sided centre-back; both Levi Colwill at Chelsea and Max Kilman at Wolves meet that brief, and Southgate has used Colwill before. Dan Burn is another one who nearly meets the brief but he's not exactly quick.

But I agree that Branthwaite has a great chance of making a late charge for the Euros 2024 squad. In fact, I'm confident a healthy bunch of his fellow England Under-21 graduates will be on the fringes of selection come the end of the season, with surely at least two or three making the grade from:

Jarad Branthwaite,
Cole Palmer,
Rico Lewis,
Tino Livramento,
Jarell Quansah,
Curtis Jones,
Harvey Elliott,
Morgan Gibbs-White,
Jacob Ramsey,
Carney Chukwuemeka,
Dominic Solanke,
Noni Madueke, and
Anthony Gordon.

As for the issue of selling Branthwaite, sadly the reality is that a lot of clubs are having to sell their academy graduates as it is the quickest and easiest way to guard against any potential FFP/PSR rule breaches.

Aston Villa sold Cameron Archer, Aaron Ramsey (younger brother of Jacob) and Jaden Philogene in the summer, and have just sold Finn Azaz.

There are strong rumours that Chelsea are looking to sell their current captain Conor Gallagher as well as Trevor Chalobah (after selling Mason Mount in the summer), precisely because those players represent the greatest profits for their books.

Branthwaite and Calvert-Lewin are those assets for us, and at a time when we are under huge financial strain, then refusing a good offer would make no sense fiscally. We are a business. We need to survive. Players come and go. Hopefully, if he is sold this month, then he'll be loaned back to us for the rest of the season.

Looks like Danjuma is going Lyon. Maybe McNeil won't be out that long after all.

Tom, we are not in a no-win situation. We hold all the cards. Unless Braithwaite asks for a transfer and we refuse, that means we will have an upset player in the squad. I don't believe he will as he signed a new contract and seems content where he is at the moment, learning from a defensive type manager, and other experienced central defensive players.

Everton's Premier League position is no fault with the players and manager, and have proved they are in a false position.
I agree that we should hold onto him, at the least until the end of the season, as the more he improves, the higher his transfer fee will increase. But these big-money clubs realize this and want to get him before his price gets higher.

The sooner this window closes, the better as I am pissed off with these alleged sports writers with their "I have heard it from reliable sources", or "Just in from ex-player" who Everton are buying or selling or more point reductions.

Most supporters will agree that we sold Rooney too cheap and to me, Branthwaite is, and will be, as good in his position on the field, as Rooney was in his.

As noted, he will leave in the future; keep him this season, improve his knowledge of his game expectations and experience, and increase his transfer fee to what we want, not what other clubs offer.

Well, you can dream, can't you.

If we can get anywhere near £60M for Onana, I think we should sell. Good business. I know we owe Lille some money for him and they get 20% of the sell-on fee (I think?) but that is why we should only sell for top dollar.

Arguably he flatters to deceive but there are many clubs interested in him and always were which means more informed people than us see something in him. He is raw and frustrating but ultimately, if we turn a good profit, this needs to be our plan for now.

I would be happy to let him go if we replaced him with someone cheaper who also has a high ceiling potential. Wharton and Hannibal are two examples of that.

To be honest. I know more about Hannibal after watching every video I could find of him whilst running in the gym yesterday. Energetic, good in tight spaces, can pick a pass, and seems able to create a yard of space around him. To me, he already looks a better player than Onana.

Brent (104),

If we could sell Braithwaite and Brainthwaite but keep Branthwaite, we would be doing better.

Andrew 106.

Sadly, what you say is true. Football, certainly for as long as I recall, has been about buying clubs and selling clubs. We nowadays are a selling club. That's just the way it is. I'd love to be able to build a team around Branthwaite, Onana, Calvert-Lewin and Pickford but we shalln't be able to.

I'll bet the supporters of Blackpool in the mid-sixties dreamt of a team built around Alan Ball, Emlyn Hughes, Tony Green and others. But they fell prey to buying clubs. Now… Who was it who signed Alan Ball?

Rob Jones (99), I completely agree.

So-called 'fans' who say that we should sell our better players but have absolutely no idea who to bring in to replace them! And no idea how much of the money will be reinvested into the team anyway! Then complain when we struggle. Unbelievable.

£80M for Onana would be about what he's worth, I think. But most of all, I wouldn't sell him now as we need him to help us to stay in the Premier League. That's quite an obvious fact that seems to elude some 'fans'.

I'd rather we didn't sell him at all, but if we could create a bidding war in the summer, and identify some decent replacements in the meantime, then that might be the way forward.

Obviously, most of the transfer fee will be put towards the day-to-day running of the club. So expecting us to actually benefit from his leaving in a footballing sense is pie in the sky. That's the grim reality of it.

Branthwaite will be next. We're skint, our most saleable assets will be gone soon. The best hope is we do it in a way that minimises the damage and achieves maximum value.

Many of those 'so-called fans' have helped their club to retain its Premier League status in the last couple of years, and if they are called upon to do the same this season, they will be there for the team.

There are players who will leave Everton, regardless of the opinions of us on here; there are players who are quite happy to stay at Goodison, whether the fans like them or not.

At no point, past or present, do fans make decisions – the owners and the board do that; we have to live with the consequences of their decisions, good or bad.

The saddest day for me as an Everton fan supporting this current team will be when Branthwaite leaves to join a 'bigger' club, so I'll try to enjoy him whilst he remains in an Everton jersey.

Onana, if he moves on, I'm not that bothered about, even if he goes on to be a living legend at another club. We bought him for the precise reason of making money out of him when it became time to sell him.

Have a look at the bigger picture, and many will realise that we won't be able to build a team capable of much more than survival, for the next few years. That's an inescapable fact, unless somebody at the club unearths some variation on the 'class of 92' that fell into Alex Ferguson's lap at Man Utd.

Dave #110,

"If we could sell Braithwaite and Brainthwaite but keep Branthwaite, we would be doing better."

The first two we'd make a tidy profit on. What did we pay for them?

Dave, I always get funny looks in the Harlech anyway - as soon as I ask for a pint o' Greenall's bitter and an 'otpot pie wi' piccalilly.

Calvert-Lewin is now available so hopefully that will curb your ire. Give my regards to your dad, Tony.
UTFT

Brent (114),

I was trying to elaborate on you pointing out the different spelling of the lad's name!

I know, Dave!

I was just carrying it on…

Kin'ell, Dave, your all over the place today…

Mark (115)

“Give my regards to your dad, Tony.”

One of us is heading for the Funny Farm, I hope to fuck it's not me, Tony is my son!

Dave #110

I keep writing 'Branthwaite', had to press on it twice this time, to make sure the spelling wasn't changed!

Barry (113),

Some of the things I read on here are at variance with the fans I know. For example, I don't know anyone who wants to see Onana leave. But on herse I see posts saying he can't go quick enough.

I don't think ToffeeWeb posts always reflect the views of the wider fanbase.

You wonder how long it will be before we sell Branthwaite. Any young player that is any good is just being hand-picked off the clubs that don't need to worry about FFP because, when they got the chance to develop and grow the club, there were no limits.

How can you build your revenue when held back? Onana is a good player and we need to hold on to him – we can't keep selling players like that and expect Dyche to keep us up.

Dave…..
Never mind.
See you Sunday!
All the best.

For clarity, I don't want to see anyone leave. We need all the talent we have to see us through this season.

But, I don't see enough from Onana to make me think we shouldn't cash in if the opportunity arises. He doesn't put his all on the line for the club and he does the necessary and no more to put in a “decent” performance. I've no doubt he is a big talent and will be even bigger but I don't see it with us.

I watched him closely in the Man City game and, when we were 2-0 down and needed a response, he was spurning opportunities to feed players in attacking positions, especially on the flanks, and taking the safe option of a sideways or backwards pass.

I got the impression he was nursing his stats and, whilst avoiding mistakes, wasn't looking for the breakthrough either. He had a “decent” game at Palace but still didn't make an impact.

We're a stepping stone, that's all. That penalty killed off any lingering doubt I had that he wasn't for us. I will, however, be absolutely gutted if we let Branthwaite go any time soon. He's superb and we should build the team around him.

I for one would sooner hang on to Onana until the end of the season. While he has not been ripping up trees, he has formed a good partnership with Garner and, as they are both young, that pair together can only get better. If Arsenal want him that badly as well, then I think, if he does go, we ask £80M and not £60M, especially as this transfer window generates higher returns.

Also please don't let Danjuma go. We need him and especially now as McNeil is injured. We just don't have any strength in depth to let anybody leave at the moment. We need to bring players in and the Tunisian boy from Man Utd would be a good loan move if we can get him.

Both Thelwell and Dyche have said that it'll be a very quiet January, and I believe them.

Selling either Onana or Branthwaite would make a big noise.

The way Onana has played for us and the valuations now circulating about him moving on makes me think that Tommy Jackson would these days have been worth £tens-of-millions.

As if!

I agree with some of what you say, Mark.

I know that Onana frustrates, but then so did the likes of Tom Davies.

I too wouldn't want to lose anyone.

This is the makings of a good young team with a few older wiser heads in it.

Some Everton fans are hilarious.

We sign Onana for £30-odd million; within a year, Barca, Arsenal and Chelsea are sniffing around for £60+ million.

And they'd be happy to see him sold because he's only an “arm waver” or not good enough. Amazing you guys are a better judge of players than the people who judge players for a living.

It's all down to opinions, Brian.

Along with friends, family and fellow supporters, we have different views. Mine is that he is young player with plenty of potential.

I hope that is with Everton, but I doubt it will be and he will go on to star for another club.

Onana won't leave in January unless it's 777, FFP and / or BMD related... we might even get a 6-month loan back. He probably won't leave in June either... even all the usual cash rich suspects have less cash and different priorities.

For instance, Arsenal are going to spend their cash on Toney or another forward.

He'll still be here in September after the next window shuts.

Also; how long has he got left on his contract? This can influence sales.

After refusing to believe John Stones would leave for Man City, I no longer hold any hope that an Everton player of any potential will stay with us if a rich club comes knocking.

Lukaku, Richarlison, Gordon, Iwobi (just kidding) etc… have all left for greener pastures. Branthwaite will also leave us in the near future. It is what it is. We can't offer them anything in football terms.

All we can do is improve our scouting system and hope to uncover a few more hidden gems.

I don't think either Onana or Branthwaite will leave in January but, in the summer….

I think he's a very good player, Brian. I've no doubt of his skills or potential. I just don't see the heart when he plays for us.

He's playing within himself as, in my humble opinion, he doesn't really want to be here.

By the way - my son told me last night there are rumours we're negotiating with Man Utd for a cash-plus-player deal with Scott McTominay coming in for Onana.

Scott McTominay has 5 goals in 17 this season whilst Onana has 1 in 16. Personally, I'd take that deal. How much cash do we have to add in though????

Mark (123),

Yes, all the best to you too, not sure about Sunday though, if can make it I'll be there.

I think Everton moving for McTominay in a swap for Onana is just rumours although it would suit me fine getting a player for today in place of a player who might turn out fine in the future. On his performances for Everton, he is well over hyped, imo, of course.

Dave - all joking aside it would be great to see you again.

I’m staying at the Adelphi (gulp) for the weekend and looking forward to it. Saturday is a pub crawl around the city with my brother and two of my sons then Sunday is match day. I’m meeting Danny o’boy at Lime Street then we’re heading to the Harlech. Apparantly Danny can calm the blood of even Chelsea supporters on the train back to London so I was hoping he could do a Kissinger job negotiating a peace between you and I.

Also it would be great to finally put a name on which of you to is which - who’s the daddy, so to speak, Dave or Tony… :)

Hope you can make it!

UTFT

Alan Mc (#111);

Who was it that signed Alan Ball?

Well, Revie thought it was Leeds.

Do we have any mobility stats for Onana? I'm kind of stuck on the fence about him at the moment.

However, I often think the ‘gangly lopers' get harsh judgement simply because their languid style makes it look like they are not really put the effort in.

I also think, especially in defensive mode, you can be doing plenty that is effective in making the opposition try something more risky without the ball ever coming near enough to you for you to make a challenge.

If there are weak links somewhere, then your good play can be entirely fruitless and unappreciated by a crowd who are usually ball-watching. I'm not saying his critics are necessarily wrong, but I hope they are being thorough in their analysis.

McTominay reminds me of David Platt. To me, anyway, he is generally very ordinary but has a knack for the attention-grabbing goal which makes him seem better.

McTominay is playing in a better team surrounded by better players.

Reading between the lines, if we sell, I don't see anyone coming in.

I'd keep what we've got, win the appeal and reset in the summer.

We've got enough to pull away.

Onana will be someone else's gain.

There might be some legs in the rumours of a player plus cash deal. This might be something Everton consider as we have to pay Lille 20% of any sell-on fee.

I quite like McTominay but would rather see Wharton or Hannibal.

I wouldn't get too hung up about selling. All clubs sell players. Bayern might sell Kimmich to PSG and sold Lewandowski to Barca. The RS have sold Suarez and Coutinho in recent years. In their heyday, Utd sold the likes of Ince, Kanchelskis, Stam, Beckham, Nistelrooy, Tevez and Ronaldo.

It happens, you move on and reinvest the proceeds back into the squad (adopting the mantra of "do not be staggeringly incompetent like we were after selling Stones and Lukaku").

Mark (136),

Yes it would be nice to see you again, no need for Danny, it was all banter between us.

Staying at the Adelphi Mark, once upon a time I would have envied you, Mr Churchill used to stay there, now it looks tired and weary.

Me and my mates used to finish off there on a Monday night, get a bit of a late finish with all the customers who came by coach for a five-night stay, they loved it and most came a couple of times a year even though they realised it had seen much better days.

I hope you enjoy your weekend in Liverpool and finish with a big smile on your face after an Everton win.

By the way, I'm Dave the dad and Tony the lad!

Danny,

Without our 10-point deduction, we would be within touching distance (5 points) of that “better” team.

Although I do agree with you to some extent, they aren't the Man Utd they were!

If McNeil does not have a long-term injury and we sell Onana, I would try and bring in the boy from Manchester United on a loan til the end of the season.

We need to hold our nerve, no more knee-jerk transfer decisions going forward.

Onana played well against Palace but he has not been our star turn during the first half of the season and life will go on with or without him.

Has there been any update on the McNeil and Doucoure injury situations?

The diversity of opinion on here is mindblowing from sell him for 60 quid (I know it was tongue in cheek but the principle is still there) to build a top class team around him.

I can understand some of the reservations because he gives the impression of strolling around the pitch but if you watch his game and look at his stats he is consistently among the top central midfield players in the league and wanted by some of the top clubs in the world. Comparisons with former greats is irrelevant because the game has changed so much and it's horses for courses.

I believe we should not sell any of the squad and get behind Dyche and Thelwell in taking us back to the top where I'm sure he would be worth the £100M that Arsenal paid for Rice.

McTominay plays in the Doucoure role. He's not a replacement for Onana, and wouldn't be able to replicate what a top level Onana brings.

He's also older, and doesn't have Onana's potential.

If we really do have any aspiration as a club, we shouldn't be trading what could be our future for a player that ten Hag thinks isn't good enough for his club.

It's precisely that kind of in-the-moment, present-day focused transfer dealing that landed us in the position we're in.

We may well have to sell. After all, every player has a price. But we should do so after the Euros, when his value peaks, and not because Manchester United see a chance to mug us off with an unwanted player and a mediocre transfer fee.

I'd be surprised to see McTominay join as part of any deal. Whilst he's a good player, he must be valued at around £35M – which is a very high price for us.

I don't think we'll be looking to spend more than about £15M on any given player unless it's an exceptional talent with a view to resale.

McTominay would be great on a free. But tying up capital in a player like that just robs us of future transfer funds.

“By the way, I'm Dave the dad and Tony the lad!”

Well thank fuck for that – I thought there was some weird Tom Jones thing going on – you know where the son looks older than his dad??

My wife stayed with me at the Adelphi about 10 years ago for a family wedding. She likened it to the hotel in The Shining. But it's a bed and it's central and cheap so it'll do!
UTFT

Mark, you are about as American as I am Russian!

On the Adelphi, it's cheap and close to Lime Street for an early start after a night match. I always comment that it feels like what I imagine the 1920s would have been like. I like your The Shining reference. With his fake nervous smile, Klopp could be the Adelphi's Jack Nicholson.

Robert, I checked in with a mate on McTominay. My friend is a lifelong Manchester United supporter and season ticket holder. He was a very good footballer until he snapped his Achilles in a warm-up! Him and his mates looked after me at Old Trafford last season and took me to what I can only describe as their versions of the Brick and Winslow! The single Evertonian in the room but some of the George Best memorabilia was fascinating.

His view, obviously from a Manchester United perspective is that he is "okay" and a squad player. He said he would keep him but not have him in the starting 11.

A bit of a Phil Neville? Even parallels with Tom Davies?

Danny, I expect McTominay would do very well for us – but that's the case with loads of players his age who would cost about £35m. Unfortunately, we can't afford to buy any of them.

More realistic rumours tend to be of players like Tom Fellows of West Brom – a 20-year-old right winger with a contract set to expire in June. Or Alex Robertson, the Man City academy midfielder having a good season on loan at Portsmouth.

We're selling to survive and rebuild the club.

I try not to speculate in silly season, Robert, but certain rumours (I hate them) would see Onana going one way and McTominay the other which could offset the cost.

I like Onana and, once he matures and finds consistency, he will be a very good player, especially surrounded by a better team.

But the thought of McTominay alongside James Garner does intrigue me.

Danny, fully agree, and I'd also like this to happen. We haven't got enough quality in midfield waiting for players to develop unfortunately.

The point is more that we might only be able to reinvest about £35M of the Onana sale proceeds. Unfortunately we'll need to buy about half a dozen or so players with that money – so spending so much on McTominay is a non-starter for financial reasons.

Also, because we won't be able to sell McTominay for profit, we rob ourselves of future transfer kitty too.

Good footballer, but would only happen if he were free.

Danny, could you honestly see McTominay coming here, even if we wanted him, on a wage we can either afford or justify offering?

This summer sees the end of Gomes's and Alli's (alleged) £120k-a-week deals. The last thing we need is to start another cycle of those wages.

I don't know the answer to that Rob.

I don't think any of us do. It's why I mostly try to stay out of these conversations.

It's all speculation and rumour.

I didn't for one minute envisage Kanchelskis switching to Everton, but he did. Players don't often.

Kevin Thelwell and the Manager will decide who we buy and / or sell with the owner and I imagine potential future investors will sanction or not.

I'm just saying I'd be intrigued to see a midfield of him and Garner. Would it happen? I don't know. We do have recent history of an exchange of players with Manchester United.

Anyway, we'll see. It's all media talk fuelling the Sky Sports transfer window countdown circus.

Mark (150),

Flattery will get you everywhere!

Danny@151,

Talking of Tom Davies, how's he doin' at the minute. Haven't heard a mention of him.

Apparantly, he has a pretty bad injury, Andy.

Danny, it's not really speculation now. We simply won't be buying anyone who we can't resell for profit other than for free or small sums. Thelwell has said as much and it's how 777 operate at Genoa.

That means this summer we may get someone like Josh Brownhill, Josh DaSilva or Will Hughes – but we won't get McTominay.

Correct, Mark. Apparently out for months. He might make it back for the end of the season, but by the time he regains fitness, it will be a challenge.

The thing is, Robert, we just don't know, so it's always speculation.

We could sell Branthwaite and Onana for god knows how many millions (I'm no expert in player valuations), then reinvest some of that or do part exchange deals.

I'll mostly ignore it until the window is finished as I don't have a crystal ball.

I think the only reason Onana is in the headlines is cos we've put him there. His form hasn't been that good that other teams would be thinking “We've got to move for him now or someone else will get him”.

And if that's the case I reckon we'll end up selling for about £50M, right at the end of the window… when we get lowballed… again.

Robert (155),

If you think we'll be reinvesting a significant chunk of any Onana transfer fee, then my hunch is that you are about to be severely disappointed. We are in financial free-fall. We allegedly need to find £100 million just to plug our financial shortfall until the end of the season.

If Onana leaves, then any new arrivals will either be on loan, be free agents or will be signing for a nominal fee. Total transfer fee spend will likely be in the seven digits or very very low eight digits. We need to "bank" money.

Danny (163),

I think part-exchange deals are only attractive in the current climate if they make accounting sense, and my guess is that they very rarely do.

I'm no expert in this area, but I suspect that Man Utd want to sell McTominay as he is a homegrown player, so any transfer fee they get for him is going to go into their accounts are pure profit.

It might be appealing for Man Utd to offer a swap deal, but we need money more than we need players right now. I reckon we want to offload Onana to the highest cash bidder (and that might even be 'need' more than 'want').

Andrew, I completely agree.

I was more trying to explain why the prospect of us signing a £35M player like McTominay is out of the question even if we do sell our crown jewels. Our net spend for the foreseeable future will make grim reading.

I also agree with the other comment that exchange deals and swaps are generally a non-starter too. Whilst they sound attractive, they interfere with agent fees and wages packages etc.

Free, loan and very cheap is the order of the day.

Andy @159,

Re Tom Davies, he got to appear as a sub in 3 games for The Blades back in September. After which time he's been out with an 'unknown injury' (per TransferMarkt)… but I very much suspect he knows what it is.

In related news: Trees around Bramhall Lane are still intact.

Anyone considered that Pickford may just have been left out of the Palace game to prevent him being cup tied??

Nothing ever surprises me anymore with Everton's comings and goings.

Dwelling in the lower echelons of the Prem. doesn't help with prestige and keeping good players will always be a problem.

Of course everyone has their own opinions about who is good and who isn't but some players will play better with bigger clubs and earn bigger salaries.

It makes sense for any player to better his financial situation and for the club to make money from any deal regardless of what we the fans feel about it.

Many a good player has been let go by Everton and excelled elsewhere without any adequate replacement.

I believe Dyche can do something here with the right backing but new investment is the key.

That investment won't help with the current season but he has the nucleus of a strong squad to keep their heads above water.

I see the barcodes have exceeded the allowable losses over a three year period.

Andrew Keatley (168),

That's how I see it, and I get frustrated that some posters don't seem able to join up the dots yet between the severity of our financial situation and what that means for the current squad and transfer dealings.

This is why we should really be trying to hang on to everyone we currently have. Because their replacements will definitely not be any better. Okay, maybe Dele Alli is the exception to that rule.

The squad as it stands now will probably be the most talented Dyche will get to work with in his time at Everton. Unless a multi-billionaire pops out of the woodwork at the last minute and scuppers the 777 Partners deal, we will be selling our best assets to stay afloat for some time to come.

That means Onana, Branthwaite and Pickford could well be sold and we will be looking at free or very low-cost replacements. I'm unsure about what bit of that doesn't compute.

Everton FC is a business near bankruptcy.

Jimmy (177),

I think Rome is well and truly aflame already, and any fans who think we should stand proud and refuse to sell our best players have closed off all of their senses.

Everton Football Club is in danger of burning to the ground if we do not take drastic action soon, particularly if the 777 deal is delayed much longer – or doesn't go through.

It feels like we have a lot of our eggs in that basket. If the deal breaks down and any loans they've issued to us to help keep us afloat end up becoming further debt that Moshiri or any prospective other owner has to service, then I genuinely worry that we may not survive.

The next few years are going to be about survival, on and off the pitch. We need to find a way to pay down our debts or things are in danger of becoming unsalvageable. If we decide to sell Onana and Branthwaite this window for £125+ million (ideally with Branthwaite being loaned back to us until the end of the season) then I think there's a real chance that we'll manage to avoid relegation and avoid further penalties.

We need to find some sort of platform to give us the best chance of being a Premier League club for the next three seasons at least. I think selling our biggest assets will be part of that plan.

Andrew, yes, that is the worst-case scenario but difficult to argue with.

In some ways, we have been incredibly fortunate, in that we seem to have found from your calculations roughly another £125M that maybe wasn't there a few months ago, Testimony to the quite remarkable job that Sean Dyche has done this season, and it might just make all the difference.

Andrew (178)

I fear you are correct, but I hate the prospect of it.

Dyche has done well with the players he currently has at his disposal and Thelwell has demonstrated some shrewd moves in the transfer market - shrewd in comparison to what was happening previously anyway.

If/when we sell our best assets I see a big regression in our style of play on the field and that's depressing. But this is the mess Sean Dyche inherited. In fact, it's probably why he was hired.

Clearly the finances are a disaster. Hopefully the immediate short term is secured by way of a completed takeover fairly soon. I think that's our biggest issue.

If we're still able to pay the bills by June 2024, then we further help matters by losing a few higher earners on free contracts (Gomes, Alli and Gueye) and probably sell at least one of Branthwaite and Onana.

Even those who see a decent player in Onana recognise that he makes a patchy contribution. Branthwaite is very classy of course and more consistent. But then all clubs sell - it's no disaster.

So I don't agree with Jimmy # 177 that this current squad will be the most talented Everton squad that Dyche gets to work with - especially if Dyche hangs around for another 2 or 3 seasons (which he may well do at this rate).

Even if we have to get by on low cost acquisitions, loans and frees for a couple of seasons - there's no reason to be defeatist about the sort of the squad we can build.

Look at our own side for inspiration:

Branthwaite - tiny fee from lower league club
Tarkowski - free from a relegated club
Patterson - low cost from a weak league
McNeil - low cost from a relegated club
DCL - tiny fee from lower league club

Talented players need not cost the earth if sourced from low cost markets, young or on loan. Mejbri for example (who we seem very credibly linked with) is extremely talented. Whilst we may not get to keep a player like that, we can enjoy him while it lasts (a bit like Deulofeu).

We may need to muddle through for a season or two (or three) but if we use that time wisely to develop very low cost players then we could have assembled a good side for the early BMD years. Dyche is a good custodian for a period like that and Thelwell seems to have his head screwed on also.

Dyche is probably the very best we could hope for in this scenario. If we do have to sell Onana and Branthwaite to stay afloat, I'd trust him to build an adequate squad from low fees and Bosman transfers this summer. His tactics will keep us alive while we revive.

Bleak, but what other choice have we got to hope for? We MUST extract maximum value from Onana and Branthwaite. Giving them cheaply to the vultures will do nothing but accelerate the spiral.