Should Everton give Michael Keane a new contract?

But they will.

One decent season, this current one, in all the years he's been here imo.

To me he has more than met the standards I expected, particularly his physical courage through bad injuries and the big goals that won games.

I feel quite certain we will buy at least one backliner this summer whether Keane moves on or not, but I think he will. It's time.

There's no-one banging on the door in the reserves and Branthwaite is a bit of an injury risk. If anyone is starting to show their age this season, it's Tarkowski.

If we leave things as they are at center back, money can be directed where it's more needed.

We also have O'Brien standing by to come into the centre back position, I think he will prove a big asset for the future. Then you have the issue of Branthwaites fitness reliability, the club will have more idea than us on that score.

Loyal. Not often injury problem. Good defender that chips in a goal now and then. A true professional.

Not a difficult decision in my opinion.

If we sign another starter-quality centre-back to rotate with Jake and Jarrad, I doubt Keane will want to stay on as the #5 centre-back.

Keane's form this season should get him a longer contract and a bit more security somewhere else.

Spend our monies elsewhere.

Jarrad is injury prone

Tarks is getting older and slower and tending to get reckless inside the box.

Keane is also getting older and slow on the turn although this season has generally been very good.

However my biggest concern is with Jake having watched him play at right back, center half partnership and part of a 3 centre half line up. He may be able to defend with his back to the wall but offers nothing going forward. I would estimate that 90% of the time he is in possession he either passes infield to Tarks or back to Pickford. I rarely see him try to cross a ball or even try to find a midfielder.

Therefore until we know if Jarrad’s injury problems are behind him, I would keep Keane.

They have served the cause well, so treat them properly.

If he wants to stay, then I'd be happy with that. Over the years, he's had a few good seasons here, probably played better than most of us can remember or are willing to remember.

Apart from his goals which have usually been at useful times, we tend to focus on his mishaps... but we also have to be mindful that most of his career at Everton has been in a struggling team.

Whether that's O'Brien remains to be seen. I'd like a neater player, like Konsa. The Senesi and Stones rumours seem unlikely.

I can see the merits in keeping Keane, with potential European football, target the resources elsewhere or indeed the volume of injuries and suspensions weve had. He would be a sensible target for a promoted club.

I think he will remain. I can't see Moyes ditching a player he trusts, and wages won't be an issue.

We should be looking to replace Tarkowski with someone who complements Jarrad and Jake.

Buy better quality than what we have -- not cover.

He's been head and shoulders above Tarkowski this season and, unless Mr Brightside is moved on, O'Brien will continue to be first-choice right-back.

O'Brien and Branthwaite are the future assuming Jarrad is fully fit but, with money being needed, who knows what will happen?

We have two fullbacks who cannot get a game under Moyes so they may bring in money if they are put up for offers.

I doubt Grealish will be kept so that can save some big wages.

Garner has been great but I don't want to see him or Jake at fullback.

Hopefully the top guys are formulating some plans for next season.

But I'd be surprised if he isn't coveted by one of the promoted sides -- his presence on the field has steadily improved with age, so I expect a few managers are eying him up. It's very possible that they're willing to put him on higher wages in the hope of staying in the Premier League.

He has been head and shoulders above Tarkowski this season. I'm not wholly convinced by Jake O'Brien -- certainly with the ball at his feet.

The speculation about Stones is utter crap, he has only played a handful of games for Man City this season.

To enable that to happen, we need to resolve the right-back issue to stop O'Brien being used there and have a suitable 4th choice.

Fail to address either issue and we have to retain him.

English is my second language, you know.

Would they be happy with that though?

If we play a high line = thanks, we appreciate what you have given to the club.

No way in hell.

Why pay 'Man City' wages for either of them?.

1) Stones is a borderline permanent sick note in the Yerry Mina mold, quite good when he's fit-- and when he's fit prone to a mistake (aren't we all, but I don't get paid £250k per week)

2) Why pay Grealish 'Man City' wages for the dubious privilege of forcing out of position (or even out of the club!) our real best player, Ndaiye, who is allegedly 'only' on £45,000k per week?

We'd be much better off tying him down on a longer bigger contract.

If not, another 1-year contract is not a bad deal. The focus is still RB with Coleman retiring and Patterson has to go.

I'm surprised by the criticism and doubts of Jake O'Brien to take over in the centre-back position. We bought him to play there because he'd proven himself in France, and nearly everything he's done for us has been unexpectedly solid given he's been playing out of position nearly his entire time here. Give him a run of games in his actual position and he'll be excellent next to Jarrad.

The problem making all this work is signing a first-choice right-back — probably two for proper cover — which we've shown we're not very good at prioritizing.

Good back-up, and experience to play with the kids in the cup competitions. Plus he could come on late in games to score the winners.

I doubt he'd get that elsewhere so he'd be happy with one more year with us, if it was offered.

If I were him I'd probably take the extra million quid guaranteed. But who knows? So many factors we're not privy to, most notably what he actually wants.

Grealish has been a game-changer for us, and we need as many Grealish-level players as we can get.

This stodgy, 13th-in-the-league attack should not be letting any quality playmakers get away. Not Ndiaye, and not Grealish.

He's shown that he's good enough for the first team. Let him compete for a first team place, and let him keep his place if his form merits.

He's as good as any other Premier League centre-back. Yes, he's slow on the turn, but he has other qualities. By the way, few Premier League centre-backs are perfect!

Accept for the sake of argument the scenario Eric and Jonathan describe. Then accept my belief that if we get into Europe we must sign a quality center back.

Keane will then have a choice. He can take the pay cut and be our fifth option, playing Caribao Cup ties against Grimsby and sitting around waiting for first team injuries.

Or he can take maybe an even bigger pay cut and play 90 minutes every week in Glasgow or Nice or Florence or Utrecht... or San Jose, California, where the Britannia Arms Pub or the Duke of Edinburgh would load up a bus with all the local English expats wanting to see him.

No pro would choose to sit. He'll look for outside options and grab one.

No he's not Timothy.

MG - 41 - I simply cannot see Keane attracting a bus-load of ex-pats. A tandem bike perhaps, but not a bus.

Most will agree Keane isn't worth £80k a week. For much of the last decade id agree.

But his cost is £4m or perhaps a little less next season. And youd struggle to get a player in for that cash outlay covering wages and fee, when Keane is fit and can play regularly.

The alternative is other free transfers, or perhaps a loan signing thst will take out Tarkowski and Keane in the following year. How forward thinking...

I have seldom see Everton ever slash wages too much on renewals. Coleman wages have been about the same for years. Nor have I seen many pay-as-you-play deals that fans throw up, when they can't stomach what these fellas actually earn.

Darren Huckerby, of all people,spent many an evening being swamped with attention at the Britannia Arms.

It's not a serious suggestion, just an example of how many choices Keane would have beyond Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Like this pro?

Gareth Bale has told Real Madrid team-mates he is happy to sit out contract

Huckerby, Jeez, another one I'd forgotten. Nasty bastard. 2008 MLS Newcomer of the Year Award!, I just saw. He lives obliviously in Norfolk, apparently,and his son just got done for drunk driving.

Perhaps Keane might get the 2027 MLS Newcomer of the Year Award!,

Meanwhile, Moise Kean has scored 5 games on the run for triste, distrutta e col cuore spezzato: Italia (x3)

If he has seen any deterioration in Keane how would he feel if his preferred duo of either Tarkowski or O'Brien with Branthwaite were seriously injured and Keane had to fill in after half a season on the bench.

Pity Finch Farm seems to be producing so few.

This one's a no-brainer.

Or, pay silly money for someone else who will be behind Branthwaite, O'Brien and Moyes's favourite, James Tarkowski. Spend the money on full-backs and a goal-scoring striker.

But a definite Yes from me, Clive.

A short while ago, David Moyes was asked who on the playing staff does he see as a potential football manager. Out of the entire group of players he only mentioned one name: Michael Keane.

So (for example) supposing Preston NE offered him an Assistant Manager's job whilst playing at centre-half. Would he accept it? Like a shot, I would suggest.

So that there is no confusion, I would love him to stay. To me, he has been our best outfield defender bar none. I also think that he is our best centre-forward but that is another story...

Academy Director