Scott McTominay heading up the €70M Christmas Wishlist

Well written, Michael. Wild speculation at best.

We're well stocked in midfield and should concentrate on (1) a stronger striker, and (2) a class right-wingback.

I worked with a mad Man Utd fan back in 2016 who told me this lad, as he was then, was the best player in their youth set up and was headed for the top.

Why do we get linked with players we are never going to get?

We missed the boat on him years ago. Always a talent.

I said during summer I'd have loved us to have pushed to sign John McGinn. Many didn't want him; for me, he'd have absolutely changed the dynamic of our entire team the way he grabs games by the scruff of the neck.

McTominay, I doubt we have any real chance of signing now. Whatever money we need to spend this January window it lies in the striker areas and the full back.

Why would we pay £70M for a midfielder that we don't need, when we are desperate for a striker???

If we have £70M to spend, go and get a striker! Who makes these rumours up???

As if Everton are going to lash out £70M to have four Number 10s on the books.

No sirree.

More chance of seeing Elvis dressed up as Santa buying chicken nuggets from Iceland.

Harrison Armstrong is better than him.

Why are we always in the running for the latest flavour of the month… Troy Parrot is another. If there's any truth in any of these rumours, it shows how completely unfit our recruitment department is.

13 in 36 games last season. As I said a couple of seasons ago, he'd walk into our midfield.

I didn't see anything whilst he was at Man Utd that particularly impressed me. I know he's done well in Italy and gets some eye-catching goals but I think it is a gamble that he would be a stand-out performer for us (or anyone else in the Premier League).

It could just be me. There have been a few players over the years who seemed to get regular acclaim but who left me cold. David Platt was one who seemed very, very average to me whilst getting selected for and ‘starring' for the national team.

Kevin #7:

"As if Everton are going to lash out £70M to have four Number 10s on the books."

I admire the satire, as you know in 2017 we signed Sigurdsson, Klaassen, Vlašić, and Rooney. It was, to be fair, for over €87M, not the €70M spouted here!

I'm sorry but there's no way Harrison is better than McTominay at this present moment.

He's hardly featured in the Premier League for us and has played half a season on loan, whereas McTominay has played multiple seasons for Manchester United and was the standout player last year for Napoli and in Italy, plus he's an established international and a regular goalscorer

Good takedown Michael Kenrick and for once I agree with you. Even if we were stupid enough to try and sign him (I wouldn't rule that out), why would he come?

Fake news!

This is what David Moyes had to say about it, when pressed:

“Well, I think the reality is I will never talk about other players, but if you're talking about £60M, those sort of numbers, I don't know if we're quite at that level yet.”

“Hopefully we're working towards that and building ourselves back up. We've said many times about getting back on solid ground; we've done that under the new owners, with the new stadium.”

“I don't think we'll be shooting for the stars right away. That's not to say it won't happen, but my gut feeling would be to say that's not the market we'll be in.”

So... Plucky little Everton, knife to a gunfight. A weasel doesn't change its spots.

Why the need for the 'knife to a gunfight' comment?

We simply aren't spending £60M on players. We still need lots of players, and still don't have the financial power to compete. Our buys are in the £10-30M bracket, with the exception of Dibling on the drip.

Moyes gave a straight answer, that most fans will appreciate, that we aren't able to compete in that space. Disappointing, but it isn't that long ago it was 777 Partners, points deductions, and selling Gordon, Richarlison.

That's the reality. This is a slow patient rebuild. We've good owners, a great stadium, and stability. Unsexy, but that's the way it is.

Nicely put, Michael.

Two years ago I was scratching my head as to why we didn't put in a bid for this lad (and why Man Utd left him on the bench). At worst an 8 goals a season man.

At the moment, I'd settle for a 2-goal-a-season striker!

George #18

PSR...perhaps?

Ian @ 17, if Moyes gave a straight answer, what didn't he simply say no, he is out of our price range?

Instead of throwing in his usual, cover his back comment, of that's not the market we will be in? Classic Moyes

Annika, Ian's right. Moyes gave a perfectly straight answer. Made multiple points and did so directly. No excuses.

MK #15, well he could have hardly come out with the truth and said 'we're broke, we can't afford that sort of money, or the wages' now could he?

But he did, in a roundabout way.

It’s strange that Everton under Moyes could pay £42M now for a young lad who has hardly played for the club and isn’t likely to until we lose players at the African Cup.

Napoli paid £25m for him in 2024, which we couldn't afford then.

now the silly money being quoted we still can't afford him, not going to happen

Meanwhile the U18’s are losing to Bristol City 2-1-today!

Nowhere else to put this as ToffeeWeb is still sorting itself out!

Annika -- more important question:

Would he walk into our midfield...

If we want a useful midfielder who [now] gets the odd goal - Isaac Price, anybody?