Donovan signing on a permanent deal isn't on the cards.

He ain't trading LA for Liverpool.

Why on earth would you sign for us if you were Donovan! Will never happen. Neither will Drenthe.

We have to have the money first. I'm expecting sales more than purchases come the end of the season.

I'm still amazed we got Gibson and I didn't even want a centre mid.

Landon would cost upwards of 5m i imagine and though i rate him i don't think we can afford to spend that on winger about to turn 30. Unless of course we had a sharp marketing/merchandising dept who could utilise his US fanbase properly....

to think that we will sign Donovan is pure Fantasy-we have no MONEY!
Come the Summer Transfer Window we will Sell Baines and Rodwell, or whoever to raise the £20/£25Million needed to stave off Administration.Any Surplus will go in wages,new Lawnmowers
,20Black at the Casino oh and will help us bring in 1 or 2 loan signings with a view to buy.
This Club would be better off if it did go to the wall, it would put us all out of our misery.
I am just so sick and tired of all this shit.
The Football we play is Dire, worse than that if I could find the words,
I was going to buy a ticket for the Fulham game but Methinks not.
Why Should I bother when no-one at the club seems to?

If we were to sign him, it should have been 2 years ago.

Too old for a long contract and, as shown on Saturday, not as good as some of the misty eyed sentamentalists thought he was.

And yet the game before he payed in Anichebe with amazing vision, skill and passing. Yeah he's not what he was... now he's 29!

Anyways, couldn't afford him. And I doubt we can give Drenthe what he's worth either and I see him as far more important to our future.

"he payed in Anichebe with amazing vision, skill and passing"

Well, he played him in. It wasn't amazing vision or sublime skill though. It was just a decent through ball. The fact we've been so starved of players even bothering their arse to attempt playing an incisive pass probably sensationalised things a bit. Admittedly, one through ball and one decent cross in four games probably puts him ahead of most of our squad in terms of productivity but that's not really saying much is it?

Drenthe is an interesting one. One of very few players with pace and flair at Goodison and yet i feel maybe a disaster waiting to happen, both on and off the pitch. Could easily be one of those players who never fully utilises his obvious talent.

Still want him to sign though.

Donovan too old and not got the required talent over long periods. Drenthe, why would he sign? I think he should be starting week in week out for us, but knowing David Moyes, you can see why he doesnt. Who cares that he can beat a man? Who cares that he has a cracking shot on him and pace to burn? Who cares that he put the only decent cross of the game in on saturday? He might give the ball away trying a trick! He might not track back! He might shoot when Neville is available on the overlap!!!

Dan, the problem is that he very often gives the ball away trying a trick.

He is a faster, smaller Coleman in my eyes. Run. Forest run. His legs aren't linked up with his brain and I don't think he knows what his legs will be doing until after they have started doing it. Still better than most of the rest of them though.

Sad isn't it?

We are being closely linked with yet another winger today, from Italy. What about a striker?

I think Drenthe is still egtting used to playing against defenders who are a lot more commited than their spanish counterparts to be fair. You don't just dance past soemone in this country and they let you go.

His pace and direct nature is exactly what we need. As other have said he is liable to lose the ball, but so are all wingers.

Looking at what we've got in terms of options I'd be looking to play a 4-3-3 similar to what Chelsea played under Mourinho, with Donovan and Drenthe staying high up the pitch hitting teams on the break with pace, something nobody expects from a David Moyes Everton side.

No.

Got to say I agree with Tony J. At times on Saturday, Donovan just kicked the ball too far in front of himself when running, like a poor Sunday league player. He also gives it away when under no pressure (he's not alone though). I would not want him permanently. He may make a bit of an impact in short bursts but he's not getting younger. He's got loads of endeavour but when you scratch the surface, hes just not that good.

"We are being closely linked with yet another winger today, from Italy. What about a striker?"

I know there have been unsubstantiated reports of strikers being spotted at Goodison in the recent past but i'm starting to think they truly don't exist. They're things of legend, urban myths. A bit like the Loch Ness monster, aliens, the abominable snowman, big fuck off cats eating emos in the English countryside and pacy counter attacks.

To be fair John, we had a couple of counter attacks on Saturday, it's just that Landon preferred to try and draw a foul than to go on and have a go....or pass to Saha ? then again, would you pass to that lump of late?

I'd take him in a heartbeat, on a three and half-year deal.
responding to some comments:
He wouldn't swap LA for Liverpool. He has the rest of his life to live in LA; but only the next three years to play at the top.

He'd cost upwards of £5 m. No as he's nearly 30, and has under two years on his deal, he could be bought out of it now for £4 mn.

We have no money.
We have assets: Rodwell for £20 mn, perhaps.
We should have already sold a key player in order to get a striker. And we should move before events beat us to it, as they did with Arteta. Had he been sold a week earlier, we coulda got Crouch. Take control Moyes, because you haven't so far int he last two years!

I'd sell Rodwell rather than Baines, and use the money to get two strikers. And I'd sell Bily for Donovan.

He's old; we need youth.
Granted. But we know he fits in, there's no gamble. So I'd get two young stikers for Rodwell money, and Donovan with Bily's fee.

Would we be given the money by the banks? I don't know. the debt is probably down to £35 million, of which £10 m is due to be paid within 18 months. Can we extend that? I don't know. But if so, those would be my preferences.

I also think the lack of energy and confidence is down to knowing that we can make chances, but ain't gonna score them. Freshen things up including two strikers, and I'd be hopeful.

Shouldn't he go selswhere? probably. But that is up to him. As for Everton, we should try.

The rest of the loanees and Saha should be released in June, with poss exception of Drenthe. As long as we have 25 squaddies, that should be enough.

Yes, I agree he had a poor day on Saturday. He should have scored and screwed a shot wide aafter one of our better moves. And his confidence seemed shot from thenn on. I still think he has got it.

And he would be a decent leader to any young uns we bring in. Something we are gonna have to do.

If we can't make money on a deal for Landon Donovan then we are truly fucked.

Every penny spent should be coming back threefold.

He's the main man in US soccer. He's on adverts on ESPN which illustrate his marketability. If we can't find some sponsors and sell some shirts in the good old USofA it's time our sales and marketing team were shipped out. No wait, they should be shipped out anyway before they f**k it up.

Donovan hasn't got the bottle to play permenantly in the Premiership. He is getting paid so much sponsorship money in the States, he isn't going to give up that sort of lifestyle.

Lets clarify a few points.

Donovan would cost £7m - Clause in his MLS contract.

Everton have no money.

In the next 18 months, half of the squad will be out of contract.

Those players values will decrease and our assets will diminish further, further increasing the difficulty to repay our debts which WILL NOT be extended.

The BVI secured investment would appear to be Robert Earl and Philip Greens further investment into the club. It would be interesting to find out if it is the bank debt we are clearing or the BV debt. The club is being held to ransom by its own investers and BK and Elstone hadnt an f**ing clue what they were doing when Earl invested. Naive, they were hoodwinked by Green who is purely here to make a quick "buck" which is guaranteed as it has been secured.

Kenwright and Elstone have known that the club have been about to die since Kirby didnt go through and have had to get Earl to reinvest accordingly. Essentially a WONGA loan for football clubs.

Those players with any ambition will not sign.

Those that do sign will only sign as it is a cushy number and wont get better elsewhere.

The club is rancid and the goings on of the past 36 months should be investigated. Portsmouths owner got a european wide arrest warrant for asset stripping a bank - this is exactly what Kenwright and Earl have done.

The goings on are criminal

Elstone is a square jawed c**t who has little if not experience suitable to be running a football club, ex accountant and ran part of Skys Manchester offce. He couldnt believe his luck when he got the deputy job. Imagine his face when he got the CEO job.

BK wouldnt give the job to anyone else as he just needs a YES man / puppet.

What is Keith Wyness not allowed to disclose?
What is Trevor Birch not allowed to disclose.

The club is a disgrace and WILL go down next season, with or without a 9 point reduction.

You may say Im not a fan for what Im about to say but do you know what I dont care. I have supported Everton for 32 years through thivk and thin. I will not give a penny more to this bunch of crooks. My hard earned money is being abused.

The reason the club wont be sold is because the silent investers will not sell for less than a pre determined amount. The problem is that you cant sell the club for the value of the debt if there are contractually binding agreements that silent investment do not receive a guarantee of a pre determined set return - There will be a charge on the club to prevent the sale of the club for less.

You thought LFC and the yanks were bad, they make this lot look like saints.

Fuck the lot of them.

James
Donovan would cost £7m - Clause in his MLS contract.
----------------------------
What's your source? At that price for a near-30 year old, no chance - not worth it. but that is the first time I've seen that.

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/landon-donovan/profil/spieler_68.html

Roberto. He signed a new MLS contract prior to coming to EFC the first time round which is still the contract he is in. This contract was signed as he wanted to play in Europe and he struck a deal with the MLS that he would stay but would be allowed to go to Europe every close season he wished. There is a buy out cluase of his MLS contract of £7m. It doesnt matter if hes 30. He was 28 when he signed and still under this contract.