Marouane Fellaini will not leave Everton during January transfer window, claims David Moyes

Moyes is being quite canny in saying that he will not be letting anyone go; I think if the board want to sell off someone he is making it clear it will be against HIS wishes. Not only is it a "hands off" statement to other clubs, I think it's one to the board too...

I don't know the tactical reasons but this stinks to high heaven.

Think you're right Christine. It's a none-too-subtle message Moyes is sending to the board as much as anyone else.

Bottom line is none of us have a clue what will happen. But I doubt Moyes playes games with media to pass messages to Board. I think the relationship is closer than that. I think he will know already whether he will stay or go. Obviously we hope he stays but if he goes I think we can still be a good team with a shrewd use of the £22m or whatever the figure is. I recall the sense of dread when Artyeta went (and he is key to Arsenal now) but we became a better team after he left. I imagibne if Board say to Moyes they want to sell him, Moyes will have replacements ready in his mind and that is how any internal deal at EFC will be done. But again - what I write may be horseshit as bottom line is none of us have a clue what will happen.

Artyeta ? imagibne ? Well put !

I don't buy this fear that the board "wants" to sell Fellaini. The Club has shown recently that the wage bill is 75% of revenues. That is too much, it needs to be 65%. But it's the board that signs the cheques, and for me that 75% shows they don't want to sell.

The banks are probable appeased by incoming funds from TV. But the likliehood is that Felli will leave in the summer, perhaps except if we make CL. But I don't see Felli leaving this month unless he forces it on the triggering release clause.

I reckon our wage bill has substantially decreased over the past two seasons.
We have emptied out all of our top earners.
eg; Arteta, Cahill, Yakubu and a lot of others ; Bily, Beckford, Rodwell, Ruddy, Vaughan, Macfadden, Hahnemann.
We also loan out a plethora of youngsters each season.

We have brought in Jelavic, Naismith, Gibson, Mirallas, Oviedo and bought back Pienaar.
The others have been freebees and has beens.

Let’s assume we don’t get a Champions League spot and that the rumours and murmurings surrounding Fellaini are true; leading to his departure in the summer. Some say the release clause is £22m, some others say £24m, but either way we will be left with a sizeable sum plus £75k a week taken from the wage bill. Granted, the bank will no doubt call some of this in but even so you would think that we would still have a decent amount to replace him with.

Step forward Michu. Tall, strong, can finish, good in the air, fast and in his prime. Furthermore, as we all know, Moyes loves a player who will work hard off the ball and on yesterday’s evidence (albeit in front of Del Bosque) he puts a very good shift in.

He would slot into the 4-5-1 in the same way as Fellaini does and would be able to move forward into Jelavic’s position should the need arise. So in effect, he would lessen the need to buy a back-up striker as a bonus.

I’m thinking he would be in the £13-17m bracket but in the interest of not altering the style of play and keeping the equilibrium it might be worth it.

So assuming we have the cash, I know that’s a big assumption, but do you agree he would be a good fit and perhaps more pertinently, could we get him in a blue shirt?