What is Leighton Baines truly worth?

I'd offer them £10m and Baines for Rooney, or there's no deal.

Better still, keep Baines and offer them two £10m installments and £7m in add-ons if we win the Premier League, Champions League, etc, for Rooney.

Baines is also 28 and is every bit as good except one thing his name is not as exciting to the football world (media). He is at his peak and we should not be made to believe that a player who is near 30 (2 years away) is not worth as much. This theory only suits the few who care to repeat it. If you're that good then age is irrelevant.

I don't want him to leave for anything less than £20 mil as he was the most effective player in a very good team last year.

The press all seem to be keen on telling Everton what our players are worth, the reasons why and how much we should accept from the media darlings for them. If Baines was already at United and Real or PSG were interested the press would all be saying he was worth £30-40m because that's the price one of the world's best left backs and currently the most creative player in Europe should be going for.

Think we should send another link from that site to Kenwright and Elstone though:

http://metro.co.uk/2013/06/29/fight-club-independiente-fans-throw-chairs-at-president-in-row-over-transfer-funds-3861888/

...just as a little aide memoire!

The article happily pats itself on the back – by stating, without qualification, that he is a left back... 'and they don't go for much'..

Whenever you actually analyse his role within the team then he's a lot more than that... Add to his pace – the quality of his delivery, his ability to pop up in the box and score, his clever through balls for forwards and his free kicks, his technical skills .... and you have much more than a player who is simply a full back..

Despite the contentions to the contrary he's actually a decent defender as well..

So, what is Baines worth... to us? About £50 million..

To Moyes.... £10-12 million it appears – £8 million less than Glen Johnson.

I'm not sure Baines is worth more than £20 million because they won't be any re-sale value.

Personally, I'd be really miffed if he goes, far more so than Fellaini, not just because he is a quality player, but because he's also a real quality pro and 'Baines and Everton' seem to go hand in hand now, he's a local lad and a bit of a symbolic player for us if that makes any sense.

Fellaini is also to an extent, but comes with silly haircut, bad disciplinary record and possible question marks over consistency, none of which Baines comes with. Bar the sideburns maybe.

As we know though, everyone has their price and if that figure crept into the £20m mark there's very little chance, if none, of BK turning it down.

But 20M+ for a full back would be silly money. Yes he's creative and carries a goal threat but no decent team would be relying on their full back for that. We do - Utd won't. He's priceless to us right now - but not to Utd.

Add in the fact that he'll have no resale and its a no brainer. Keep him.

I believe the new (BT) TV money is not due until this season is over, so we have to sell to buy. Alcaraz may come on a free, but it's a fucking travesty a top 6 club is looking in the bargain basement again.

My preference would be to sell Heitinga, as I don't believe his heart is in it if he is not first choice every game. If that happens, all that we can afford are the likes of Kone, unless Baines or Fellaini are sold, which would put us back years. The only reason I would see Fellaini go before Baines, is his desire to leave for CL football. I think Baines was quite happy here, especially with a much improved contract. That was until the other fucker tried to unsettle him.

One or the other may have to be the sacrificial lamb – whether they want to go or not.

Well done this Board.

So what this means is, there are 2 payments in August and January - this is equal to 50% of the total pot split equally. Then there are the facility fees - the money for appearing live on Sky or BT. This is paid quarterly I believe. In total it is 25% of the domestic pot, but teams are only guaranteed 10 appearances, but the top teams tend to get 25-26 live appearances, so get a lot more.

Finally there's prize money - for where you place in the league. That's paid at the end of the season obviously!

The overseas TV deal is treated differently. It's split equally between all clubs, and is paid monthly to help teams with budgeting (a change made after the first administration of Portsmouth FC). Liverpool are trying to get this changed to be split according to how popular the team is overseas, but they'll never get the 2/3 of teams to back it, as obviously only 3-4 teams would benefit to the detriment of the rest. When this was tabled 18 months ago, even Man U voted it down, recognising they earn additional sponsorship off the back of the global coverage.

------------------------------Howard-----------------------------
----------------Jags-------Alcaraz-------Distin---------------
Coleman------------------------------------------------Baines
-----------------------Gibson------Fellaini---------------------
----------Mirallas-----------------------------Pienaar----------
-------------------------------Jelavic------------------------------

Bench: a.n keeper, Duffy/Stones, Oviedo, Barkley/Osman, Anichebe/Velios

There is still a shedload of quality there if only on paper. The only question mark is Jela and whether a new system will help him rediscover the gifts that so clearly deserted him last term.

Steve - agree about Fellaini, it was no coincidence he was mentioned by Bill at the Martinez presser - only one player with buy-out clauses etc. I really hope we keep Fellaini, he can run our midfield on his own.

Let's hope Martinez has identified a couple of gems whilst in Brazil.

BK said there was some money for transfers, so £2M for Redmond and a season long loan deal for Lukaku.

Shay Given leaving villa for free, or Hennessy wouldn't cost much more than £3M either.

A net spend of about £8M Will hardly break the bank will it? No need to sell.

If we are really hard up, Naismith and Gibson could be sold for £3 or £4M each to newly promoted sides. Hopefully keep them though

Here's a possible team next season:

Lukaku

Pienaar. Mirallas
Honda
Fellaini. Barkley
Bains. Distin. Jagielka. Coleman
Howard

Subs; Hennessy
Oviedo
Alcaraz
Osman
Redmond
Jelavic
Anichebe

Every player is quick and athletic and would suit a high tempo pressing game. This is how I reckon Martinez may play. Gibson coming for Barkley away from home, or Fer would be nice.

If you actually look at what we've got, and put it in a more progressive framework, there's not all that much cause for alarm. We'll all have our favourites, players who we'd like to see brought in, of course... but, aside from an extra central defender and a new reserve keeper, I'd say we are pretty much good to go as is and would put money on an easy top-8 finish just with what we have now.

The issue obviously is strength and depth.

Personally I thought Jelly looked like a man who'd had the stuffing knocked out of him by Moyes. I hope, if not expect, we'll see a different Jelavic this season. I take on board the view that he may have been found out in the EPL but he's got a goal every 2.5 games ratio, which took a real knock last season as was 2.26, and many of the goals he scored in his first season were pretty unstoppable so as Arnie says I think he'll be back.

Just need to offload Vic and get someone in alongside him.

How much is he worth in cash?

Well that can (surely!) only be measured in the prices payed for other players in the same market (league).

Fernando Torres (STRIKER!) scored 8 league goals last year and cost Chelsea £50M (so just three goals more than DEFENDER Baines but without the link up play, defending or 'assists').

Andy Carroll (average sale price now about £25M) managed only 2 league goals more than Baines last season.

To be fair though, that wasn't JUST because he's shite - it was also down to the fact that through injuries/hangovers/whatever, he misses games the way anorexics miss meal times.

If you were to forget that Baines is a quiet lad, who doesn't play for a 'top 4 side' (who everyone knows are potless) and based the asking price SOLEY on the market, he'd be worth £35M.

--------------------------------Howard---------------------------
---------------Jags---------------Alcaraz----------------Distin---------------
----------------------Gibbo----Fellaini----Pienaar-------------
---Coleman----------------------------------------------------Baines
----------------------------Miralas----------Kone------------------------

It looks like we're going to sign Kone and Alcaraz, Honda looks to be the attempted marquee signing. If we don't get him, AC probably favourites to land him, then Macnelly Torres was linked last week, he's a Columbian playmaker who would sit well in that midfield trio.

Also I reckon Fellaini will still be here next season, doesn't look like Arsenal are going to come in now, and surely if Moyes wanted him the deal would already be under way.

Bains is only worth what teams are willing to pay or the minimum we are wiling to take.

He's certainly not worth as much as Rooney IMHO....which is £25-30m

Coleman--------------jags--------------------------distin----------------------Bains

--------------------------Fellaini---------------------Barkley/Gibson-------------------

---------mirralas-----------------------Honda---------------------Pienaar-------------

-------------------------------------------Lukaku --------------------------------------------------

Hennessy
Jelavic
Redmond
Alcaraz
Osman
Oviedo
Barkley/Gibson

In my wildest dreams....and it wouldn't even cost much, surely even our board could afford that side?

All just opinion like but Baines has become an established international, is a real pro and plays an absolutely essential role for us.

(or to put it another way, I wouldn't swap TWO Carrolls for one Baines)

If he has to go (and I REALLY hope we keep him) we should be asking top money.

If Utd want him, make them pay, if they want him cheap, fuck them off.

Tut, you had to go and bring reality into it didn't you!

Given Pienaar and Mirallas to work with, as well as limited options for a second dedicated striker, I would've thought he'd go back to the three up front and have those two 'inside' with Coleman and Baines providing the width.

Rumours floating about that Barca may want our Keisuke...which is a shame...but understandable seeing he can probably deliver the Japanese market single-handed to whoever picks him up!.

Alan,

Martinez, as Stuart notes, has wingbacks at his disposal now the like of which he's never dreamed of. I just cant imagine that he'd have that resource to hand and he stick to a flat back 4. Cant see him going 4-2-3-1 however fashionable it may be!. It'd be like having a train-set and not, er, playing with it!

I think also that his tacticts are very fluid and I can see us being very interchangeable formation wise this season. His "philosophy" is much more about outnumbering the opposition in all areas of the pitch and dragging opposing players away from their prefered areas and creating space to exploit.

Coleman and Bains would not have the winger to overlap and therefore be easier to pick up. they would end up isolated and getting forward less.

We were so close last season, playing the way were. A top striker and support striker, with Fellaini in front of what was the 4th best back 4 last season. And that was with Hieghtinga playing a few games and a sieve of a midfield, that is Osman, Gibson and hitzlesperger.

Try running through the middle of Fellaini, Honda and Barkley. 6ft plus athletes that can run and press. Get mirralas working as hard as Pienaar and your not conceding many goals and you have technically excellent players on the ball too.

Bains and Coleman would end up with millions of space to overlap with mirralas, Pienaar roaming inside off the touch line.

You say Bains is an international, but he is no more an international than Carroll. Carroll has scored for England in a major tournament Bains is second choice left back

Great player that he is, and probably worth slightly more than Carroll, I would not expect anyone to pay more than £20m for a left back with no resale value. Especially a team that have evra or butner.

Therefore your spot on, we should tell man utd were to go because to us his value is higher. His attacking raids down the left could be the difference between finishing 4th and 7th

Baines is worth 25 Million if no one wants to pay that sign him up long term and keep him here for the next 7 years.

I hope Bains stays and wouldnt sell him to Manure but I think we might all be getting carried away about how good he is?

Roberto Carlos wasn't hyped up this much

OUR centrebacks are generally not that gifted...thats not to say that others fit the same limited pattern. I remember the young Mr Lescott being quite adept at playing the ball out from the back...in an irony Heits can also pick a pass...as can Alcaraz. Just a matter of fitting player to system.

Coleman and Baines would have Pienaar and Mirallas to overlap just as they did last season...there will just be more avenues out of defence for the ball to get to the flanking forwards who then could choose to go wide to the overlapping wingbacks or, to use the extra numbers supporting the attack to get a pass inside to someone in space.

The two banks of four we used last season was neutralised too easily...all it takes is a few players who arent the quickest and the whole thing bogs down into turgid attritional football. First team to make a mistake loses. I don't think we're going to see that next season!.

Not sure whether Martinez will be able to stamp the change in fast and hard enough for us to really be successful this season coming...but its going to be a lot more interesting than sitting through 15 bloody draws like last time!

Baines must be worth 20 times that fucking carthorse is....

I do think he had some bad games as well cant remember who against but there were some where he wasn't that great but I suppose most players do.

I didn't see all games but just think Baines is amazing maybe I would Rooney if he was still here or came back.

The thought of looking a chump by going public on his first major signing then watching as it falls over just doesn't work, particularly as it's one of his "own".

It's a matter of how much.

My answer would be, after asking: "What is the cost of relegation?" For not only his movement, reading of the game, crossing, link-up play and valuable goals all wrapped up in a genuine down-to-earth bloke.

Take Baines out the line-up and replace him with an average EPL defender, chuck a few injuries to other key players, and a few poor ref and lino decisions, and dropping down a division is what I would expect. With our debt and Board, parachute payments will be wiped out.

What is he worth? Because £10-18 million would be a snip. Not saying we are a one-man team or Baines could win a title for Man Utd, just of his performances but he's done a hell of a lot for us to keep us up there fighting and could be the difference between Moyes winning something in his first season or getting the sack.

So my answer is, at this present point, Baines cannot be sold for any amount, regardless of age or lack of international experience.