Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe signing 'imminent'?

Ah bollocks! With all the excitement surrounding Christmas I forgot that the transfer 'silly season' was almost upon us!

Won't believe it until he kicks a ball in an Everton shirt... that goes for any other 'imminent signings'.

You gotta love silly season!

Could be true... it's in the Liverpool Echo tonight......?

Alan, it's in their rumour section, citing the same source as above.

About 3 players should suffice to help us push on next year, I personally would like to see a striker, midfielder and a keeper. Fingers crossed Bill finds some pennies under the theatre seats!

Where's Riquelme when you need him?

No way we'd be blowing £5 million on him. It'd be a loan deal if anything.

Can we sign this chap? The video gets interesting around 3:40...

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=184253355048767

Happy Xmas to all Everton fans around the world!

Andrew - that's brilliant! (But can he shoot like Osman?)

Where's the £5 million gonna come from?

Liverpool Echo are stating the same source though HITC.

Isn't it a little worrying that numerous papers are quoting 'imminent' signings for Everton? Obviously there is this fella, then Lescott, Butland and Chadli, never mind McCarthy! Moyes and our wonderful Chief Exec have already stated it will be loans at best, other than Heitinga going for £20 million (stop laughing!) — could Baines or Mo be going?

Bollocks to it - if we have to sell AGAIN then it must be Johnny. Baines is the family silverware and Fellaini might just remain if we qualify for the Champs League. Plus DM will have to, yet AGAIN, bring in an inspirational loan signing in the mould of Pienaar, Arteta, Donovan, Jo (first time), McBride, Ferrari...

Andrew, was that Lolo?

Ricardo Quaresma now available on a free... Was once touted as better that CR7, but his star has fallen since. Only 29 though.


Wonder if Moyes would fancy a punt?

If he has a bit of flair and skill then probably not.

Paul Kelly, where would this website be without cynics like you?!

If we are going for this guy again, what's the bets it's not done on the 3rd, 4th, 5th or early January to get it out the way?? You can just see EFC messing up again on 31 January.

Well to his credit he did sign Mirallas...

Paul Kelly - No idea who he is. I had a quick search but couldn't find out his name. The lamp post stuff is ridiculous!

The only way we could find £5million is if a deal for Heitinga's departure is in place.... it is also an easy rumour to construct, given that we had a deal lined up for him with a buy clause.

Still... given that we did agree a loan in the summer, I would not be surprised to see him coming in January. We clearly are a draw for him, and our perception will have only improved after this season's football, and the possibility of Champions League Football.

I will give the man credit for Mirallas. Tremendous signing.

Matteo Ferrari... came from Roma on a season long loan, defender.

And I thought we'd signed the porn star with the gigantic inflated tits.

Matteo Ferarri. That is a blast from the past! I remember being quite excited about his arrival, although it unfortunately did not work out.

Why isn't Jimmy Soreheim on this thread demanding we re-sign Drenthe???

Tell you who would know who we're going to sign: Ged's dog, Jess. Maybe Kev is going to confirm he's finally signed. I'll push the boat out on this one and claim that maybe Moyes has finally seen my email that states I have my own boots and will play anywhere.

It's all bollocks, especially if it's the Mail saying it. We won't know until we see the photo with the player holding up the jersey. Still though, we fall for it every time — and it is entertaining.

I remember Bill the Broke saying Joao Moutino is in the bag and as a fellow Happy Clapper I still believe...

Sorry, go to dash as Santa needs me urgently!

"Why isn't Jimmy Soreheim on this thread demanding we re-sign Drenthe???" – I don't see why not, he is still unemployed.

Weird!... If you go to the `News Now`section from the ToffeWeb link, look in the left hand column,and 2 paragraphs down there are individual player placings for Everton you can click on and each one and reveal the team forwards/goalie etc... Well have a look-see at the `midfielders` one!!!

Strange that!

How do I know it's a lie.... I read it in the Daily Mail.

We need reinforcements, and I'm sure someone will come in.

I think we're in need of defenders, especially a leadertype who runs the spirit of the game. I think Heitinga suits that bill, but then he's not getting a lot of games and is probably up for sale.

A defensive midfielder with skills is much needed. Gibson is probably going to take his time in the treatment room, and then there is none to fill this role. Fellaini is far too hot headed and doesent get freekicks even though it's clearly he's been fouled.

And a keeper apprentice. I do rate Howard high, but he needs competition. He does not get any competition from Mucha, it seems..

I would also like a striker, but I would say that would bee a bonus. I do think oue main issues is in the back of our midfield and in our defense.

How anybody rate Howard highly is totally beyond me. The mans a liability and needs replacing.

@ Steve 255

I agree, he does pull some great reaction saves out but then so should any Top 6 first team goalie. His gaffs, erratic kicking and flapping are getting worse by the season.

He's cost us some points this season.

@255 Agreed been saying it for ages!

Tony, Royston Drenthe has signed for Alania Vladikavkaz. 2nd bottom in Russia.

#255,

I do see Howard makes mistakes. But then, who doesn't make mistakes?

We have conceived less goals than ManU, and they are in the first spot. I do believe only four or five teams have a better goal difference than us.
I find all the critics regarding Howard to be unfair.

We're are we getting £5 mil from? We haven't got the proverbial pot be a loan job. Just a thought but if we sign Zoltan Gera would his nickname be Vinegar...?

As in Zoltan Vinegar?

Er... I'd better get me coat.

Andy - Gera life, pal!

I'm losing confidence with Howard, he's cost us points. Moyes must see this as well... we have to bring a keeper in asap. Howard needs replacing in my opinion.

We need a challenger to Howard, he is liable for too many goals, whilst he may be a reasonable shot stopper he a bloody bad decision maker and doesn't command his area. Without a challenger for his jersey its not going to change.

Gaute #255 Man U may concede goals but they also score more than us neutralising those they concede - they have a plus 20 goal difference compared to our plus 9

Given from Villa would be good competition for Howard, or just a straight replacement. Some of Howard's mistakes have been ridiculous this season. Hope he comes good, but if not then Given would do short term, but we need a Butland type long term, but cant afford one.

Vadis would be a good loan signing, and another striker would be great, but I think it'll be Vadis alone, at best.

What would you have to pay to find a better goalie than Howard though? De Gea and Joe Hart showed at the weekend (not for the first time this season) that all the money in the world cannot get you an iconic Number 1. Reina has badly lost form, as has Cech, and Szcezny can be glorious or horrific.

Some of the lower teams in the league seem to have good keepers like Vorm, Al Habsi, Guzan, Begovic but is this just a coincidence? How did all the top teams in the league end up with poor keepers yet a lot of the lower teams seem to have ones that look good?

In my opinion it is very different being a keeper who is constantly making saves to one who has to stay alert for 90 minutes to make the one save that he has to to preserve a winning lead in the last kick of the game. Howard looked a world beater against Swansea, the one game this season that we were wide open and let shots rain in on us; he pulled off some great saves to keep a clean sheet. Every other game he seems to only pick the ball out the net from the one shot the opposition has.

Perhaps as we get better Howard is struggling to adapt to the greater level of concentration required? It's easy for a keeper to pull off a load of saves and look great if his team is already 3 down, he gets criticised a lot more if he flaps at a cross and loses you a one-goal lead when you're chasing the top 4 and didn't give them a chance the rest of the game.

There's a shortage of great number ones in the game anyway. The days of Southall, Seaman, Schmeichel, Kahn, Van der Sar, even Nigel Martyn are over. Aside from Buffon and Casillas, I struggle to think of a real commanding presence between the sticks in Europe at the moment. You have good keepers like Valdes and Neuer but not many with the intimidatory character that the ones listed above have where their very presence on the teamsheet created a mental barrier for the opposition.

Howard has many faults but who would be a cost-effective replacement (long term so that we don't have to spend again in a few years) for him who would be of a guaranteed better quality?

I'd happily take McCarthy from Wigan (Number 4). He's probably out of our price range, but I think he played well against us and has a couple more levels to go.

I don't really understand why Given isn't playing at villa. Villa does seem to be the Bermuda triangle wasting players – Bent, N'Zogbia, Ireland, Delph, Given. Nearly as bad as Carroll, Downing, Henderson, Cole...

There were reports earlier in the week that Vadis was a done deal and was on his way for a medical, though he currently is playing a friendly as I write this against Nurnberg and he has just scored a goal.