Fellaini is the bigger target for Moyes

If this deal is going to happen it needs happen now before the 35 mill gets lost in Everton's black hole of mystery finances.

Great news. Bye Fella.

If there is any truth in the article about our lack of funds it is just a disgrace and a mystery. Football has never been so awash with money at the top level, yet Everton are still skint. It just makes no sense how we cannot compete - and we're not just behind by a bit we're light years behind in transfer spending.

Mark
When the business is run by a liar and an incapable one at that what can you expect.

25 million for Fellaini and I would be happy to end this saga once and for all.

Looking at his passing yesterday (especially when Jelavic was clean through) I would not be devastated. IF we could get all of that 25 million and the wages of two players plus signing on fees....

There are players out there which would benefit us....

McCarthy
Marrone
Moses

It's kind of hilarious that Moyes has resorted to this level of hypocrisy. The once "Ethical One" has stooped to unsettling players and accusing Everton of blocking players careers.

The reason for this attitude transplant?????

Nobody wants to play for him!

If one player has to go I would prefer it to be Fellaini.
Baines is the best in Europe in his position.
Fellaini would not be in the top 20 in his position.
If we get more than £20 mil and IF the manager gets ALL of it I would not be too disappointed

Highly doubt it will be for £25m. If Man U were prepared to pay that much they would have met the release clause.

I reckon 22m will see Fella off, presuming he has made it clear behind the scenes that he would like to go.

Lets hope we get the right replacements. Marrone and Moses for 7m each would seem a good start. Maybe 4m on Alderweid and another few mill on a brilliant young Spanish/Dutch/French playmaker none of us has heard of yet!

Sam 918

We've got a Spanish and French player we've never heard of..... Deulofeu and Gueye!

If its a bid of 25m then he will go, my only concern is the price on McCathy seems to be going up daily - it's upto 20m in some of today's papers.......I would try elsewhere, 3 players in the 5 to 7m bracket will leave some in the bank for January if needed

I wouldn't sell Fellani for less than 28M it is illogical to sell him for less. If he stays he will still have to perform to attract suitors and gain his place in the world cup squad. If we sell him after Brazil 2024 we will get a very good price, we have 20 per cent to pay back to Liege so let's get as much as possible. The idea he has not been a key player for us is also laughable.

2014

Fellaini surely has the same release clause at Christmas or next summer unless it rises through his contract. I can't see any bid over £23m unless he signs a new deal.

I'd take Flaminni if he's still not signed for Arsenal on a free.

We should definitely go for Flamini, we'd be going against the only club more inept in transfer dealings than us! A transfer window relegation dogfight.

Sky Sports are reporting that there is another bid under consideration for Bale. Tottenham are considering both. We can assume, perhaps, that interest in signing Baines has been successfully headed off - for now, as this other Bale bid is Man Utd surely?

... we have 20 per cent to pay back to Liege.

Just 20% of any profit actually. A £25 mln sale would amount to £8 million profit, meaning less than £2 mln to Liege.

Mark, perhaps Bill has unleashed the war chest he has been saving up for these past however many years and Bale is on his way to Goodison as back up for Pienaar and Baines.

I didn't realise Kenwright had a war chest. Like Homer Simpson's tool box, it's probably full of M&Ms.

Fellaini for £25 million! Bite Moyes's hand off and run. He has great games, but is far too inconsistent. Though I do think the money will go straight into Bill's retirement pot.

Roberto

That would mean we spent £19m on an unknown teenager and only receive £23m now that he's in his prime and one of the best midfielders in the league.

We vastly over paid for him at the time.

For once I believe what's in the press here - about Fellaini being the bigger target. I mean he's got to be a foot taller than Baines?

Sorry, transfer-rumour-fatigue is apparently (not) a true condition.

PS - RS rumoured to be after Moses on loan...

That would be the end of Man United's title winning potential if the bought Fellaini. Their principles of pace, quick movement of the ball, and creativity would in an instant be cast on the rocks and they'd be stuck with the same crab like slow play we've had to witness. I can almost see Van Persie pulling off to the wing now to allow Fellaini a clear run at Baines' over delayed overhit cross - let's hope this one comes off.

sell him for £25m all day long. he is frustrating at times and it also pisses me right off that he gets decisions against him in the box constantly as other defenders wrap their self around him.....thus wasting a dangerous attack.. add that to the fact he looks like he could get sent off every 5 mins with the flying elbow he likes to use.
We are no longer a team who knock it 50 yards onto his chest near the box and feed from him and therefore the cash could be used on a classy attacking midfielder who cold unlock defences(unlike west brom game)
Also we need another striker, kone will be twice the player Jelavic is given a few starts But we still need another TOP striker. Jelavic is so frustrating, he is constantly offside or waving his arms around for a non existant foul as the game continues around him.
Its no surprise that the last time we spent big on a striker he scored over 20 goals(yakubu then club record fee) and we need to do it again as a major priority, how many times did we play teams off the pitch last year and not get the goals to win the match!?!
A good striker wins you games.....look at the shite so far sturridge(who we should have signed by the way) has won 6 points on his own this season!!!!
I would go in for jermain defoe(pacey goal machine with regular games)
or victor moses(showed his class but like sturridge and lukaku not given fair chance at Chelsea) or anyone Martinez feels up to the job from abroad, but I do feel its a priority

We all know hes going. We also know deep down it will happen on the last day of window with a loan or freebie to replace him. Wouldnt be surprised to see Hitzberger(?) return.

Very few players in the EPL that have the versatility of Fellaini imho. His ability in the air with his head/chest in offensive positions and on the ground when disposessing opponents far outweigh his limitations. Ed's right, his attitude must be right this season (whoever he's playing for) with the WC just around the corner....it's £30-35m for me, up front, and not a penny less.....the lad's at his peak!

I'm convinced we shall see Felli go for about £22M over next weeend.Just enough time to bring in McCarthy from Wigan for about £ 15M.

About £5M of the balance will go in loyalty payments to Felli and what we owe on him to Liege.The rest towards wages for a loan player-probably Moses.

All the talk of the availability of TV money is irrelevant.It was borrowed against months ago !

Whether or not this is a good idea depends entirely on the quality and cost of Fellaini's potential replacement(s). Anything over 22m would be decent business and presumably Roberto has targets already lined up.

I'm not sure anything more than £8m for McCarthy would seem a good idea to me. He keeps things going in the middle but little more than that. We need either a ball winner or a talented playmaker or preferably someone who can do both.

Anyone who doesn't rate Fellaini, in my opinion, knows very very little about football.

We should definitely keep him (and tell the christian to 'go forth and multiply').

If we don't manage to keep him, a bean under £30m and I believe we will have been robbed.

(and if he DOES go, it will be completely down to one rather large-headed, often weeping, smug, failed actor).

That's nowhere near enough. As he has not requested a transfer we would be obliged to pay out his contract which will be 6m minimum, then the sell on clause and no doubt the initial funds to buy him were borrowed somewhere or other.
I think to break even would take more than 28m. The issue was we bought a player in Fellani who was too expensive for our business model. The buck stops with the Inept One as per usual. The best transfer news we could have is Kenwright released on a free!

Nothing against the players you mention,Dooddy,but does this bugger know there's about 500 other clubs in the world he could buy off ? If what you say comes to place,it will indicate that Roberto is totally myopic and on a quest to pay-off Whelan's debts.

Any news on bids for Oviedo,Jelavic and Mirallas you mentioned yesterday or was that just Freshy talk ?

Not Freshy talk at all,Wal ! Gossip passed on to me in good faith by a national journo on the Merseybeat.

£25 million would do it for me, we can hopefully bring in 3 quality players - 2 CMs and a winger. I think McCarthy will be brought, although his price tag is a tad over the top.

Neil, do you know for a fact that its standard procedure to pay out the contract of players who are sold to other clubs? Especially when the said player may favour a move(but not have requested a transfer)? Or is it just made-up bollocks?

I've read here that we paid £19M for Fellaini too. The price seems to be going up daily.

Oh and by the way, I'm sure Moyes chose Fellaini and will have had veto on both his transfer fee and his wages. Kenwright is probably a liar and out to line his own pockets, but Moyes was the manager and the buck stopped with him regarding how much to spend on each player.

Why isn't Moyes offering us Butner, Young, Smalling and Hernandez in exchange for the sake of their careers?

Look at the price of Moutiniho, Alonso, Willian, and Paulinhio, Fellaini's worth £30m easy. Moyes could have had him for £23m but surprise surprise he dithered so now the price is £35m. £30m because of his market value, plus £5m because its Man U the richest club in the world. Moyes needs a big signing more than we need to sell.

Levy would screw about £40m out of Utd in this situation.

I think the Liege website,at the time of Felli's transfer, indicated E15M which then amounted to a c £13M fee. I have no idea whether this figure included add-ons but the selling club usually records the total amount to justify the sale-ie. our sale of Rooney !

Doddy - what's this about bids for Mirallas?

Alan @ 962
If Moyes was genuine about players careers then he'd be on the phone to Martinez, Wenger, Pellegrini and Mourinho offering utd's entire squad solely upon the grounds that they are winners where he is not

Not bids but enquiries.Inevitable,I guess in the light of his mate being likely to move on and talk of his 'being unsettled'by the new regime.

hernandez and £15m will do for me

Wayne #960, it is standard practice - still in 2013 in the days of multi-million pound contracts - for a player to be able to claim the balance of his contract in the event he is sold by the club without requesting a transfer.

It goes back to days when players were paid maximum wage, and has stuck around ever since with the advent of agents. Normally there would be a "settlement" figure between club and player/agent.

It really, really pisses me off. The likes of Bale, Suarez, Rooney - and indeed Fellaini and Baines if they wish to go, should put it in writing thereby removing the selling club of said liability. If they are really going to be out of pocket, then get the buying club to lump it onto the signing on fee, or the basic wage.

These "loyalty" clauses are a fucking joke and have no place in the modern game - certainly not at the Premier Leage and Championship level, and I suspect not even at L1 or L2.

Loosing Fellaini would be a serious loss to us. I put him in the same class as Viera and Toure. In my view the reason many people don't rate him is his ungainly gate - but he covers a lot of ground very quickly when he gets off the mark.

My thoughts are similar to Phil's at 951. He is 25 years old and hasn't reached his peak yet. He has probably got another 7 or 8 years in him (Toure is 30). He scores goals, good in the air, he covers heaps of ground during the course of a game and he is hard as. Just the sort of player Utd need. Comparatively speaking he has to be worth 30M+.

I think our current squad would be like a ship without a rudder without Fellaini and I don't know where RM could get someone to replace what he does for us even if he were given the funds.
If we could just get Gibson fit and playing with Fellaini in the middle of the park, I think we can do really well this season.

Just thought of his replacement - John Obi Mikel. We can dream

I don't really see Fellaini as a team player. I think he's a one-off. Whether that's good or bad is a matter of opinion. I think it's probably bad. I just don't see him as integrated, he alway seems to stick out. Either we lump it long to him, which sometimes works I admit, or he seems to be playing a different game from the rest of the team.

I've never liked him up front, but I had high hopes for him in a deeper role. But while he's had the odd good game further back, he hasn't really grown into that position. He doesn't possess the positional sense to make it work. Or the range of passing.

Martinez has talked about establishing "partnerships" all around the pitch. Who does Fellaini gel with? I can't think of anyone.

Laurie,

Fellini is not in the same class as the two you mention.

Obi Mikel is a recurring nightmare

Fellaini

James Martin 932,

Bill is in negotiations to sign Gareth Hale

So Moyes refuses to sign a new contract so that he can go to Man United for nothing; there-by screwing over the club that made him his name to save the pennies of the richest club in the world.

Then he offers a ridiculously low figure for our two greatest assets and has a moan when it doesn't come off!

Quite frankly he can do one!

I am not inclined to give him a special offer for Fellaini and £25m is a special offer. A friend price. If Arsenal, Chelsea or anyone else come in they can have Felli for £25m. Moyes has to pay £30m+.

And like Alan Smith says - based on the market he is easily worth that!

COme on, when did Mcharty earn the price tag of 15 million, what has he done to rise to that height really? He just helped relegate WIgan and we are seriously thinking about splashing 15 million on him just because he is from Wigan an is vastly overpriced because of the Wigan chairman.

It would be insane to spend more then 10 million on him.
Why has there not been any bids for him, I tell you why, because every decent manager with a brain knows that the price put on his head is probably double of his real worth.

I protest against Martinez going back aand rewarding Wigan with mountains of cash just because he likes the chairman.

I see straight through this, the chairman has put this overrated price on him because he knows RM will come for him no matter what the price is.
And RM is foolish enough to even consider buying him for that price.

THis is the perfect chance for Wealan to milk us like a cow, and I for one am not that desperate that I would want us to throw away 7 million or so.
We can get a striker and a midfielder for that sum if we just put our scouts to the job.

It seems to me that the scouts have not been trusted this far by RM because he has mostly bought his former players or targets.

When will we see the scouts advice being used???

Seems to me that Moyes relied a lot more on the scouts then RM is doing so far.

We simply have to put a stop to RM going after his former players as they are now vastly overrrated.
We are a top 6 club and should be aiming much much higher then a just relegated Wigan club.

Quite frankly I am getting sick of hearing us wanting Mcmanaman or Mccharty, try usin your scouts for a change Mr.Martinez.

Replacing Fellaini with McCarthy is utter madness, Whelan will be laughing himself silly.

Eugene,

I doubt anybody would deny that Fellaini can be unplayable..the problem is that these games are few and far between..His inconsistency is his main consistency (and this applies whatever position he plays in midfield)..

I'm also not sure he fits well into Martinez's system...in short, he's a luxury player we cannot afford..

Now, comparing him to Toure and Viera - that is an indication of knowing little about football..

Eugene,

I doubt anybody would deny that Fellaini can be unplayable..the problem is that these games are few and far between..His inconsistency is his main consistency (and this applies whatever position he plays in midfield)..

I'm also not sure he fits well into Martinez's system...in short, he's a luxury player we cannot afford..

Now, comparing him to Toure and Viera - that is an indication of knowing little about football..

Eugene,

I doubt anybody would deny that Fellaini can be unplayable..the problem is that these games are few and far between..His inconsistency is his main consistency (and this applies whatever position he plays in midfield)..

I'm also not sure he fits well into Martinez's system...in short, he's a luxury player we cannot afford..

Now, comparing him to Toure and Viera - that is an indication of knowing little about football..

After the game on saturday, I felt Fellaini head had been turned from his performance. His work rate was slow to say the least. The manager and club need to make a decision, personally I would let Fellaini go and keep baines with a improved contract. Fellaini will go sooner or later anyway, cannot see 25 million being offered. The reason Moyes waited till now is the clause has gone and feels the club will accept, late on in the transfer window. The current value for Fellaini is 30-35 million, a established premier league player, who can play in two or three positions.

The chairman needs to put EFC first and not his friendship with Moyes. He has gone and our new manager needs funds for his own style (not all wigan players please). If fellani would like to go, he goes with my blessing but not with a bonus, he must put a transfer request in and save EFC millions for his loyal support (and the thousands we pay him every week).

I do hope we keep baines, he is a blue and would be fully committed to the cause. However, at this time of his football life, this is his last big contract. Can we turn down 13,14, 15 million for a left back?

Every year we have the same problems with keeping or bringing players into the club. The club at present has no direction while all this is going on. This whole situation needs sorting out now or the players will go with no one coming in.

If RM does put in a bid for McCarthy, it will be because BK has sanctioned it, the manager cannot buy anybody without the prior authorisation of the board and I can't see BK giving it, unless there is some deal in place - like a couple of million down and a few million a year for the next few years. I also don't think that BK will allow his manager to spend £15m in cash for any player.

I think Ciaran is spot on there. A luxury player we can't afford.

He is no doubt the best player we have, but if he is world class, as some claim, he would be able to fit in within Martinez's system.

I'd say take the money only if we can find a replacement. Im not sure ab

We would need £23.5m just to get our money back for Fellaini so I don't think we'll consider anything less than £30m.

I still wouldn't sell him for that amount, Moyes has shown zero respect and we need to make a stand against the deluded fool.

I hope Chelsea batter them tonight.

The problem we face, is the rest of our midfield couldn't tackle a full breakfast.

If you take Fellaini out of there, I could hear every blue saying "D'ya know what we are desperate for? A midfielder who can put his foot in, someone to break up the play, and add a few goals"

Exactly the player we are prepared to see out of the door.

Maybe in his weekly chats with Bill a deal has been thrashed out to be announced on Sept 2nd.

Wouldn't surprise me. If it is the case, Bill should be lynched.

Kevin 025

With the money we will get from selling Felllaini, we can get a midfielder that can tackle. As long as Martinez has got replacements lined up to replace MF, I don't see the problem. I think Fellaini's heart is set on a move to a CL club, so we are just delaying the inevitable.

We can sign 3 top players with funds from Fellaini - that is if BK doesn't try and appease the banks and his own interests

If he has to go, then no less than £30m - to Arsenal. Bill knows how to control the masses, and I reckon the fan base would just about swallow this as a big two fingers towards Manchester and the Ginger One.

Come on Chelsea, give them a good beating this evening, and put Wayne on the bus darn sarf with you.

Hopefully Mark, Roberto doesn't raid Wigan again. Look elsewhere please.

The problem if we sell Fallaini is other clubs will be aware of the transfer fee and will realise that Everton will be looking for a replacement.
This will mean any player we go after, the price will be inflated and we may not get the quality we expect for the price we pay.
There is speculation that a deal may allready be in place but I cant see any club ready to sell one of their better players on the condition they have to wait for Everton to sell.
Everyone was aware that Everton was going to get bids for Fellaini and Baines this season and should have let it be known that they were open to offers in June or issue a statement that they are not prepared to sell these players at any price.
Selling your best players at this time with no chance of getting replacements is a backward step to improve your club.

The best "deep midfielder" (rather than defensive midfielder, which is a different sort of thing) in the Prem is probably Carrick. He can't tackle - but he is very good at intercepting. A crunching tackle is not the only way to win the ball. Someone who reads the game well can second guess the opposition's passing, get the ball and then have the ability to construct something positive from there. I think that's better.

I wish I could think of someone else like Carrick, but I can't off the top of my head. Anyone help me out?

I think McCarthy is a very good player Ross, he's just over-priced at £15 million considering what value can be bought abroad. Who knows though, maybe most of the available talent has already been snapped up. That's the thing that annoys me - Moyes and Manure have left it till the last minute to try and sign our prized assets.

I would be very keen on Moses and Diame if available and the price was right

Darron Gibson by any chance Kevin? Such a under-rated player by so many on TW. We are not the same team without him

I'd also say Mark that many on TW overhype him a lot.

Paul (#991)
You do realise he's got no Pace!

Sorry I meant Kev

Mark exactly right about Gibson he is everything in our midfield. Have Gibson holding shove Barkley as a driving force next to him and buy a decent number 10 or put Mirallas there. Midfield problems of the last two or three years sorted in one swoop.

Personally I don't think we've had a balanced midfield since the days of Carsley and Arteta together. Gibson has never had a playmaker next to him apart from when Osman played last season but this was to little effect as Fellaini upset the whole thing at the top of the pitch. Holding mid, creative mid, number 10. Why is this trio so hard to understand for Everton managers? They're everywhere in world football. Even Martinez had clocked onto it with Mcarthur Maccarthy and Maloney.

Fellaini does not fit into any of these roles. The only midfield he fits into is a 3 man spoiling one the type Spurs look like they're building and the type Chelsea used to have. The type we used to have when Carsley sat behind Cahill and Gravesen and the three destroyed anything through the middle. Fortunately/sadly (depending on your point of view) we don't play that way anymore so Fellaini's role in the team is largely redundant despite stats of covered ground or how many sideways passes he has made.

You can see it with your bare eyes. I mean just think about it. Fellaini arrives in the team starts playing holding mid - Arteta starts looking awful, Fellaini gets injured so Osman partners him and even at half fitness we roll over Man U and Chelsea on the bounce. Arteta then goes to Arsenal where he is now one of their key players. Rodwell comes in next to Fellaini and the pair of them stink out the first half of the 2011/12 season despite Rodwell looking imperious whenever he played before that, whenever he played for England, and at the back end of last seaosn for City. We all know how good Mirallas is, as an attacker, we all know how good Pienaar is. We all know how good Jelavic used to be at Rangers. Why do they all seem to have a problem with goal scoring then? Why do Pienaar and Mirallas never get the ball in any sort of dangerous situation anymore? Why does Jelavic never ever get an early ball played through to him?

The answer is that Fellaini crabs up the mdifield whenever he plays in either of the deep positions (I need the defibrilator when he's playing holding mid). Moyes recognised this (eventually) so shoved him uptop out of the way and look how much better our football was last season than in the previous years. Moyes' mistake was not cutting the umbilical all together and dropping him. His prozone was probably telling him he was good at clearing corners and 'roamed' around more than anyone else and loads of rubbish like that. His pride probably didn't allow him to admit he'd made a mistake with our record signing.

To be honest I haven't really enjoyed watching Everton play since Fellaini arrived. 2007/08 was a great season to watch Everton yet the arrival of Fellaini set us back for seasons and we've only just got back to that level last season. We've had to construct a whole system based around slow build up play to play to his strengths all because he's supposedly our star player. In 07/08 we were just charging forward from midfield through Arteta or Pienaar with Lescott barnstorming forward as well, and we serviced perhaps the laziest striker in prem history to the tune of 20 goals a season. Loads of tap ins, loads of headers from a couple of yards out. Loads of the type of goals that Jelavic would score if we'd just take a huge 6 foot 4 shackle off the entire midfield.

In my eyes Fellaini has already ended Arteta's Everton career, perhaps Rodwell's too. Don't let Barkley be the next if we can't move forward as a team because we keep indulging Fellaini. I just hope Martinez has the stones to drop the grand crab and bring back the football we all want to see under him. Football that excites people with pace and penetration. I pray that Moyes is stupid enough to repeat his mistake of all those years ago and take Fellaini off our hands.

Ciarán - (015). "I doubt anybody would deny that Fellaini can be unplayable..the problem is that these games are few and far between..His inconsistency is his main consistency (and this applies whatever position he plays in midfield)"

I wouldn't dispute that, but these days I think virtually nobody is (performance) consistent in the way say an Ian Callaghan was (ie: play out of your skin this game so you get selected for the next game)

Once a decent contract 4/5 year deal is signed these days, a player is sorted and the pressure to perform to a high standard, week in, week out, simply doesn't exist (fucking frustrating but...it doesn't).

I really have difficulty thinking of players who I think 'Yeah he gives it everything every week and to a really high standard'

Someone like Gerrard who might be considered consistent, actually (imo) isn't and probably plays three good games in every six.

Maybe Lampard comes close and Van Persie obviously puts in the effort and Baines would be our closest, but I can't think of many that make me think 'now HE is consistently good".

So, regarding Everton (particularly with the clowns running the club) I think ok, we can't have the very best so what is NEXT best and for me, an inconsistent Fellaini is better than most.

He has a presence that makes opposition defenders nervous, he can play deep or just behind our attack, has better control than most and he was out top scorer last season.

Plus, if he goes, we instantly become shorter and physically a LOT easier to deal with.

Anyway Christ only knows what will (or is) going on.

I didn't want him to leave at any stage, but if it was going to happen, it should have been weeks ago.

Now, with a week left of the transfer window and the season under way, I think it would be suicide.

Imo, if he goes ('cheap') before the window closes and there is not time to 'replace' him, you can bet your arse it has been planned that way and that we're even more desperate for money than many of us already think.

James

I don't think Fellaini is as detrimental as you are trying to make out. However, I don't think he's the master of playing any one position - his positional sense isn't good enough to play the holding midfield role, he doesn't do the main striker any favours playing the advanced role - he was certainly detrimental to Jelavic last season. When he plays along side Gibson in the enforcer role, his passing isn't creative enough. MF is sort of the jack of all trades, master of none.

He's one player we could benefit from selling IMO

James Martin
A good piece mate and having read it, I have got to say you are spot on.
I can see things now that I could not before, selling him will make us a better team. We have just got to get his proper value, and hope Roberto can reinvest it wisely ..

For our sins we are Everton supporters, its disheartening to see our best players continually waltz off to richer pastures new!
I must admit my enthusiasum is waning quick style.
Can't say I blame them, who the hell wants to play for a team that wins nothing!
Will Ross be the next one?
Someone said were a top 6 side, are we, Moyes made us a top 6 side because he didn't care what style we played, he was only interested in the result.
Ok, a lot of the games wer'nt exactly exciting,
but for the resources he had available, we over achieved year after year in my opinion.

Roberto could create a good footballing team no problem, if he was given enough money to go out & buy players of quality, but we all know that he will only be allowed enough to buy players that the money clubs deem not good enough for them, and were expecting him to be successful
Here at Everton were asking managers to virtually do the impossible, good players make good managers, bad or indifferent players make managers appear poor!

Why does everyone keep going on about Diame? We bid for him over a month and a half ago and he turned us down to stay with the Hammers. End of.

Regardless of supporters differant opinions of Fellaini listening to opposition managers and players he is a threat and a handfull.

With only 7 days to go and supporters allready starting to ctiticize the manager why sell a player who the opposition are wary of and not have time to buy replacements.

We all know that once again we have been let down by BK with his funds are available statements that turn out to be minimal.

A lot of supporters would like to see some of the players whose names are being mentioned but if the deal to sell Fellaini ends up happening on the last day knowing how BK operates we will not buy anyone.

Yes Kev J. The "Carrick" type you seek is a 25 yr old 6'-2", bald domed yankee superstar who plays for Roma with 2 years left on his contract. Better known as "Captain Fantastic", "Alien" and "The Mekon", Michael Bradley is the best ever USA player and Klinsmanns number one man.
A DM who can do absolutely everything, he went to Roma from Monchengladbach for £3.7mil and is probably not on huge wages.

Unfortunately,most of these top players want Champions League football.

"Can't say I blame them, who the hell wants to play for a team that wins nothing!"

So, why do players want to play for Liverpool then?

Ross because if they are not already Internationals before they go there,they will become so by virtue of signing for them and players also go there because they have the financial clout to attract them. It's not just about winning trophies it's about marketing and sponsorship deals for some players and we are pretty useless at both of those aspects as well as being skint.

I don't know who they are playing tomorrow but I do know they are live on Sky again so their first four competitive fixtures have or will be shown live on TV as were many of their pre-season friendlies.
Who needs a 70,000 stadium if you can get the money off the TV companies? The money from each live game is like having another 15,000 people going through the turnstiles.

I know, I was just joking Patrick.

Ross, maybe because they can see that rs are spending a lot of money on quality players & improving their chances of winning something, we are not!

I know Raymond, I was just joking.

Thanks Ross, I think we should advertise for a billionaire that wants to blow a load of money very quickly, that's what I dream of anyway.
Know any?

James Martin,

Good post there.
One thing,do you see Maloney as a No 10?

James Martin, spot on lad! Fellaini makes the team soooooo slow, no drive, no punch, short passes going nowhere, giving away soft fouls, acting like Billy Big Bollocks (Wigan Cup tie)...

We need pace, a major driving force in the middle who can tackle & create chances for our fowards, a leader, a grafter, a player who sums up our Wonderful club, a firm fans favourite — not a fucking slow prima dona!

Just a thought and maybe a crazy one at that. Moyes didn't bid £23M for the Big Fella because him, our beloved chairman and Man Utd have an agreement already in place. The plan was set in motion before July and is just playing out now. Man Utd will get Fellaini for £28M a day before deadline; this is when another player in this drama will appear — Mr Whlean from Wigan. We will sign Mccarthy on deadline day.

The drama unfolding before our eyes is all the brainchild of our beloved chaIrman (he likes a good drama). Moyes plays the bad guy and Martinez the good guy; this way, any fond memories of Moyes are crushed and Martinez is seen as the knight in shining armour. All the time, Whlean, Moyes and our beloved chairman are happy in the knowledge that their plan of making money (£5m over FellaIni's buy-out clause and £5M more than McCarthy is worth), all while playing us fans like eejits. Just a thought, and as I said, probably crazy! ;-)

This line is mine Sam Hoare (918) and I am - regrettably - reporting you for abuse: 'and another few mill on a brilliant young Spanish/Dutch/French playmaker none of us has heard of yet!'

I must have said this 72 times on 'ere - 'none of us has heard of yet' - and have a patent and you therefore will be hearing from one of my associates within the week.

Eugene! I can count on the fingers of one paw how often I have disagreed with you these last few years but I'm not on board the Felli boat: too inconsistent; really risky head and elbows; too likely for someone so apparently vital to miss vital games through suspension; too good at looking half-arsed now and then.

Bearing in mind that the Liege cut is 20% of any profit not the entire fee then I would grab anywhere in the range of 26/27 million sponds like lightening. Trouble is we have exactly a week and the window slams shut but three smart buys with Felli-sponds would make us a better team and deeper squad in my opinion at any rate.

It won't take 26/27 million to buy him.
Kewn right will accept the sale well before that imo

Paul I think it tended to be where he drifted to during the game. If Martinez was playing 3-4-3 it tneded to be Mcarthur and acrthy as the middle 2 then Maloney on the left of Kone and Mcmanaman on the right. Maloney would usually then tuck infield and the others would make a front two. It seemed to be the formation that served him best at Wigan. He never really had much joy with a flat back 4. I thought the players here would be perfect for that formation. Pienaar could have done the Maloney role starting on the left but drifting behind Jelavic whilst Mirallas would be more central alongside Jelavic much like Mcmanaman was for Wigan.

As it is Mirallas and Pienaar seem to be consigned to the wings and don't venture anywhere near Jelavic. Perhaps when Alcaraz and Gibson come back we might see some variation with the formation.

James,

That's how I see him playing,coming in off the left but not an out and out 10

All I can say is come. On Chelsea!!!! Would love to see them spank Manure 3-0 at OFM first home game.

Excellent post James - a cogent extrapolation of my post @981. Nah, to be fair, you took it on a couple of notches! But we were saying much the same thing, I think.

Fellaini is not a team player. It only works if the other ten players adapt to him. Now, if he was Messi that would be worth it, but he isn't.

It's certainly true that Fellaini is a player you wouldn't want to come up against, and it's good to have at least one man like that in our starting XI, but how many stand-out performances per season does he give? I'm not sure of the exact number, but it's not enough!

Mark F: yes, Gibson can play that role pretty well. I may be unique on TW in (generally) rating both Gibson AND Osman!

Forum is open for those who might wish to, er... "compare notes"

james 52 that's the biggest load of bollox I have ever read. imo

Sky are reporting that us and Newcastle have bid for McCarthy. Now I would be happy to have the lad along side Fellaini as a replacement for Osman, however, £15m seems pricey (though Sky haven't said how much).

It does seem a bit lazy and one-eyed only looking at Wigan players but I suppose Martinez is a good judge of the lad and we will have to trust him.

If this is true you'd think we will have the upper hand over Newcastle. Kenwright vs Kinear is like some horrible football dream you'd wake up in a sweat from. This kind of big would suggest Fellaini on his way, as Everton FC do not find money like this without selling the staff first.

Paul Low,

Was the second time the biggest load,outdoing the first?

Mark #176, I think you're right, and that Richard Dodd's tip-off was right - he's waiting for his loyalty bonus on 1 September, and he's sold on 2 September. I hate modern day footballers (few exceptions).

But, never fear, cos Dave Whelan will be on 5Live announcing all of this in three.....two.....

Maybe BK has convinced one-legged Dave to accept payment over 3 years? £5m a year. Why not? Even Real Madrid want to pay Spurs over four years for Bale.

Mark imagine it, Whelan Kenwright Ashley and Kinnear all in one room with Pardew and Elstone waiting on the lines. How did that shower ever get to the top of premier league football?

Matt (#180)
I do like the lad (McCarthy) but hope it's not for £15M as reported. I have no doubt, as you mention that Dave Whelan, would not pass up the opportunity to proclaim it from the rooftops, Radio 5 live, or anywhere for that matter about it. Wouldn't be surprised either, if he mentioned about his leg.
Pull the other one...................... Dave!

James I just shivered at the thought. Is there a link to this story? I cannot find one.

Watching the man U Chelsea game; has to say terrific defensive display from both sides. Camera's just shown OFM, OFAM, and our Phil-looks a touch weird

Speaking of Wigan players, what's the story with Mcmanaman? I thought he'd be a target of Martinez/

He'll come next season when we sell Barkley to Man City.

Moysietime = defined as taking off an attacker and bringing on a defender in the last five minutes

Tony Mourinho just made two of those substitutions - was the special one not going for the win?

Like watching a game of bloody chess that. Very negative both managers.

I thought Chelsea played very well defensively, but carried very little threat going forward, but I suppose having won the first two games a point was what he wanted and what he got.

The first 0-0 Utd have been involved in for 122 games.
Coincidence?

How many 0-0s did we have last season Paul? Or are we just inventing that Moyes used to have loads of 0-0s. Chelsea came for a draw and got it. Ridiculous mis-use of the attacking talent in that side. Probably why mourinho never really hit it off at Madrid, he likes to play his way and his way involves creating a physical team that can crush anyone.

Colin, both managers negative?! Shit. Attacking all round, end-to-end. Excellent football. Great skill at pace.

I was talking about Utd James.Not Everton

Hazard
Oscar
De Bruyne
Schurlle

They could do some crushing them if let loose

Two very good sides cancelling each other out. Unfortunately in these games without an early goal they enarly always finish up tight affairs because both sides want to play on the counter attack.

Mark 190 - News about the McCarthy bid is on sky's website under the transfer talk section, so looking like it could be happening

Still no win at Old Trafford for OFM....

Live forum is open.

James - clearly he wasn't at the end. I was making a sarcy reference to ourselves versus Spurs at home a few years ago.

Little creativity from a David Moyes team tonight. Sound familiar??

RVP looked blunted. Another striker for that twat to ruin?

Ste - transition time?! Sounds familiar?!

Where's the live forum?

Sounds like OFM is ready to blow all his kitty on Bale.

David, look in the left hand column on the home page for the live forum.

It will be busy come transfer deadline day, that's for sure.

Ta for that Ste

Moyes will look a fool again trying to get Bale at the last minute.
Bale will be signed by Madrid tomorrow.

He still can't beat Jose.

I'd love it if he fails with our lads as well.

If he goes for Bale he won't have any money left. I've heard he might offer £25m for Fellaini which isn't enough IMO as we won't make a profit on him after everyone gets their slice. If Felli does go I can see us buying McCarthy and Moses and possibly Barry on loan.

Couldn't see the utd hierarchy backing SAF to the tune of 85 million for a single player let alone soft lad who shows every sign of unravelling with each passing day.

Possibly City, PSG, Monaco or Chels for Bale although most likely Daniel Levy telling lies to get Madrid to sign the cheque.

Looks like Moyes is doing the 'phantom' bid for Bale. Wonder if he's going to have a dodgy knee as well?

James#945
That was so cynical it was genius!
Enjoyed that.

More posturing from Moyes, pathetic. I was surrounded by crying Man U fans (Southports full of them) moaning, quite funny, screaming for them to push up.Rooney was excellent I hope he hands in a transfer request (he won't of course) and pisses off to Chelski or even better Arsenal. If Moyes got Bale he would burn him out by him making track back continually!

So will we get a better player than the one leaving. If not keep him. Simple.

I can't see United buying Bale, he was reputed to be offered something in the region of £300,000 a week at Madrid if he goes there, no way can United top that surely?

Mind you if Rooney was to go to Chelsea they may just be able to manage it.
I hope if any of our players do move, that it is all done and dusted by the time we go to Cardiff, so we know who we have in the squad for the rest of the season.

If we sell Fellaini to Utd he will fucking haunt us. The lad is class.

Telegraph are reporting that MUFC will make a bid of £20m before their game on Sunday.
Mail saying that Newcastle have bid £8m for McCarthy.

Yep sell Felli....McCarthy and Osman...top six must be quivering...Champions League...here we come...

Fellaini goes to Man U and we keep Heitinga just for the sole purpose of starting games or coming on to get under his skin when we play them, perfect! We will know precisely how to wind him up and Heitinga fits the bill, get them down to ten men bring off Heitinga and give them a beating.

Where are all these rumours coming from?
Sissoko, McCarthy, Moses, McGeady, Alderwiereld, Barry, Anderson, Redmond, The PSG lad, Marrone, Sinclair, Barton, an Italian leftback, a Norwegian striker, Medel and many others I can no longer remember.

Roll on Sept 2nd. It's driving me crackers.

Matt #180, I reckon that someone at the Club was trying to pull a flanker with the loyalty bonus on 1 September and thinking that the window would close 31 August so Fellaini would be prepared to stay with us to collect.

However they forgot to look at the calender and now he can collect his bounus on 1st and still put in an 11th hour transfer request on 2nd.

Wayne 960. Have you ever wondered why clubs insist on players putting in written transfer requests? It's obviscate the contractual terms. As it stands, should the club sell him without him requesting in writing, they would be obliged to pay all or some of his contract up which would blow quite a chunk in a 25m fee. The question is how desperate the club are to recoup their initial outlay, most probably very..
I wish it was 'made up bollocks' but sadly not.

Surely the club should be putting pressure on the player to put an end to the speculation or put in a transfer request. I doubt if much of the money will come back to the manager, the club is in such a bad place financially they have to sell.

The Liverpool Echo, on good authority, reported, yesterday, that Man Utd would offer £25 million for Fellaini today.

Regardless of the extra TV money and the fact we've spent little of what we've received over the last few years, I think Bill has told Martinez if he wants to buy he has to sell.
IF and it is an if, Martinez has to let Fellaini go - especially to those shits down the East Lancs - we should only start considering at 28 mill plus.
There is no way we should consider having to fork out for a replacement and be in the negative !

Well,if that £25M offer did come in today,at least OFM did not leave it till the last minute....... Quite !

Metro (yes, I know) reporting that we have agreed a fee for Fellainin of 20M rising to 24M. Any local reports?

Only Bk would agree a fee below the release clause!

Martinez has denied any deal has been done and we're just concentrating on tonights game.

Hoping this isn't true:-

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/transfer-news-exclusive-leighton-baines-has-asked-everton-to-agree-deal-with-manchester-united-8788275.html

Meanwhile Spurs sign a £25m Argentine. If this site had emoticons I'd have a rolling eyes smiley right here ->