Barry arrives from Manchester City

If true, at least a bit of quality. Some steel in midfield. Now need creativity and goal scorer......

Would certainly add a bit of stability in midfield, can tackle, pass and link play. My only concern is he may be a bit slow, especially as we seem to be getting younger players in the team.
Didn't expect this to be more than a loan to be honest!

Not excited about it, but will be happy to see him displace Osman. Loans are just papering the cracks too, and big wages.

A useful player to have as cover / provide some important experience, but will be disappointed if he is THE Fellaini replacement.

Haven't actually seen him play for quite a while so maybe he will pleasantly surprise me.

But we can blame the board for our small transfer penis.

I see him as a player to support and protect Ross Barkley. A welcomed addition to our squad.

Si, mate, we are bidding for McArthy it is official so how could Barry the replacement for Fellaini? I think I'm staying off ToffeeWeb for a day or two.

Slow, fat, mediocre, old, turns as slowly as a bottle of milk. What a shite signing.

Welcome to the future, in which Everton scrabble under the Premier League table licking up crumbs discarded by clubs that couldn't hold a candle to us 20 years ago.

Thanks, Bill.

For me might turn out just fine - give it a chance

No doubt he is a good player. Not particularly exciting, but will certainly improve our squad.

Hasn't he also played at centre back (left side of a back three at Villa) and left back in the past? Maybe RM isn't getting him to play in midfield.

I would rather have kept Hitzlsperger.

If Fellaini goes then he will probably play deep with Gibson and/or McCarthy allowing Barkley to play higher up the pitch. I can see us playing 4-2-3-1

Howard

Coleman
Jags
Distin
Baines

McCarthy
Barry/Gibson

Mirallas
Barkley
Pienaar

The invisible man.

Good player,, with him and Gibson holding it would give us two distributors with a right and left foot. Both move the ball forward quickly which is what we are desparate for.

Because it seems Gibson is made of glass this is a very good signing, if you worried about his age he's 1 year younger than Gerrard, 2 years younger than Lampard and 3 years younger than our former midfield dynamo Phil fucking Neville.

Robbie, we haven't actually signed him yet though have we? I don't like the idea of paying over the odds for McCarthy, but I like the idea that whoever is holding the purse-strings may see the addition of Gareth Barry as sufficient team strengthening for the time being even less.

Let's face it, 5 or so million on Kone isn't really enough to solve our striking problems is it?

Colin (#338)
Would that be Peter Brady, by any chance?

We have a gingivitis riddled attack.

Si 344,

Joe Lovejoy reckons we've signed Barry.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/01/cardiff-city-everton-premier-league

Dear, oh dear.

Carl, I was referring to the signing of McCarthy in reply to Robbie's response to my initial post, that can be summed up as 'Barry's okay, as long as he isn't the only midfielder we sign following Fellaini's presumed sale!'

We aren't getting him in to score goals, he isn't Felli replacement but as Gibson does he goes about his job. Good distribution, to be able to play Robeto's way, and it would free up Barkley to attack more, not a flash signing but one that might allow us to make a flasher signing in the forward area.

Agree that this is a good move. Still a class player who I can remember on more than one occasion bossing the game at our place with Aston Villa and until recently kept himself involved in a squad with a revolving door of the world class players. The decision to make that I feel is most important is do we accept Barry as a short term replacement for Fro, concentrating all our spending efforts on a 15-20 m striker or do we go for McCarthy ....Or, will we be spoiled rotten by Uncle Bill and get all the money (25m) to get in a double figure price-tag No9 too. Demba Ba?

Bottom line here is that we have to see what a Martinez team can do and give them a chance. I for one hope that (despite what a good a player he is) Fellaini goes and we have irons in the fire to allow Martinez to shape the squad as he wants to. It's kinda clear the current squad isn't quite right for his system so if Barry adds some quality of sorts and allows others to play better then that's got to be good.

My only concern is all the players we're linked with are midfield I think, which is OK but surely we have to strengthen up front based on evidence so far.

If, once Martinez has his squad, he doesn't deliver then he's had his chance and we (as if 'we' get a say!) need to consider his future. Four games is too soon though.

Looking forward to the next 22 hours or so. I am seriously hoping it will rekindle my optimism for the coming months.

Where's the Fellaini replacement?

Hopefully we'll find out by this time tomorrow!

Harold 364.

I suspect Barry will be a temporary replacement and the funds go toward a forward player. I don’t see why we need a Fellaini "replacement". This is Martinez’ team and Felli was OFM’s signing so a replacement doesn’t necessarily have to be a like-for-like one.

Roberto might have a few more Deulofeu types up his sleeve, he was a bit left field, virtually unreported until he had signed.

I'd be positive about this one. Remember the negativity when Gibson signed, and, for the most part, that turned out to be a real corker. I think a player of Barry's caliber and mentality is just what the team needs.

The new Paul Power ... Aged Citeh reject? He just needs to grow a quality 80s porno tache and he'll set Goodison alight ... Or not.

Spragg (#385)
If he has the same impact as PP did, then I, for one can't wait. What did we pay £60K I think it was, different position I know but he did the business.

Obviously not a long term solution so my fear is we'll be in exactly the same position next year, still having to sell to buy.

Arsenal look like they're buying Ozil, spurs look like they're buying everyone, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City are like Chav lottery winners in Ratners and we're on the cadge for cast offs. Bill probably asked for a spare cigarette during negotiations ("spare a bifter, brother?").

Note to board: the club needs financing. Either put some money in or fucking fuck the fuck off.

This signing isn't so bad, but it should be a footnote in our summer business not the coup de grace, which it probably is.

If anyone needs me I'll be hanging from a lamppost outside Bill's house with my wrists slit.

"Either put some money in or fucking fuck the fuck off."

Sir Noël Coward, March 26, 1973.

Good signing

It's one of his lesser known quotes Ray but I believe he said it to Lady Astor.

Pleased to add Barry to squad if its true but how the mighty have fallen. We are scrabbling around and appear to only deal with one club Wigan. Please let us get a couple of midfielders and a striker in. Won't hold my breath. This transfer window shows the most stark contrast between Everton and Tottenham and leaves us trailing even the clubs that have only just come up. Its maddening. Sack the Board.

If he keeps Osman off the pitch it would be a good signing.

Better than osman and that's good enough for me.

Lady Astor? What a shag SHE was...

We are a laughing stock.

No investment in players, what is rapidly becoming one of the tattiest grounds in the top two divisions, a chairman with no idea about running a football club and an ex manager busily raping the club for it's best assets.

The board must go.

Moan moan moan.

We all know we don't have a pot to piss in, but give it a rest and be happy we appear to actually be making a signing or two today. Gareth Barry may not be a 24yr old superstar for £85m but he's actually likely to be just what we need. Experience to compliment the inexperienced skills of Barkley, Mirallas and Deulofeu.

He knows his way around and can pass the ball very well - good holding player to give licence to the others to play.

If we got Barry, McCarthy, Ince and Ba with the Fellaini money then I would be quite happy. Though another creative mid would be welcome.

Colin,

How much did we pay for The Invisible Man and on what contract?

Ba? We have about as much chance of signing Larry the Lamb.

Top four eh Billy

Call me optimistic,but I think Fellaini will still be an Everton player at 11pm, Barry is back up for Gibson.

Is this our new Paul Power?

If true, this is good news as we desperately need more CMs.

If it works out and he does well, we can look to sign him up permanently in January given he's in his last year. If it doesn't work out then he hasn't cost us much.

Not a long term solution at 32 but he may have a couple of years left in him, playing a DCM role.

Happy with that.

Satisfactory temporary replacement for Fellaini that will allow us to put the money from the Felli transfer in to a decent striker.

I would love us to sell Heitinga as well. Get him off the wage bill and get a small fee for him. He is only going to sit on our bench for a season, earnng big money and then walk for nothing next summer. Even if it's £2m I'd take it!

Vic is in talks with west brom according to SSN

Reporter outside Finch Farm for Sky, now saying that Man. City, looking for a deal for Barry on a permanent basis rather than a loan deal.

That could change the whole thing as he is reportedly on £125 K a week ( how does he manage ) so considering his age, anything other than a loan with subsidised wages, will be a no-goer.

It's immoral when you think about it, £125K a week, some families, would, and have to, live on that, over a five year period!

James Marshall @ 455

"Ba? We have about as much chance of signing Larry the Lamb. "

He's fuckin' mint , he is...

I am in shock.Can't believe we got Lukaku. 27.5mil Fellaini good business for a change.......can't believe this